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Footers under big heavy speakers (Stillpoints Ultra 5, Sistrum rack, Finite Elements,..?)

Revisiting isolation and coupling for my main system, I wonder if I would try better coupling devices than the large Symposium Svelte shelves (19"x24") I currently have under my Duntech Sovereign 2001s with 21" w x 35" d wooden base, weighing 360lbs each, which in turn rests directly onto wooden floor. My room was pretty lively before the isolation/coupling and I need better coupling/draining of energy for the speakers. 

What would you suggest?

I could try four Stillpoints Ultra 5 with base under each speaker or what I hope to be at least equally good and more economically is a pair of Sistrum rack platform (using AudioPoints 1.5) that measures 22.75"x 26.75" (I don't think their standard speaker stands can provide enough balance). I could buy a Sistrum SP-4 rack and use two platforms for my speakers. This would be budget wise the same if I would buy two Apprentice SP-SA-XL-4-1.5 (18"x24") as I am looking for a new rack for my second system (Home Theater). 

Star Sound seems to be a very reputable company but earns less coverage than, e.g. Stillpoints. 

The third and probably least talked about solution would be Finite Elements Cerabase but I find less buzz here on the Gon.


128x128jazzonthehudson
fossda
112 posts
 
I have been having problems in my current residence-dealt with a lot of high freq energy and very limited bass response initially-wood floor with B&W 800D. Upgraded speaker cable to Valhalla from Valkeryie (sp?) and this made a surprising diff allowing speakers to be moved further out from wall and a little further apart-a significant increase in bass energy and response. I also reconfigured the way I was bi-wiring my speakers. Have been thinking of decoupling speakers from floor with Nordost Sort Fut. Have been able to obtain very little info on them but what I have heard is very positive. Like some of the Townsend Audio decoupling products but I do not believe they are available in Canada. Any help or info with the sort fut would be appreciated.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

As Geoff said, roller bearings give you isolation/decoupling in the lateral/horizontal/rotational plane, but not in the horizontal. As he also said, springs can be used to isolate in the vertical plane. That spring can be a typical metal one as found in the suspensions of AR/Linn type turntables and most automobiles, or it can be an air spring, like the old Townshend Seismic Sink. There's one on Audiogon for $300 right now, in fact. One can be made for much cheaper---it's just an inner tube between two platforms (Baltic Birch ply works great), inflated just enough to raise the top off the bottom. The lower the air pressure, the lower the resonant frequency and greater the isolation. Great for non-suspended tables, CD transports, and electronics. Tables with suspensions, I don't know. Does the air spring interact with the table's suspension? A metal spring isolation platform under a table with a spring suspension is supposedly not a good idea for that very reason.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 
Oops, the last work in the first sentence above should obviously be vertical, not horizontal. Hey Audiogon, what do you have against making edits possible?!
jazzonthehudson's avatar
jazzonthehudson OP
277 posts
 
For my Duntech Black Knights in my home theater setup with wooden floor on concrete, I have tried the following: BDR cones + pucks, Symposium Svelte shelves, and Star Sound Sistrum SP004. The BDR alternative is good (better than none) but also the least favored one, the Svelte shelves is a big step up with more clarity and better imaging. The Sistrum SP004, whilst sounding just a bit leaner than the Svelte, is a whole level better: much more liquid/faster, very precise imaging, separation of instruments is excellent.

The Sistrum platform provides an upgrade like replacing a great interconnect with an expensive one from High Fidelity Cables. 

I will try the Stillpoint Ultra SS.
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