Isolation Tweaks

Isolating your components from bad vibes can result in much more enjoyable sound. Putting components directly on shelving with stock feet is really bad...Some people just get a good cones and use the stock shelf...still bad. Some people use hard shelves (granite, glass, etc.)....bad, bad. You want hard sound, then use a hard shelf....You want soft sound, then use rubber......Maple sounds nice.....My current recommendations are below:

 

Isolate each component separately via inner tube air bladder/maple shelving/choice of cones:

 

1. Bicycle (or larger tractor) inner tubes (at least one foot in diameter) can be bought for a few dollars. A cheap bicycle pump can be used to inflate it......You want very little air pressure in the inner tube. You want the component to bounce at about 2-3 cycles per second.....The inner tube can sit on your shelf on even on the floor. Even a couple of layers of large bubble wrap under a maple shelf sounds way better than no air isolation.

 

2. Use a 1.5 inch thick (or larger) maple butcher block or solid piece of maple for the shelf that sits on top of the inner tube. I bought a large piece of 1.5" maple butcher block at a Lumber yard for $50 and cut it in half (need a sharp saw) and now have two shelves for $25@

 

3. Use good feet between the maple shelf and the component......some good feet are: DH cones, Walker audio points and Maple shade points........You can also experiment with roller bearings on top of the shelf. Some good roller bearings are Aurios, Duramas and Stillpoints new jobbies.....All types of cones and feet have a different sound. Some people make their own roller bearings with marbles and spoons, etc (check Audiotweaks and tweaks on Audioasylum).

 

4. Try some damped weight on top of the component.

 

You really need to try the above.....Much more palpable and real sound....The inner tubes and maple shelving are pretty inexpensive....