WHAT HAS WORKED FOR YOU? ISOLATION PLATFORMS, FOOTERS, ETC. for a DAC?


What is reasonable to expect in SQ gain with respect to a DAC, since there are no actively moving parts?

Footers only? Platforms only? Or is a combination of both best?

Keeping this open ended (as well as budget wise) to see what Audiogon Members recommend and advise.

However, thoughts on Gains v.s. Spend with the specific products you are recommending are welcome and will be very helpful.

The only footers I have used in the past are those from Herbie's Audio Lab.  I have used two different 'audio' racks (which have been dismantled) and I am using their shelves as isolation platforms for my speakers and other components (but not the DACs).

The DACs in use are a Schiit Yggdrasil and an Exogal Comet Plus. The stock rubber footers with the Yggdrasil are as basic as they come; The Comet has an acrylic plate with rounded metal screws.

THANK YOU!
david_ten
Hey Geoff, as a ceiling is no more free from seismic vibration than is a wooden floor, what about this?: Build a structure that sits on the floor (like the frame of a children's swing set, except with two parallel top rods or beams), from which a shelf is suspended on bungee cords, the turntable sitting on the shelf. I realize the cords should be as "soft" as possible, for the lowest resonant frequency and therefore greatest isolation. I don't think I want to drill holes in my ceiling for eyebolts, hoping to hit a 2 X 6 behind the sheetrock!
Bdp24, that’s an outstanding idea! It’s also what I just described. 😬 The aluminum or wood frame is a 3’ X 3’ open cube. Place the frame on Super DH Cones of course.

I have a relatively heavy DAC that is very sensitive to treatment (Ayazi) and after extensive testing with cones, stillpoints, etc, I finally ended up with 2 magnetic levitation (maglev) & one alu cone. The one maglev is under the transformer, the other more or less balances the chassis & the cone keeps it from tipping. Results: clarity and dynamics, especially clarity.

Please note that my rack has suspended shelves as detailed above and the shelves are Neuance.
Good luck!


@bdp24 an elegant implementation of the type of idea you are describing is the range of shelves and stands from Pro Audio Bono in Poland which use a patented string suspension. I like how they use guitar tuners to adjust the tension
http://proaudiobono.pl/?page_id=1204&lang=en

The top of line GPA Silverstone also suspends each shelf on a 10Hz resonant frequency mechanism
https://www.grandprixaudio.com/products/silverstone-series
https://www.anvilturntables.com/turntable
My footers are very effective isolators, fully adjustable and unique. They never promote a lean hard sound, and tend to add fullness weight and clarity.