Hello bdp24 - In answer to your questions:
Some of the drum company's have introduced accessories designed to allow their drum shells to resonate as long as possible (sustain is very "in" right now in drums), by suspending their mass in free air.
As a sound engineer, my personal preference is always a tight sounding kit where one can depict triplets on a snare head and definitive octaves between deck and floor toms. I am not sure if I understand you’re meaning of sustain as those sonic characteristics are more easily achieved when the kits are recorded or amplified and reinforced with public address systems. Could you please expand on your description for me? I will also visit a couple percussion shops this week to improve my understanding as I am probably behind with current trends and languages.
We should be careful here as resonate and resonance are two very different topics when involving and discussing vibration management terminology.
Our company understands ‘resonate’ as a sound having an extended effect as in - attack, sustain and decay. An instrument’s "resonant signature" is the overall sound of the instrument whether it be a drum, cello, electric component or speaker system which the overall sound quality of the equipment is based on the combination of all three of these characteristics.
Resonance on the other hand, are amplitudes of detrimental energy formed from vibration. If resonance is allowed to build and propagate on a product or instrument hanging freely in the air, without a mechanical pathway to instantaneously evacuate the resonance, these unwanted vibrations will have a serious, adverse impact on the performance of most, if not all, equipment.
Amplitudes of energy will establish inefficiencies within the intended operational function of the musical instrument, amplifier,speaker system, etc. Resonance build up, has a negative effect altering the character or resonant signature of the instrument, component or speaker system. The reduction or removal of these unwanted vibrations can significantly improve the resolution of every system.
Our concept for mechanically grounding instruments which contact the stage is to effectively reduce unwanted resonance, as it forms, via energy transfer to ground. This is done by implementing resonance conductive pathways designed to move energy at high speed away from the vibrating instrument while, at the same time, “not” to alter the character (sonic signature) of the instrument. The results are that you will hear more of what the instrument is capable of by establishing a higher level of operational efficiency.
These results are very opposite of what you may think as our technology and approach is opposite the “old school principles” on the surface. However by understanding vibration, our applications and products will increase volume providing greater dynamics (attack), time (sustain) and deliver more of the instrument’s natural sound capabilities (decays). All of the characteristics you as a musician are seeking from your instrument (or stereo system) without affecting the instrument’s natural tone.
Pearl offers rubber feet for floor toms legs which contain an air pocket designed to prevent the shell from being "grounded" to the floor, robbing it of it's full vibrational resonance.
Rubbers and Sorbothane® materials are inexpensive primary energy absorbent materials. They have been used to treat the negative effects caused from vibration (Coulomb Friction) for generations. These materials eat (absorb) energy indiscriminately however, within all that energy are your dynamic and harmonic structures that we, as listeners and musicians, long to hear. In our opinion, by utilizing those air pockets Pearl is attempting to decrease the rate of absorption in an attempt to retain some of the dynamics and harmonics in the sound.
For hi-fi product support, isn't a lack of resonance the goal? And whatever resonance (vibration) is inevitable to be prevented from entering hi-fi components? Absolute isolation may be an unreachable goal, but it's a correct one imo.
This is where we differ. You cannot prevent resonance from entering a component. You cannot prevent resonance from forming on circuits, resistors, caps, etc within the component - it is already there when you turn the electricity on or volume up.
You cannot prevent vibration in music - music is vibration.
Energy trapped within any component or loudspeaker without a mechanical exit builds and propagates establishing product operational ‘inefficiencies’ hence limiting the product’s function.
Airborne energy seeks ground and will get there following the path of least resistance. Therefore it is first attracted to the greater mass such as wall, floors and ceilings. It is also attracted to metals as they provide secondary grounding planes and are conductive for resonance flow. Turn up the volume in a system with a good kick drum and touch your equipment. The beat of the drum is readily detected by your touch on the chassis of the components. Turn up the volume again and the pulse which you feel will also increase.
How does one treat resonance?
Historical data teaches us vibration is bad and to kill vibration via isolation, diffusion and absorption processes and materials (heavy damping). Along with killing the vibration you also kill the dynamics and harmonic structures and more importantly you kill the elusive and fragile “live dynamic” (the ultimate goal). Physics - kill something and it is dead, not to return to life; yet isn’t our primary goal to seek the live performance?
The newest option is to manage vibration by first and foremost allowing the instrument, component or speaker to vibrate enabling us to capture and hear that live dynamic. Then as resonance builds, transfer those amplitudes to ground via Live-Vibe Technology™. This approach retains the dynamic and harmonic structures we so desperately desire to hear.
Both methodologies will work, Anti-vibration or Pro-vibration but one will definitely perform at a higher rate of ‘operational efficiency’ ultimately providing very different and highly audible results. We are a Pro-vibration company.
Robert
Star Sound
PS: Thank you for good questions and information.