How an audio rack can enhance your amp/pre

Schubert, I see. I went to the University of Virginia. Good public school (and cheap at the time) but in retrospect something small like MAC (or Carleton for science/math) would have been swell....

I was the first in my family to go to college and had to pay my own way. Fortunately, I got a scholarship to IIT (Ill. Inst. of Tech.). I started out in physics, changed to EE and then to ME and then tried to change to architecture only to be refused as I had real physics rather than that for architects, and finally into polical and social sciences. I also got involved in materials testing early on at Armour Research Foundation and early computers and building them.

I was convinced that science could resolve many questions in government and politics and decided to give up on staying in computers but to merely use them in analyses and to go to graduate school.

I then found in my career that studying humans is much more difficult than dealing with engineering issues. I studied voting behavior and found that most merely voted their party loyalty and often lied about whether they even voted or not. Later I discovered that states gather data that puts them into their most favorable perspective and lie about where they do poorly.

I also discovered that how wealthy a state is is the sole determinant with other factors controlled.

So why am I posting? My oldest grandson is now in college and my oldest granddaughter is a senior in high school. My son is her father who always knew precisely what he wanted to do and got his Phd as did his wife. I was asked often by my grandson and found I could not help.

Going to a small college has the benefit of approachability of professors and being able to ask questions in class, but usually those professor are not eminent in their fields. He choose a small liberal arts college with some strength in sciences. I hope he was right. My granddaughter has high scores and seems quite interested in Rice. She will need very high scores to get into that school and has been approached by IIT!

Geoff, roller bearings on top of an air bearing is exactly what Barry Diament recommends and uses himself, under his recording and playback gear. An air bearing can be as cheap as an under-inflated bike tire inner-tube under a piece of hardwood.

Tom, are you saying that if a component chassis is allowed to move laterally (as it is on a roller bearing), the time and phase characteristics of it's amplifying circuits are corrupted? Why---the electronic components are still in the same position on the circuit board, only the chassis has moved, a result of it's isolation from seismic vibration, surely a good thing? Why would you want a component rigidly coupled to terra firma, rather than isolated from it?

Hello TheKong,

In answer to your question on mechanical diodes (7-15-15)

A diode allows current to travel in only one direction. A mechanical diode allows gear rotation in one direction to be transmitted through the system.

Most believe “theoretically” that a mechanical diode related to vibration and resonance transfer processes moves energy in one direction.

Our opinions are that this theoretical process is ‘Not Possible’.

The geometry and shape of the Audio Points indeed provide a high-speed conductive pathway for energy to flow in one direction towards earth but heavily relies on the laws of physics, motion and the all important gravity to keep the majority of resonance flowing towards ground. ‘Ground’ is noted as the greater mass or energy sink available in the listening room such as floors, structural walls and ceiling grids.

Despite all the known sciences listed above, energy can still and does flow upward via conductive metals or other materials such as woods and acrylics, etc forming the conduit. Our simple analogy: if you remove the cap off a fire hydrant releasing the flow of water and take your fist - pushing it in against the flow is attainable though it may take a stronger person to accomplish this, it can be done. Energy movement related to an Audio Point™ can also move upward although the majority flows in downward trajectory towards mother earth based on the laws of science as we understand them.

There are some ‘isolationists’ who believe and teach that floor born energy travels up an equipment rack and poisons the equipment and yes we agree ‘in theory’. Even with geometry and science behind the Sistrum Platforms moving energy towards ground; minor amounts of energy can still travel in the opposite direction. The same holds true when using just Audio Points. Our opinion is this minimal trace of energy has no audible effect on the sonic performance.

Live-Vibe Technology™ is based on energy traveling everywhere, never ending and remaining in constant motion. Energy is a constant variable that cannot be destroyed. When related to musical reproduction, energy is generated from electro-mechanical and acoustic means, it establishes laminar flows and travels on structural surfaces (walls, floors and ceilings), it builds and propagates on all smooth surfaces, it is attracted to conductive metals, it dissipates as heat, it diffuses when two of the same frequencies collide, and the list goes on... “Energy caused from vibration is boundless”.

That said; defining a newfound approach to vibration management is extremely difficult at best. We choose to participate in an area of audio reproduction where little is known, little is understood, little is written and opinions and theories abound. We choose to participate in an unknown variable.

The fact that the High-End Audio Industry elects to name, classify and describe vibration management in one word - “isolation”, proves beyond any doubt the public is left on their own to form their own understanding. The term “Isolation” is only a small part, a categorical approach, a single methodology of which there are many in attempting to manage vibration. The term isolation easily relates and forms up an understanding especially to the novice. We know this to be true as we too began our careers under the same influences.

Floating in air, free from vibration, anti-vibration footers and racks, stop vibration, vibration should be destroyed, eliminate vibration, et ALL are results born from this inaccurate name provided us by our forefathers, mostly industry journalists and not people of science.

What would we hear or better yet, what would you be listening to without vibration?

Star Sound’s atypical approach to managing the negative effects caused from vibration by transferring resonant energy to ground via high-speed conductive pathways is but one part of the overall defining Live-Vibe Technology™.

Our opinion is that each unique piece of equipment has a preeminent operating efficiency.

We know every product is made differently. Materials, mass, design, build structure, etc - for all products are entirely different from one another. No two are the same. The only thing in common with all these variables is that every product has a set of frequencies where the utmost in performance (optimum operational efficiency) is attained while functioning in an ever changing vibrating environment.

Unfortunately we also realize that no matter what tests are performed in a laboratory, when the product is placed into a different environment these operational frequencies and results will also change.

How does one locate that state of optimum performance since every product is unique and every environment is different?

Our opinion is to let the product vibrate all to its own. While in a state of constant motion the parts and chassis will self adjust to optimum provided the properties of detrimental Coulomb friction which are formed from vibration are provided a high speed exit away from the source.

Let it vibrate! The equipment, room foundation, racking, walls, floors and ceilings are going to vibrate regardless. Listening to music is a dynamic experience where everything involved in reproduction or live performances is going to vibrate; even our own diaphragms located inside our heads - vibrate.

TheKong, thank you for another great question.

Robert Maicks
Star Sound Technologies, LLC

Wahoo wah! Go Cavs! When I went to UVa Scott stadium was the world's largest outdoor bar.