Component isolation


Let’s say you’re going to add isolation feet to a component with no moving parts, such as a preamp, phono stage, DAC, amp, tuner, etc. 

Which one is most critical to the extent would get your attention first? 
128x128zavato
Disregard what Elizabeth said. Each individual component may need very different isolation devices.
Are you asking because you don't want to spend on the devices for all your components or simply curious ?
+1 @inna . Each component may need a different footer or isolation solution. And it usually requires experimentation. 

There are many threads in the archives, some recommending an isolation platform plus footers. In the case of certain components like a TT, it's best to use cones or hard footers to drain vibration into a hardwood platform such as maple.

 
Also agree with @erik_squires . A component doesn't need to have moving parts to cause vibration. There's internal vibration as well as acoustic caused by sound waves.
As stated, anything with tubes needs isolation and sometimes needs damping using a weight or material on the top of the chassis.
And SS components with large torroidal transformers can suffer from vibration. 

Hi zavato

All audio parts are moving. Audio itself is motion as it interacts with the four fundamental forces. This why I like to say vibratory tuning instead of isolation. On this forum you’re probably going to see 4 camps.

1) vibratory tuning

2) springs

3) dampening

4) mass loading

The reason I start my post this way is because it’s easy to lump these together if you are not very experienced in "voicing" your audio signal.

When you start down the vibratory control road one of the first things you’re going to learn is "your audio chain is interconnected". I’m not talking about wire, I’m talking about the Audio Code (audio signal) itself. What you do to one part of your system affects the whole. It affects the whole, because the audio code is a continuum of motion (force interaction). If you look up the "four fundamental forces" it breaks this down. In other words, you’re not so much treating a component as much as you are treating the actual audio signal traveling through the component. If you look at your system as a series of conduits connected carrying the audio signal it’s easier to manage the sound, and that’s what you’re trying to do "manage the sound" (vibration).

There’s a few tips I’d recommend thinking about. First, when you dampen vibrations you’re also dampening part of the audio signal. At first listen you might think things are tighter sounding but after you play a few recordings you will discover you have selectively removed part of the music content and the system will sound strained (smallish squeezed) on some recordings. Second with dampening, what ever your using to dampen with, this material’s character will be introduced to the audio code. This holds true with the AC, electronic audio signal and your acoustics. In audio the phrase "you are what you eat" is exactly what happens. Everything you use as a material with your system adds to the chemistry of the sound you hear.

Another tip. Low mass frees the sound high mass squeeze the sound. The more weight and compressed mass your system has the more squeezed the signal will sound. The lighter mass you have, the more open the sound will be. Both of these can be good or bad depending on how you use them or what you want to hear. Most audio systems to me sound very squeezed so I get rid of as much of the weight and mass that I can to start with. From that point I apply variable tuning to parts of the conduits using controlled mechanical transferring as a means of adjusting the signal.

Others like Geoff Kait will use spring (isolation). He and I kind of have a difference in the absolutes of the term isolation but we both believe in springs, we both use springs. If Geoff comes up he’ll explain his idea on spring control.

So these are just some basics to tuning your mechanics up. Main thing is to keep in mind that the signal is made up of fundamentals and harmonics. Squeeze these harmonics too much and you will squeeze the sound, open them up too much and your sound will become mostly air. Finding that balance can be done to give you a general sound or you can even tune per recording if you want to go that extreme (you’d be surprised how many do).

My suggestion is to explore both tuning a springs and lean away from dampening. However the more experience you gain on your own and from others will help you make your own method work for you. I've used all of the above because I tune for many people besides my own listening.

Michael Green

Damping should be used sparingly or not at all. As Michael states, it does take the air out of the music. IME, lightweight damping may be needed on an enclosed tube component where the cover to the chassis is causing resonance which is picked up by the tubes.
An explanation of one situation.