2. tech-talk
  3. 126422-446

Do equipment stands have an impact on electronics?

Mechanical grounding or isolation from vibration has been a hot topic as of late.  Many know from experience that footers, stands and other vibration technologies impact things that vibrate a lot like speakers, subs or even listening rooms (my recent experience with an "Energy room").  The question is does it have merit when it comes to electronics and if so why?  Are there plausible explanations for their effect on electronics or suggested measurement paradigms to document such an effect?
agear
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
czarivey
3,278 posts
10-03-2016 11:55am
they’re not part of signal path.

The wall is not part of the signal path, either. Yet....

The bus passing by is not part of the signal path, either. Yet....
erik_squires
16,898 posts
 
agear,

I think the state of our socialized knowledge is something like this:

  1. There are plausible reasons why vibration reduction could work in solid state gear. A) Microphonics in the components, or B) You are actually hearing the preamp/DAC, etc. mechanically vibrate.
  2. There are known issues with tubes and things that move like turntables and speakers.
  3. There is almost no known electrical or acoustical measurements of vibration control being needed, or improving solid state gear in the audio/home environment.
  4. As far as I know, the only "evidence" is from listener impressions. This doesn't make it false, it just means we have not progressed from subjective to objective yet. I hope that comes in the future.
@georgelofi Point about being 100% sure your speakers are not moving in 3D space is right on. Not only must you isolate the vibrations of the cabinet from any other surfaces such as the floor, you have to ensure the cabinet doesn’t rock in response to the woofer movement, causing a dopler like effect to muddy the sound.

Best,


Erik
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
Any tweak to deal with bus, truck or train passing by?
mmm.... Maybe a new house?
theaudiotweak
2,806 posts
 
Have you ever noticed the speed at which we are rotating thru space 465 meters per second? You will notice the speed change when it suddenly stops. We as humans have adjusted to that speed over millions of years just as we have to the background noise level the Earth makes some 50 db below the ambient noise level of your living environment. If you notice your chandelier in motion (well it's really your house that's moving) then you may want to step outside and have a drink or a smoke or even a panic attack...because you may then be in the midst of a earthquake.
Other than those extremes sudden stops and an actual Earthquake humans have adjusted to these ambient sensory levels of information over millions of years. Tom
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
actually we're not rotating through space. We're rotating about the Earth’s axis. The speed around the sun of the Earth is a different story. Care to take a gander how fast that is? Then there’s the speed of the Earth as part of the Milky Way Galaxy, rotating in the spiral galaxy. In addition let’s not forget the speed that the Milky Galaxy is traveling towards what, the Great Attractor? Anyone care to take a gander at the speed of the expanding universe? The Earth is moving at great speed away from the Big Bang along with everything else. The take away from all this is that speed is relative to your frame of reference.

pop quiz: if the universe slows down and starts to contract does time start to go backward?

cheerios
More to discover