Isolation Devices for Digital

I wrestle with devices that dampen versus those that drain such as cones. With speakers, I find that tight coupling to the floor does much better than dampers. With equipment such as CD players I've had mixed results. Definitely had more success with products like BDR cones than I have with products like vibrapods.

Drain or dampen? Any insight on this?

Mdconnelly, there is no such thing as drain. Now, having cones might change the sound for you but they do nothing except transmit vibration.

It's easy enough to try some basic things around the house and see how they affect your PC. Put some foam or a pillow or something soft underneath and see if the sound changes. They put a pice of wood underneath and try again. Try stone or marble ... try tennis or squash balls ... try something else.

If you hear a difference then you can explore the material that works best for you. Everyone else's opinion won't mean much unless you try it in your own system and hear how and if it makes a difference and whether you like that difference with your own ears.

Enjoy the hunt,
Bob

Rotarius - one man's drain is another man's transmit.

I just meant that some isolation devices are meant to act as dampers between the equipment and whatever it's resting on. Others such as cones are designed to transmit (drain?) vibrations to whatever platform it's sitting on and minimize reverse transmission into the equipment. No?

No Mdconnelly, a cone is not like a one way valve. It will transmit all the floor borne vibration that makes it's way up the rack to your component. There are places that will rent you a vibration tester. You can check for yourself what a cone can and cannot do. You do not have to take my word for it even though I deal with vibration issues on a daily basis as a mech engineer:) If you want to learn something about isolation devices, shoot me an email.