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Ingress Audio Engineering

I recently discovered the benefits of isolation. Don't know how many of you are familiar with Barry Diament's  recommendations for his hip joints. The recommendation for the economical DIY set up worked well for my stereo; (lightly inflated bike innertubes, wooden egg holders supporting stainless steel balls).

http://www.barrydiamentaudio.com/vibration.htm

A month ago I bought Isoacoustic Oreo's. 3 per component (weight appropriate) and was very impressed...at first. After several days of settling my music sounded dull and lifeless. I reread the optimal weight recommendations, re-calibrated weight limits with temporary improvements. To my disappointment I realized the Oreo's could only be compressed (especially after the suction seal was formed between them and the component or platform the component sat on). Sure they rocked in all directions, but they didn't glide in all directions. Only horizontal isolation was taking place so I coupled the Oreo's with Barry's economic hip joints which has greatly improved the SQ. I'm loving it but I still feel there's room for improvement. Mainly because I own the Hfiman HE-6SE HP's and I run them through my power amp's speaker taps. So I want Barry's upgraded hip joints under my amp. I'm interested in Ingress Audio's vibration isolation rollerblocks.

http://www.ingress-engineering.ca/products-and-services.php
I've looked up info about their level 2's and 3's but specifics on their differences aren't given. I know Barry says the blocks should be machined smooth to a certain degree. I left a message with Ingress, but I'm impatient and wondering if perhaps the level 2's aren't as smooth as the 3's. The smoother, the greater the improvements. My question is does anyone know the differences between their Level 2 and Level 3 rollerblocks?
mewsickbuff
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
@bdp24 

Do you think a pair of Maggie's would benefit from the Gaia isolation?

These things are light, about 20lb each and as you probably know sit on couple bent metal legs.

To be safe and stable i think you would need to drill and tap the metal legs to thread the Gaia into .
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
bdp24
redlenses03, if you want pneumatic isolation, and don’t mind spending a little money and time, you can keep your eyes open for the old Townshend Audio Seismic Sink platforms that were made in the 90’s-00’s. There were a few different versions, but they all shared the same basic design: an inner tube inside a top and bottom steel plate structure. The inner tube is inflated just enough to keep the top and bottom plates from touching; the lower the P.S.I., the lower the resonant frequency and the greater the isolation. A set of roller bearing on top of a Seismic Sink provides isolation is all planes.

>>>>>Actually there is what we call a design pressure for pneumatic iso stands, as it turns out the *ideal pressure psi* is not (rpt not) the minimum pressure psi, but something in between very low pressure and very high pressure. Otherwise the inner tube is too floppy and won’t act like a spring. You have to hunt for the ideal psi by ear. On my original single airspring Nimbus sub Hertz platform with 0.5 Hz performance the ideal pressure was around 30 psi for a load of 30 lb. For higher loads, the ideal pressure would go up, 🔝depends on the load. Also, inner tubes can’t provide effective isolation in the horizontal plane 🔛 or in any of the rotational directions. 🚁 since the inner tube is quite stiff in those directions. 

Inner tubes also have too much internal friction/damping for my taste and there’s the leaking problem as well.
redlenses03
98 posts
 
@geoffkait 
am aware of the challenges of inner tube in both setup and performance as you eluded to - has to be just right and thus my reference to trying wave springs etc..just not sure what and where to get them yet, ideas?  

Additionally, substitutes for marble that I currently use, especially for heavy monos (which I don’t for those and use a top and bottom cup with MDF due to their 90lb weight 
redlenses03
98 posts
 
@bdp24 
Have considered the Townsend products (would love to try them) especially the platforms for speakers but like you stated are costly.  

I do use the GAIA’s on my spkrs and although not super inexpensive, they do perform very well.  Priorities really and one has to pick where to focus $$.  Currently looking to upgrade DAC sooo...

I do do keep an eye out for their products used, but rarely come up, at least for my application and or timing. 

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 

redlenses0
@geoffkait
am aware of the challenges of inner tube in both setup and performance as you eluded to - has to be just right and thus my reference to trying wave springs etc..just not sure what and where to get them yet, ideas?

>>>>I design high carbon heat tempered, cryo’d compression springs for moderate loads 25 to 70 lb and Super Stiff Springs for heavy loads, 75-200 lb. Both types of springs are suitable for placing directly under a component. Performance circa 2-3 Hz.

geoff kait
machina dynamica
vibration isolation and resonance control
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