Wood blocks underneath components?? snake oil?

Seeing how the entire chassis is susceptible to other harmonic resonate frequencies, thus further transfer into the main component mounting frame which the wooden blocks are attempting to minimize, shouldn't we be treating the entire component package for resonance issues?

What other aftermarket products are available, or DIY remedies?

You know, its quite a list and there are lots of things available to address virtually every step of the signal chain from the wall to the ear. I just started writing stuff down and its pretty amazing how much there is...

Cones and spikes for draining the vibration out from the chassis whatever the source

Rubber/sorbothane like substances for isolating the chassis from sources of vibration

Rubber/sorbothane materials for damping cable ends which are said to be microphonic

Things like BlueTack for coupling component and base (esp speakers on stands) to minimize vibrations - some of Herbies stuff fits here

Dynamat and other damping materials to put inside the chassis or enclosure particularly on long metal or wood spans to absorb vibration - Verastarr also has a cool material

Other damping materials for use specifically on tubes to drain and isolate them - includes brass, Herbie stuff, titanium and ceramics

Specialized damping/absorbent materials like EMI shielding tape from 3M and Stillpoint ERS sheets

High tech wall receptacle cover plates and plugs by companies like Oyaide that seek to eliminate structural born vibration from affecting the flow of electrons. Adding to this is the use of ceramic and wood devices to lift cables from the floor where they can be affected by structural vibration, static and the family cat. Consider too that power conditioner manufacturers all recommend isolating their units with cones and bases...

Beyond the spikes and cones that come between object and surface are a whole class of vibration absorbing isolating devices including granite, wood (typically maple), sand, inner tubes and composite materials by companies like Symposium, PolyCrystal and Silent Running which uses acoustic damping techniques derived from those used aboard nuclear subs.

Then you come to the whole subject of the surface that the component sits on - which includes the subject of stands. The Mapleshade Samson and the Grand Prizx Monaco are two that point at the range of possible solutions

In addition there are speaker manufacturers like Green Mountain and NOrh working with cast marble and similar stone-like materials who seek to eliminate vibration by making a container that doesn't vibrate.

Add to that the use of granite, brass and other dense materials for mass loading from the top and of course the irresistible Mpingo dots, Shakti stones etc and you have a monument to man's ingenuity...

Which brings us to the final WAF frontier of room treatments where the waves we have so carefully formed wreak havoc in our undesigned, undamped environment - increasing the need to isolate everything from them too LOL

Hartwerger,

Sorry for the delay of my response but I just hit the thread again and saw your post. What blew me away was the dramatic change in my systems sound. I first tried the Large SoundPosts under my Cary SLI-80 and was imediately taken back by the change in tonality.

Strings were suddenly more detailed, the bass went deeper and was cleaner, and the treble was more detailed but still had this sweetness to it. Not to mention, the soundstage now went way back behind the speakers. Also, things were more quiet. I could play my system louder yet talk over it with easy. Things were much calmer and accurate. Almost hard to explain.

Being so pleased with my purchase. I ordered a second set for my CD Player at the time. A XA777ES. Results were similiar to the amp but it really made the CD player sound more Analog. The soundstage also just grew. I really wish I had taken some notes to better describe it.

I know use a DAC and a Transport and use them under both. If you were to listen to my setup with the SoundPosts and without. It is cleary an audible difference. I will say that these vibration treatments really make as much as a difference as changing cables in my setup if not more.

Being a hack guitarist and being familiar with tone woods, this product's theory makes sense to me. Hearing a guitar made of Brazilian Rosewood being played versus let's say a Saple Guitar is just huge. Different woods sound different with vibration and posses characteristics.

I believe that Monument Reference has a Money Back Guarantee but you would have to check their Web Page. Give them a try and see for yourself. They are really an amazing product. No BS, No Snake Oil..

Respectfully,

Chris

Let's see if I've got this right -

1) Vibration induced into a component's chassis can be heard through the system in some form, and it's a bad thing.

2) Wooden blocks modify the frequency depending on the type of wood used, which will induce a chassis vibration at a frequency different than the original. (How could this be good if it was bad in #1?)

3) People don't like Sorbothane because it deadens the transfer of vibration into the chassis. (Ummm, isn't our goal to be closest to the original signal, and isn’t vibration bad?)

4) So, what I got from this is that if you want to change the vibration characteristics of your component to result in a different type of distortion or noise, then you should try different types of wood underneath.

You want to try a cheap and effective method of resonance control? Cut up old mouse pads and put underneath the cabinets. Orders of magnitude less vibration into a component’s chassis.

To Sonfun's point, hockey pucks have been used for this in the past, at much less expense. J10 documented this in Stereophile back in 2001 in his Fine Tunes column. And remember, the NHL cryoes all pucks prior to gametime!