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

 

gaukus, everything electronic or acoustic can improve through vibration management.

This information is taken from a website: 

Electricity is a noise generator. The energy from electrical flow causes vibrations that generate amplitudes of resonance. Resonance is like a slow-moving thickening substance as it builds upon all electronic parts and equipment chassis’ clogging every mechanical, electromechanical, and acoustic signal pathway. These unwanted properties negatively affect your sound and video quality, limiting the “operational efficiency” of everything in the system’s entirety.

Why use an Audio Point™ under computers? The thirty-year-old Audio Point is being studied and tested in a few industries outside of audio. Their mechanical grounding process reduces heat. When the temperature is reduced in any electrical device, performance increases in all aspects.

Once the noise and resonance are transferred out and away from the equipment sources, anyone can see the increased video resolution, feel the chassis become cooler to the touch, and hear the sonic quality improve in a dramatic fashion. Another benefit is where the electronic parts’ longevity is increased over time so the computer will last well past its warranty period.  

All Soundstage products reduce the operating temperature in everything placed onto them. The added benefits from temperature reduction allow the signal and noise associated with electricity to become less noticeable producing a cleaner sonic and a higher picture resolution. 

The smallest platforms adapt to computers, laptops, compact speakers, power supplies, radios and transform video quality under TVs and cable boxes while expanding measurable sound frequencies under any digital/analog playback or recording system equipment. 

 

Noise and vibrations are a physical part of electricity. If you cannot clean up this interfering energy, the outside disturbances such as mini-earthquakes, trains, and traffic zipping by are not your only issue with sound equipment. Electricity is the initial and primary pollutant. 

Robert

Disclaimer: I am a retired sound engineer who is working part-time for a vibration management company involved in building products for high-end audio. I studied vibration in electronic components, loudspeakers, and structural surroundings for three decades. The information posted here is not a commercial advertisement or is meant to generate sales using this forum as a vehicle. I would rather explore other opinions, learn about various applications, and increase knowledge. 

 

OP, high end DACs, preamps, phono stages, CD players, and streamers are over 30 pounds each. Amps over 100 pounds.

Title of this thread like what happen to me tonight after I pick up Tokyo girl for week to help me find best tube and horn system in Japan.

I tried semisphere rubber feet by 3m beneath my laptop and found no difference before and after in terms of sound, at least to my ears. I have placed those under each speaker I own and the sound improvement are substantial in particular on low end. These feet were even recommended by the Wharfedale manufacturer and shipped along with the speakers for the convenience of owners. I therefore subsequently used them under my DAC, ifi zen blue, CD / SACD player and the power amp (large diameter/weight capacity). But, under laptop, no improvement can be discerned unfortunately in my case. This only think that really bothers me still is, like I mentioned earlier, the fan noise.

I really wish you, OP, luck in this journey and please report back your experience with Townshend Air Platform ($800?). I sincerely hope you will get your money worth. It is possible that $800 gear will do much better justice than the $10 proven tiny device.