Gingko vs. pucks

Sorry, Kmulkey, I did not intend to come across as confrontational and yes I assumed you posted your thread because you were interested in performance gains. That's why I responded. And FWIW, I am not able to debate physics with you either.

I was simply sharing an alternate point-of-view to consider and obviously it's a view that is not well-known and often times not warmly received. But I've spent quite some time learning these basics through much R&D and simply wanted to share some of those findings.

The answer to my question in my previous post is, the vibrations remain trapped inside the component.

This may not sound like much to do about anything but if you've ever found yourself in your car at a stoplight with some guy's subwoofer 2 cars back wreaking havoc on of your sternum and your car, you should have some idea the havoc air-borne vibrations trapped within can do since your car is not much different from an over-sized component.

-IMO

Stehno,
No, I did not take it as confrontational...just beyond my grasp I guess. To summarize, are you saying there's nothing that can be done with vibration/resonance/better isolation or that it's really not a big deal? I ask this sincerely as I have never delved too deeply into the minutiae of audio until recently.

Vinh Vu of Gingko Audio here. The original question was about Gingko Cloud platform versus pucks, which I interpret to be footers made of some material.
We performed vibration tests in designing our Cloud platforms and the results are published on our website. Through these tests, we proved that our platforms do a great job in reducing vibration in the critical frequency range affecting TTs, CD players, etc. We also conducted A/B listening tests of identical components such CD players playing identical CDs in real time, one on the platform and one not. We even did these tests in real time at shows such as the 2004 Montreal FSI, where 89% of the respondents heard a significant and consistent difference between 2 identical CD players, with and without the Cloud. Our live demos have been well reported by the audio press. Most importantly, we give a 30-day money back guarantee (you pay shipping) so you can just try it for yourself.
Any theory about vibration should be backed up by empirical data done with proper test instruments and procedures and we have done that in comparing our own products and others. We are confident that our design is sound and effective.
Feel free to contact me through our website with specific questions.
Good listening.
Vinh Vu
Gingko Audio

Decoupling platforms make a significant improvement with an unsprung TT like the Scout, even when the TT is solidly sited on a cement floor or on a wall mount. The only hypothesis I can think of to explain why a decoupling platform helps in these instances, is that in addition to decoupling from external room vibrations, the plaform acts to transfer internal vibration from stylus, plinth & motor into benign LF motion. There are probably very few hard-composition platforms that don't reflect internally generated vibration back into the TT. I suggest trying $50 worth of McMaster Carr springs under the Scout in the manner of my DIY plaform. I can think of no decoupling system other than springs with the ability to discharge energy as benign LF oscillations. Even air bladders cannot achieve this.

I know a Scout owner who successfully used a spring platform with his TT on a wall mount, and an AC Raven owner who noted improvement even on solid cement floors. The problem with this approach is it's too cheap for audiophiles to take seriously, and it isn't as aethetically satisfying as splitting hairs over the properties of exotic hardwoods.

"No, I did not take it as confrontational...just beyond my grasp I guess."

As you can see, Kmulkey, you are not alone.

To answer your question, I am not saying there is nothing that can be done. In fact, I'm saying just the opposite.

And though kitty litter, tennis balls, hand balls, hockey pucks, bicycle inner-tubes, air bladders, beach sand, sorbathane, etc. all have their place in life, there's a few of us coming from a different perspective who in good conscience could never recommend such materials for high-end audio.

I checked out your web site, Vinh Vu. I can see you've enjoyed much success. Congratulations.

-IMO