@mewsickbuff
OMG!! I got the OREA isolation feet in and put on my sub. What a HUGE difference! I expected tighter bass and I got that, but what I didn't expect was that it affected my actual main speakers too. I have hardwood floors and the HD6 are mounted on a metal speaker stands with spikes (I know, spikes are NOT ideal for hardwood floors. So, I have neoprene sheets under them.). Apparently, the vibration from the sub was traveling up the spikes and through the stands and causing reflection on the tweeter, which is EXTREMELY sensitive to any vibration. It's a 1" soft dome, but acts like an electrostatic in its vibration sensitivity. The clarity picked up and the soundstage became more pinpoint.
So now I have high hopes for my incoming GAIA isolation feet for the stands. :D
Isolation Feet for Laptop
It seems fairly common knowledge that vibration is a form of distortion in many electric components, not just for turntables and speakers. Isolation feet seem to work well in most applications.
I searched around and I didn't find any information to suggest that folks are using isolation feet on laptops or desktops, despite increased streaming usage. In a great many cases, there are indeed heavy vibrations coming from within the computer. Whether it is the fan for the CPU or even GPU to the all the various chips/transformers, etc or even power supplies and batteries. If adding isolation feet to a streamer, DAC or power supply makes sense, then wouldn't it also make sense to apply isolation feet to your laptop; if you use it for music?
Well, I am going to find out. :)
I ordered some IsoAcoustics Orea Series Audio Equipment Isolators with a max weight of 16 pounds. The laptop weighs about 6.7 pounds, so it shouldn't be that much strain, even with all the cables creating some measure of down force as they dangle over the edge.
My expectation is that the DAC will be able to perform slightly better due to reduced vibration across the USB port and power filter. The DAC is a USB stick (Dragonfly Cobalt) so it has a very rigid hard connection to the laptop; so vibration is very easily transferred.
Has anyone else tried this?
- ...
- 96 posts total
I suppose we all follow a different path on our journey to audio quality. The only isolation I use in my current system except for rubber feet on various components are paving blocks I purchased at the local Home Depot, i use them under my speakers. I think the cost was 0.89 each. I used a laptop as source into a Schiit DAC for quite some time, but the idea to remove the laptop from the equation seemed to be the best step I could take on this journey. I wanted a streamer, but couldn't afford the one I wanted, decided to go the raspberry pi route. I now have a raspberry pi 4gig with rune audio (not related to roon), a 1TB ssd storing flacs and it is connected to my Denafrips DAC via a decent USB cable, then the next step in my system is a passive XLR preamp then XLR into Bryston mono amps. then onto Von Schweikert speakers. this cobbled up system is near audio heaven for my ears, I don't see myself changing anything any time soon. Well, except perhaps selling a cd transport I have not turned on for almost a year. |
Logically you have a valid point. To stay consistent you must ask if the vibration isolators are NOT necessarily beneficial to the rest of the system. In fact, do you notice it? They may not be, and I am not intimidated by those who claim they do. You are talking about acoustically isolating a computer. Have you considered MAGNETIC isolation? The CPU STREAMS OUT tons of 3 GHz white noise. You should measure it. There is HUGE RF there. Let alone 5G and the RF in your house. Do you think isolating your cables from micro-vibrations holds a candle to the voltage induced by these devices? Or even a lowly DA converter. No. You would be smarter to cut some thick steel plate and shield it all. I reduced my TT noise -20 dB that way. I get over -100 dB S/N from my MC cartridge. Unheard of? You bet. Now do I "believe" in acoustic shielding? It has its place. Far behind others.
|
@kellyp |
- 96 posts total