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

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

@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?

 

@tomic601 

I don't use power savers. No screen savers.  The system is in presentation mode.  It never saves power.  Unless I disconnect the plug.  On battery, it will conserve power. IN which case, all performance goes downhill.

You missed several possible steps, revisit what leg of your power panel all the digital stuff is on… 

electrical sleeve heatshrink