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Cheap Speaker "Isolation" Solution for 300 lb. Speaker

 Good Afternoon All,

I am looking for advice on a cheap and simple isolation solution for large, heavy (325 lb. each) floorstanding speakers. 

I've read much advice on granite or marble slabs, multiple layers of cork, springs, etc; while this has been helpful, it is neither a cheap or simple solution. 

Ultimately, I am looking to protect my wood floor from damage these very heavy speakers might do, as well as decouple the speaker from the floor in order to reduce bass resonance (I am in an apartment complex and worry about noise complaints). I've looked into sorbothane pads, but they never seem to be able to hold this much weight.

Thanks!
scorndefeat
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Oh, I dunno, why try to emulate a spring when you can just use an actual spring. Springs maintain their performance and are scalable. If your diamond dampers are really so great how come LIGO doesn’t use them for isolation? 
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
There you go, Geoff.... purposely misrepresenting what was said. Projecting into and then calling me out on the projection. Easy now.....
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
How did I misrepresent what you said? I think I represented it quite well. It’s kind of hard to tell what you really mean sometimes, you know what with your way of speaking in puzzles and rhymes.
jollygreenaudiophile2's avatar
jollygreenaudiophile2
275 posts
 

I am wondering if the, "O.P." ever had any luck. I have had the same problem with heavy speakers. Sorbothane "will" actually work. But you may want to contact the manufacturer directly for a baseline of recommended shapes, type/rating and etc.. "I have, several times". They were not difficult to work with. But their answers left me at times with just many more questions, especially upon further reflection.

I have used the (50/70) Durometer rated pads, (6" x 6") X 3pcs. at 1" thick. "Which brings the Natural Frequency down to about 10Hz. according to the manufacturer". 

"Or so I was told"

I was also told that these particular pads were orig. designed for autobody to chassis isolation. Which made sense. They came with documentation and were rated at (1500-2500Lbs.) per pad. "When calculating for this type of application the objects weight plus the, (Inertial force of mass, AT load), and also force vectoring must be taken into consideration". Not just a speaker's given "dead weight". Otherwise, the Sorbothane will tend to simply disintegrate during it's very brief and tortured lifespan.

Anyway, I achieved what I'll call, "Mixed Results" at best. I ended up placing all of the pads behind bass transducers in sealed cabinets which did work well at reducing resonance and interior reflections.

allears4u
134 posts
 

Trampoline is optimum. I've built two. One for my turntable and second for SVS SB-2000 pro. They are amazing. Requires some trial and error. The tramp must end up causing item to "hover" inside rack. I've used high strength bungees but it must be free enough to sort of "bounce" within frame. So for these 300 lb speakers the frame would need to exceed the footprint of speaker, and the frame must be both big enough and strong enough to weave sufficient bungees through holes in wall of frame. I used a box with books to replicate both size and weight of sub BEFORE my delivery arrived. At 300 lbs you would need four people to place the speaker onto the trampoline. It will probably tilt in one direction which will require some rearrangement of bungees. A cross weave both front to back and side to side can be accomplished with a solid length of bungee woven back and forth under and over each strand. Slider feet under frame allows the item to be slid with effort but at least you won't have to remove speaker to toe in or whatever. Your fellow tenants will bless you AND (more importantly) those speakers will sound amazingly better. Plus all the vibration shaking your other gear will be greatly diminished.

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