Equipment Rack

 
rickw062
18 posts
07-27-2016 2:50pm
Coming from California I can truly understand isolation , we are not dealing with earths vibes. In this hobby we can effectively isolate and even better drain/remove internal noise . If you have turntable rumble or a needle bouncing due to wooden floors you must isolate that component.Now that you have isolated your components you are storing ALL internal noise and energy from tubes,transformers ,etc.Now let's remove all of the internal noise, vibration without total isolation.Open the drain and let it go.Wow this is better than a high dollar component change.After 10 + years of using AUDIO POINTS I am able to enjoy the full potential of my components.I can now enjoy the music in a more LIVE and realistic way.Only ridding the internal noise will bring the live performance to you.Your system has way more potential than you even know.Trust your ears, audio points are keepers.I have absolutely no affiliation with this company whatsoever.I was fortunate enough to borrow a few thing from a friend.Boy was I skeptical.Voodoo,snakeoil,whatever.This stuff actually works wonders above other products.If you can A/B against your stuff you will be amazed.You do have to let it settle a couple days or so.When removed you will be highly disappointed.This is my experience. Hear what you already have, you might lose that high dollar upgrade bug.     Happy listening,Rick W.

I agree in general. I already commented in detail regarding damping or dissipating or otherwise dealing with internal and or airborne vibrations IN ADDITION TO actual vibration isoaltion, the type that addresses Earth crust motion and other very low frequency vibration producers. Have no idea on Earth why you would say, "we are not dealing with Earth's vibes." 

Have a nice day 

Wow, this is even more fun than interconnects/power cords discussions! As I said before re. Valhalla for Naim Audio boxes, no one of us, mere consumers will ever be able to check all our options! Demo-ing in brick-and-mortar shops is our only choice. 
Personally, I got pArticular rack based on the advise from John Schwartz at Chicago Pro Musica and even now, 20 years later, I do not regret it! The one thing I noticed about marketing of such goodies was  from Mapleshade company. They make such open and clear-sounding CDs (and sell 'em for next to nothing!) that you start to wonder if their ugly racks and cones and cords make a difference!! Nifty marketing strategy for those companies which cannot afford travel accommodations for unbelievers. 
My most noticeable upgrade as I was climbing from the entry-level to the Top of Naim's "olive" series was Mana Acoustics stands for Naim SBL speakers. Have no idea if it was some PhD in seismology who designed them, do not care if my Personal Guru, Art Dudley of Listener (and now with Stereophile) says that it is bull, these things do work! 

Hello Geoff,

You are the only one convinced Star Sound has or are overlooking a problem. Obviously you do not understand our approach to vibration management and/or product functionality or you would realize that our platforms are designed to vibrate and yes, they move because they are coupled to the flooring. The Energy Rooms™ are also direct coupled to the structural foundation so they also move ‘in rhythm’ with the earth.

Star Sound products do “NOT” Isolate.

Isolation prohibits the evacuation of resonance formed from vibration. Said resonance builds up within and on all surface areas of the chassis including circuits and all the small parts, wire, power supplies, etc., including every part and surface area of the chassis. This establishes tremendous component operational inefficiencies as this resonance also propagates on all smooth surfaces clogging all signal pathways (electrical, electromechanical and acoustic) per Coulomb’s Law.

Without a mechanical exit point this energy, caused from vibration, greatly inhibits the functionality of all individual parts of the component or loudspeaker especially when located within a vibrating environment.

Contrary to the majority of audio industry beliefs, theorems and applied concepts, our approach to vibration is to let all the parts and chassis vibrate at will. In a musical environment components and loudspeakers are going to vibrate so we decided to begin experimenting with a reverse approach to historical understanding. Our technology is based on the rapid transfer and exit of interfering energy in continuous motion via a conduit of a specific geometry and material science. Simple and basic mechanical understanding with lots of investments into a lot of steels and brasses, years of prototyping and taking a lot of studies on how various musical instruments are manufactured provided us the methodology that established Live-Vibe Technology™.

A few of us involved with Star Sound grew up in the professional sound and recording sciences industry. We were exposed to acoustic and mechanical devices built on isolation theorems, constrained layer damping, absorption and diffusion techniques so believe me when I say “we get it and we understand it”. Those approaches grew into too many variables in order to support a single geometry. Example: Your isolation approach requires different and various sized springs based on chassis weights whereas our smallest Platforms support a half ton of mass eliminating the weight management category. We continued to search for a more simplified approach to improving sonic performance especially knowing that musical sound quality is such a highly subjective yet highly sought after experience.

Say what you will about any of our products or technology as many people have since our inception however, the most important accomplishment that remains totally undeniable is product functionality. The performance is described by many as stunning audible results in all aspects of sound particularly in the “live” sense.

We placed Live-Vibe Technology inside loudspeakers and electronics chassis, built a highly successful line of equipment racking, built mechanically grounded recording and playback environments and are now marrying it to musical instruments. Each step of the way this technology rewarded us with a more musical presentation and a clientele of audiophiles, listeners and musicians that continues to grow and assist us in advancing Live-Vibe Technology.

So we are a bit different, almost opposite in fact. The sciences surrounding commercial isolation products do not apply to our means. 

We are patiently awaiting your next objection and you are correct - necessity is the mother of all invention but did you know that music soothes the mother...

Let it Vibrate!

Robert

Star Sound

Robert. Still hoping for a link to a reference showing how a mechanical spike can act as a mechanical diode to filter out seismic interference? You claimed this was "common knowledge" so would love to hear more

Also I’m a tad confused as to how a mechanical diode (isolation in other words) fits into your system. From the following it would seem this is not the effect you are after? Again apologies if I’m confused

they move because they are coupled to the flooring. The Energy Rooms™ are also direct coupled to the structural foundation so they also move ‘in rhythm’ with the earth

Star Sound products do “NOT” Isolate.

Robert wrote,

"Isolation prohibits the evacuation of resonance formed from vibration. Said resonance builds up within and on all surface areas of the chassis including circuits and all the small parts, wire, power supplies, etc., including every part and surface area of the chassis. This establishes tremendous component operational inefficiencies as this resonance also propagates on all smooth surfaces clogging all signal pathways (electrical, electromechanical and acoustic) per Coulomb’s Law."

Robert, as I already said damping is necessary and sufficient to deal with (medium and high frequency) vibrations that show up on the top plate of an isolation device, whether produced by an internal motor, transformer, CD transport mechanism, acoustic waves, etc. BUT this is in addition to isolation which is necessary to deal with the *very low frequency* structureborne vibrations. It is not true that isolation prevents the internal vibrations from escaping the system. The trick is to properly isolate and properly damp without over damping. If there were no such thing as isolation or if isolation prevented vibrations from escaping the system, as you say, then the LIGO project would never have been able to detect gravity waves, the amplitudes of which, by the way, are on the order of the diameter of a neutron. In fact, LIGO would never have been able to detect gravity waves without vibration isolation. Period. Surely your seismic expert knows that.

I have almost always used vibration dissipation, "mechanical diodes" and damping techniques in conjunction with or integrated into my isolation platforms, including my sub Hertz Nimbus platform. It is not exactly a big secret that damping of the top plate is important.

I have had many discussions with Michael Green of TuneLand and Michael Green Audio, who preaches a very similar message as yours, that vibrations should be allowed to flow freely in the system and the room and that isolation is either not possible or ineffective. Are you aware of Michael Green and are your methods similar to his?

cheers,

geoff kait