Butcherblock Acoustics "feet" effecting sound and isolation


Hello, general question here do you believe the feet being used under a Butcherblock Acoustics platform effects the overall sound? I'm using metal spikes resting on metal decoupling discs that I ordered from Butcherblock instead of the stock rubber feet it came with. I have maple butcherblock under my phono preamp (3 inch), all tube preamp (3inch), and amplifier (1.5 inch). 

Also do you think I could be over isolating with all that? I'm gonna do some experimenting this weekend but just wanted to see if anyone had thoughts or opinions on it. I've read good and bad things about isolation and over doing it. Thanks for any responses!

 

 

128x128blue_collar_audio_guy

While I have not tried hockey pucks, I can say that all vibration control footers that use elastomers are many, many times softer and less viscous. Much closer to jello as opposed to hard plastic.

I use Nobsound springs under all components including turntable after a lot of testing. I threw my pointy cones and spikes away. I found that spongy materials like cork, rubber, Sorbothane, foam etc. to soften and color the sound. Granite as a shelf or tabletop sounded bad—dry, pinched and strident.

...well, since befriending my mad-scientist audio chum in the mid-90's, addressing unwanted distortions and resonances has been an integral piece of my journey to great sound in a dedicated space.  Rick, for a time, was the US repair person for Audio Matiere, amazing French tube gear.  I can qualify him in many ways...Pierre Sprey of Mapleshade, Ron Hedrich of Marigo Labs, as a dealer for Audible Illusions is the tip of the iceberg in his experience.  Rick was a person who could awaken at 3am with an idea and have it on his test bench in a few days.  He lived inside circuits and ways of isolating unwanted elements, and his results were proofs.  

Please take a minute to watch "George Cardas - Current Through a Cable" on YouTube.  Very very little in audio does not affect the sound in some manner, generally in a negative way, including "under the hood."  Only in recent years has the exotic high-end been directly addressing some of these issues with interior isolation, anti-resonant exotic materials (especially loudspeakers,) aggressive room treatments etc.  

Rick would spend hours upon hours in experimenting with materials...isolating, dampening, suspending, bladders, grounding approaches and early computer technology.  He did re-master work for Mapleshade artists who visited him in Maine.  Find his article written for The Audiophile Voice on Marigo VTS tuning dots.  

There is very little that is mass manufactured and marketed that cannot be somehow improved upon.  My audio niche is by experimentation and research equal to my ability and budget, in making careful choices of gear, treatment and tuning...pulling everything forward.  It's creative, exciting and rewarding.  A life-long passion.  

More Peace                Pin

@pinthrift 

Good reference to the Cardas video. It is great when someone simply demonstrates an aspect of audio… few words needed. The point is irrefutable.

 

Also, the follow on video describing the Cardas philosophy and progressive change in sound characteristics is something anyone considering cables should hear. It is short.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T2NmbYvACM