2. speakers
  3. 1074476416

The best way to isolate my subs from the floor?

I live in an old home with wood floors that seem to be a little weak. My room vibrates whenever my subs kick in (I have two for loading). They are Von Schweikert SR1's, so these are musical subs, not at all boomy, and they are turned down. It's really an issue of room construction.

Do the products available for other types of speaker isolation work with subs? They are downward firing, so I worry about what I put under them. Can I screw up the sound by putting them on the wrong material.

BTW, on the matter of money, I've spent most of what I had to spend this year, but this can't wait. Cheaper options appreciated. :)

Joy Elyse

p.s. I rent, so nothing permanent and nothing that might damage the house.
joyelyse
s23chang
620 posts
 
I use 3 inch dia solid aluminum legs. I then put 1" spike under each 6 inches tall cylinder. 1/2 inch Rubber feet between the speakers and each Al legs. Depends on what's your dimension. I used total of 60% surface area of bottom of the speaker as the total size I need for the alumium.

You can go crazy with what works for you....
You just need to know how much control and isolation you need.
samujohn's avatar
samujohn
291 posts
 
I agree with many of the suggestions made above. In my old wooden house I used floor jacks (my floor was shaky) mass loading (chimney bocks) got sub off floor with racquet balls sitting in PVC cutoffs). In addition, I used two large homemade tube traps (try cardboard boxes first). The result was much better bass control. I also stuffed straws in my speaker ports. Each thing I did required listening to the results, but all were cheap-except for the jacks- and easy to reverse.
willhitx2eb4
37 posts
 
I have a similar problem. I like the superball experiment.

But racquet balls? Geez. Who needs a flat tire in the middle of a movie?
jadem6's avatar
jadem6
1,074 posts
 
I use Aurios isolation bearings under my Dunlavy IVa's. It's amazing at how quite (non vibrating) the floor and speaker cabinet get. I know it sounds like an odd idea to put speakers on bearings, but it actually makes sense if you tjink about it. The bearing is in a cup shaped base so in order for the speaker to move it must move the bearing up hill, against gravity. It can not do this so the speaker is still, the ball vibrates (I guess) in place and isolates the floor from the speaker and visa versa. Imaging is better, my base has much better definition. Try to find a cheap used set (three bearings per speaker) or a local dealer who will let you try them at home.
More to discover