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Has anyone had experiences good or bad with speaker isolation or isolation in general ?

hi
i have been enjoying buying and listening to hifi for some 35 years now and have seen many items come and go.I have also been interested in the audio cable discussions and i agree that cables do make a difference how much of a difference is a very individual, and a system dependent situation. There has been nothing that has got me so excited and improved the sound of my system that has ever made me want to really share it with fellow audiophiles until i started to try various isolation products.With so much choice from affordable to very expensive i found the hole subject very confusing and i did not know where to start. After trying lots of various products all shapes and sizes with very different results i decided to read reviews which is something i do not usually do to get some advise.I read a review on the Townshend audio seismic podiums they are isolation platforms that go under your speakers .This company is very famous for isolation ideas and have been around some 50 years based here in the UK they also had a factory in the USA back in the 1980s. I contacted Nick at Emporium hifi  and he agreed to install a pair for me so i could have a listen. My speakers are sound-lab dynastats which i use in quite a small room but with the adjustments give a nice sound. After installing the podiums we both sat down with jaws hitting the floor these podium things completely transformed the sound of my system to absolute perfection. After all this time trying various products under my equipment i have now isolated my speakers and the sound quality is exactly what i believe we all are chasing, my sound-labs are now transparent no more bass problems i have just got one big 3D sound stage the dynastats are now very open with deeper much better bass everything is perfect. I now believe isolating your loudspeakers is the first port of call i was so impressed by the Townshend audio seismic products i now sell them as i have never come across anything that has given my system such a great upgrade , the sound is the same as before but now its just so much better its playing deeper bass but tighter much more resolution and no boom , the midrange is so much more human sounding realistic and spacious with the top end so refined and perfect , is anyone using podiums and had the same experiences i would love to hear from you thank you john 
mains
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Damping the speaker connectors is a bit of a sticky wicket since even if one were successful damping the connectors all of the internal wiring and crossover components would still be subject to the vibration produced by the cabinet resonance and the back wave of the speaker drivers. On the other hand something can possibly be gained by elevating or suspending all speaker cables and power cords. In the old days Tekna Sonic dampers could be used on speaker cabinets but they ceased to be available some time ago, unfortunately.

You also should ensure that interconnects or speaker cables or power cords do not pull on components on isolation stands as that would hurt the isolation effectiveness since that pull would constrain the top plate of the thing from moving with ease.

toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone
840 posts
 
Just saw these lab isolation feet.. they used bearing races. Interesting but expensive!
https://www.newport.com/f/vib320-mechanical-vibration-isolators

Regarding platforms on carpet: that's what I suspected. To couple to the floor, I don't think you'll need a hole punch for spikes to pierce through carpet.. my spikes have done a fine job getting to the concrete underneath on their own.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Spikes aren’t cones. With cones - especially the best ones, the NASA grade ceramics that have a rounded tip, you’ll need a hole punch, esp. if there’s a carpet pad. Newport Corp. is the mother of all isolation stands, platforms, table tops, what have you. That’s where Vibraplane and Minus K were born. The Minus K is simply the old Newport Sub Hertz Platform "reconfigured" for audiophile use. The Vibraplane, same type thing.

mains OP
170 posts
 
Im using jps labs kaptovators on my digital amplifiers which are not to  heavy, but tomorrow im putting an jps  aluminata onto the psu for the cdp .This could cause a problem but as mentioned cable elevation will help .
I am looking into cable elevation so no cables are running directly across the carpet , can anyone advise on a reasonable priced product please ?
Hi geoff how do i purchase the pebbles without paypal please?
I would like 2 very big bags for my corners behind speakers and i have to pairs of RCA leads so enough bags of the micra pebbles for my interconnects.
Is insulation tape sufficient to secure pebbles to the interconnects ?
thank you regards john

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
The only way to pay other than PayPal is cash, in USD. That would work. I will ship free of charge. Stones should not be bound too tightly, if at all, as they should be free to resonate. I usually just drape them over interconnects.  For room corners just sit them on the floor. For glass Windows Scotch tape the Mikro size by the closure end of the zip lock bag so the stones are not constrained from resonating. You can contact me for further details via the email address on my web site. I have Large and X Large for Larger rooms. I also can provide instructions for all four sizes and applications for each size.

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