2. misc-audio
  3. 1142343516

Energy damping or energy transfer?

Are there some generally accepted guidelines about which components to isolate (in terms of vibration damping) and which components to "couple" to the rack (which is also coupled to the floor)?

I freely admit to being clueless here (I'm still trying to get my head around cables and power cords), but it seems like the "brass spikes" guys are saying something completely different from the Vibrapod-type isolation guys.

Given what they're asking for these products and the potential number of components involved, it's like considering a major component upgrade.

Also, has anyone noticed once a component is isolated/coupled that either the interconnect or power cord is affected? Thanks. If this has been kicked to death in the past, just posting a link would be great.
lrdmax
bojack
539 posts
 
If you were to do a blind AB test w/a system using after-market damping and a system using the factory supplied rubber feet, I doubt you could tell the difference. Yes, TTs need damping, but IMO the magic cones, energy dispersion crystals, maple blocks, and the like for other components are nice to look at but that's about it. No carbon fibre cone or isolation block is going to improve your CD player, amp, or preamp one iota.
krell_man
827 posts
 
I was talking about stereos one night with a chemist. He related a story to me because I was contemplating buying a Sistrum stand for my stereo which uses the coupling and draining philosophy.

He told me that at Rohm and Haas, where he works, they had the multi-million dollar electron microscopes sitting on damping pads that would hold the microscopes steady through an earthquake. Then he said, "but that nothing can stop airborne vibrations".

I went with the Sistrum stand!
lrdmax OP
11 posts
 
Thanks for the replies. Looks like 2 to 1 in favor of isolation for components.

Among other applications, I'm working on a custom equipment rack that uses an angle iron frame with hardwood shelves. I wasn't sure if I should try to couple the shelves to the frame (by epoxying some type of small points to the shelves and having the points contact the frame) or isolate the shelves from the frame.
For isolation, I was thinking about a combination of cork and sorbothane.

Then there's the issue of isolating/coupling the components and the shelves, or, like Bojack says, DO NOTHING. ;-)
krell_man
827 posts
 
Before you take the approach that 2 out of 3 people are in favor of isolation, it might be in your best interest to try bother ways and see for yourself.

I found that too much isolation or damping had the tendency to dull the sound, where coupling brightens it. You'd be doing yourself a great disservice if you don't experiment.

An audiophile will always experiment trying to get the best sound in their system. Taking the majorities opinion and running with it blindly, especially when only three people have responded, may or may not be right for your system.
stehno
1,453 posts
 
Krell man's chemist friend is correct when he said, "nothing can stop airborne vibrations".

That's why you need to expedite the transfer of resonant energy away from the component.

Of course if you'd like to trap those vibrations (captured in a moment-in-time but can only dissapate over a period of time)inside your component you can always put some kitty litter or sorbithane material underneath the component.

-IMO
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