Is There a Way to Lessen Vibration On Cables From Powered Speakers

@gaukus

I would try the putty in steps. Again, think of it as installing a gasket or absorptive buffer. You describe the plate amp portion of the speaker as the part that is transferring the energy so start there. form/roll the putty into a very small diameter continuous piece and then place the putty between the cabinet and the plate amp and reinstall. The act of screwing down the screws should squeeze the putty into position. Then, see if that reduces the vibrations.

My recollection is only one speaker has the plate amp and the other simply receives the signal through speaker wire correct? Does the second speaker vibrate like the one with the plate amp? If so, then you are transferring energy in other areas as well. While you have it open, see if you can possibly tighten the drivers, some of those screws may have come loose over time.

The law of diminishing returns really kicks in when you are dealing with a $2-300 speaker. Additionally, it sounds like you are listening at very high volumes. There is a point where you are likely listening outside their intended volume range.

Best wishes.

@ghasley

Ok, I will try that out when I get the putty in.

Correct, one speaker has the amp, the other is passive.  The vibration also occurs on the passive, but very minimal.

I have the volume on the speaker set to 2/3s and half-way on the subwoofer. I control the volume through Windows. Since I am going through the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt, it is also amplifying the signal, which could account for additional loudness. The thing that does impress me the most about these speakers is their ability to resolve detailed and heavy sound at high volumes.  All other speakers I have ever owned or listened to had a peak point where they would distort at that volume.  These speakers can cross over that and keep going O_O.  No, I don't casually listen at those volumes. If max volume (100) is unbearable, I listen at level 30 max and it's plenty loud. If the track was recorded at low volume, I have increased to level 60 before, but never any higher.

I might also add that I have $4000+ in cables and power equipment behind these.

@gaukus

Others may chime in because I am far from an expert. You can prevent/minimize vibration or drain vibration. Given your feedback on the second speaker behavior, you may need to do both.

You will achieve dampening/preventing with the putty and tightening all screws you can get to.

Do you have the speakers sitting on any type of stand or support? You may also consider when you get the putty to roll 4 balls of the putty and place underneath the speaker and the surface (be mindful of the surface since the putty could possibly make a spot on your surface it is happens to be a nice surface). Maybe a cutting board as a base might improve things some?

You can probably tell that I am trying to be careful with recommendations given I don't really know the vibration characteristics and whether they originate from your cabinets, your drivers being loose or backwaves from the drivers. I am also trying to recommend things that are on the cheap and arent a total loss if they dont achieve your goals ie: a cutting board, etc. Another potential solution would be to swing by a best buy or car stereo shop and see if they have a small sheet of dynamat. You could cut it up to place in several locations within the speaker cabinet to absorb some of the internal reflections/vibrations. Beware, this could kill the liveness of the speaker as I havent tried it with this speaker as well as I dont know if thats the source of the vibration.

It is actually a lot better to have the speaker on springs or even better Podiums. Either of those is way better than anything firm or rigid as anything that couples like that brings ringing, smearing, and harmonics that color timbre and tone altering natural instrumental character. 

@millercarbon

I wonder if there are different qualities to the use of rubber bands.  Whilst awaiting my bag of rubber bands, I had two wide rubber bands from a bunch of asparagus.  I tried using those and they not only didn't impact the vibrations, they took on no vibration. It didn't seem to matter what the tension or lack of tension was.  I began to consider that there maybe something in those bands that makes them food-safe and therefore not adapted to vibration absorption? The typical rubber bands are rather "squishy" and these food rubber bands are stiff and relatively unyielding.

I also was thinking about how Shunyata's "Dark Field" risers are designed. They seem to have something of a larger component with a stretch of rubber. It could be that the structure has internal filler or shock absorbing material?