Oh the many similarities between microwave and audio. Speed of light ~ speed of sound, waveguide/cavity modes ~ room modes and case in point, electrical ~acoustical reflection coefficient and energy coupling.
When it comes to speaker isolation, the goal is to pull as much standing wave or ringing energy away from cabinet so that it doesn't color the driver sound. Several stages of performance likely exist in this goal.
First, maximum conduction of acoustic energy from the speaker. Manufacturers may improve this by integrating solid metal bases into there cabinets to conduct maximum energy into the footers, likewise, speaker stands/platforms maximize area contacting the speaker base for maximum conduction.
Second, provide an acoustical loss mechanism. The interface and acoustical conducton of energy through spikes to the floor will always be flawed, providing reflected and unwanted energy back to the speaker. Lossy materials minimize energy at the spike floor interface, moreover, the acoustical noise ringing in your floor is attenuated before it is conducted back to your speaker.
Third, acoustically lossy material would be usless if it did not effectively conduct energy off the threads in the base of the speaker or platform. I'll guess that these footers/platforms with lossy materials could utilize several variations of materials to impedance match (acoustically of course) from metal to increasingly lossy materials in the center of the sandwich between the threaded inserts and the spike tips.
Basically reflection and transmission occur at every material boundary interface. Remember to tighten those drivers. Wait a minute, are there any gaskets between our DI cabinets and our drivers? Lossy gasket materials that allow the ideal combination of conduction AND loss should improve the sound as well.
Sorry for the long winded post or being captain of the obvious. So many of the EE designs I've worked from antennas to RCS involve similar concepts.
When it comes to speaker isolation, the goal is to pull as much standing wave or ringing energy away from cabinet so that it doesn't color the driver sound. Several stages of performance likely exist in this goal.
First, maximum conduction of acoustic energy from the speaker. Manufacturers may improve this by integrating solid metal bases into there cabinets to conduct maximum energy into the footers, likewise, speaker stands/platforms maximize area contacting the speaker base for maximum conduction.
Second, provide an acoustical loss mechanism. The interface and acoustical conducton of energy through spikes to the floor will always be flawed, providing reflected and unwanted energy back to the speaker. Lossy materials minimize energy at the spike floor interface, moreover, the acoustical noise ringing in your floor is attenuated before it is conducted back to your speaker.
Third, acoustically lossy material would be usless if it did not effectively conduct energy off the threads in the base of the speaker or platform. I'll guess that these footers/platforms with lossy materials could utilize several variations of materials to impedance match (acoustically of course) from metal to increasingly lossy materials in the center of the sandwich between the threaded inserts and the spike tips.
Basically reflection and transmission occur at every material boundary interface. Remember to tighten those drivers. Wait a minute, are there any gaskets between our DI cabinets and our drivers? Lossy gasket materials that allow the ideal combination of conduction AND loss should improve the sound as well.
Sorry for the long winded post or being captain of the obvious. So many of the EE designs I've worked from antennas to RCS involve similar concepts.