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Isolation Feet for Laptop

It seems fairly common knowledge that vibration is a form of distortion in many electric components, not just for turntables and speakers. Isolation feet seem to work well in most applications.

I searched around and I didn't find any information to suggest that folks are using isolation feet on laptops or desktops, despite increased streaming usage. In a great many cases, there are indeed heavy vibrations coming from within the computer.  Whether it is the fan for the CPU or even GPU to the all the various chips/transformers, etc or even power supplies and batteries. If adding isolation feet to a streamer, DAC or power supply makes sense, then wouldn't it also make sense to apply isolation feet to your laptop; if you use it for music?

Well, I am going to find out. :)

I ordered some IsoAcoustics Orea Series Audio Equipment Isolators with a max weight of 16 pounds. The laptop weighs about 6.7 pounds, so it shouldn't be that much strain, even with all the cables creating some measure of down force as they dangle over the edge.

My expectation is that the DAC will be able to perform slightly better due to reduced vibration across the USB port and power filter. The DAC is a USB stick (Dragonfly Cobalt) so it has a very rigid hard connection to the laptop; so vibration is very easily transferred.

Has anyone else tried this?

128x128guakus
guakus's avatar
guakus OP
351 posts
 

@fuzztone 

I am happy for you and your setup.  Not every situation is ideal. This is the limitation being presented on this setup.

I am certain you'll be the first in here to berate me if I dare to suggest I heard a difference adding the isolation feet, right? ;)

guakus's avatar
guakus OP
351 posts
 

@tomic601 

Alright, I am looking into that now.  Seems reasonable.  The Basik, which is what I could afford, doesn't perform any mechanical vibration isolation, but perhaps adding these isolation feet to the Tranquility pad would help.

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,831 posts
 

well, if the constraint cannot be relaxed…i would attack the problem in several ways… First i would work on isolating the laptop. Is it quieter both physically and thru your system on battery or the power supply ( likely a hash producing SMPS ) ? isolating the PC to the dirty leg of your power panel is always a good idea, as is some form of digital only power cinditioning.. Then i would work on the DAC, heatshrink the body, use a jitterbug FMJ also w heatshrink.

Finally open up aperture on other effective mechanical isolation devices… HRS strongly advised…. i would work a nimbus coupler under the dac / FMJ hanging in space…..

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,831 posts
 

another tip…what happens to system noise when processor load goes down and or screen saver comes on ?

guakus's avatar
guakus OP
351 posts
 

@tomic601 

I am currently using the FMJ Jitterbug.  I had bought the USBe Perfect, but it does not work well in series with the Dragonfly Cobalt, but the FMJ definitely does. I will save the USBe Perfect for when I upgrade to a standalone DAC.

Processor load is low.  Every now and again, if I am working on too many apps and have too many active active directories open, the processor fan will kick on for a brief time.

I have my music apps running in Realtime mode and it still doesn't put a dent in processor load.

I keep the device plugged.  It uses a switched power supply (not much that can be done about that.) I currently use Shunyata's Venom V14 Digital power cable.  That plugs into the Shunyata Venom V16 distributor, currently running the Alpha V2 XC 20 amp cable. The power outlet is Audioquest's NRG Edison coupled with Furutech's socket protector and socket cover. So, I nigh well got EMI issues covered before it ever gets to the laptop.

The problem areas I see, is the actual power cable from the switched power supply.  It's a flimsy, weak cable and its connection is not all that snug.  So it most likely is picking up surrounding noise, and leaking EMI from the connection source.

Not sure what you're referring to with "heatshrink." Do you have a product link?

 

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