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Isolation footers for amps

I'm looking for advice/recommendations for isolation footers for my amp -- an Audio Research D300 (solid state). Currently I have it mounted on a free-standing 4" thick maple block, with spiked-tipped brass footers anchoring the base to the carpet on top of a basement (cement) floor. Would I obtain any additional sonic benefits by placing after-market isolation devices between the amp and the maple stand? I should add here that I'm not looking to spend a great deal of money on this... something more in the range of $100-200. Options in roughly that range I've found on line include Audio Prism Isobearings, Herbie's Tender Footers, and Mapleshape's brass footers. My (perhaps imperfect) understanding is that the first two are meant to isolate a component from vibrations in the room (including those from other components), while the third is supposed to help 'drain" vibrations from the component in question itself, thereby minimizing their transference to the audio chain..

I'd welcome advice from fellow Audiogoners more experienced than I on the extent to which these devices confer audible sonic improvements and, if so, which ones they'd recommend. Thanks

Michael
mross1949
lak's avatar
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lak
4,624 posts
 
A question of speculation:
In principal, what's the difference between the DH Cones from Golden Sound and the Star Sound brass Audio Points with brass Coupling Discs?
Someone, please school me...
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I am very familiar with both of those cones and have them in my system at various times, as well as a great many other cones. One difference between the DH Cones and the brass cones is the hardness; the NASA grade ceramics in DH Cones is almost as hard at 9 + as diamond 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and brass is much much softer at 3-4 on the hardness scale although you wouldn’t intuitively think brass would be that soft. As I intimated previously hardness is directly related to effectiveness. The shapes of both are ballistic which is a good thing, both somewhat resembling the nose of an ICBM. Effectiveness is probably due to several things, most particularly rapid transfer of energy and isolation. The NASA grade ceramic cone would also be stiffer, I.e., more resistant to bending forces (isolation) than brass.


jetter
3,033 posts
 
Geoff, since taking a class in tile, I have been fascinated by the fact that ceramic tile, which of course is clay, can be hardened to the point that it has properties, versus all others, to with stand reentry heats and pressures on space equipment reentry. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 

Jitter
Geoff, since taking a class in tile, I have been fascinated by the fact that ceramic tile, which of course is clay, can be hardened to the point that it has properties, versus all others, to with stand reentry heats and pressures on space equipment reentry.

Yes, thermal tiles (glass) on the Shuttle could withstand enormous temps circa 3000 F during reentry circa 17,500 mph. Assuming the tiles remain in place, of course, which actually wasn’t the case in the second Shuttle disaster when the vehicle disintegrated over California or wherever.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 
Brass had better be soft---it's what cymbals are made of! I don't believe tiles sound too good when struck with a drum stick ;-).
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