Do Isolation Tweaks really work?

[prerich]

Well, I'm now a fan of speaker isolation tweeks. I've looked at granite Plinths and such but the cost was tremendous. I went to a local stone store and saw some very solid and heavy limestone. I checked it out and said "Yes, these will do the trick!" I bought three for $27.00 each and had them cut to size for an additional $25.00. I placed my Snells on them and boy did the bass tighten up! I wanted to add cones to the limestone but I had a thought - further isolation - I added the cones to the Snells instead and last night I was treated to some of the tightest bass and one of the widest soundstages that I have ever heard anywhere from any speaker.

What are some of your experiences with speaker isolation - good or bad, Chime in folks !!!!

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by prerich

Well, I'm now a fan of speaker isolation tweeks. I've looked at granite Plinths and such but the cost was tremendous. I went to a local stone store and saw some very solid and heavy limestone. I checked it out and said "Yes, these will do the trick!" I bought three for $27.00 each and had them cut to size for an additional $25.00. I placed my Snells on them and boy did the bass tighten up! I wanted to add cones to the limestone but I had a thought - further isolation - I added the cones to the Snells instead and last night I was treated to some of the tightest bass and one of the widest soundstages that I have ever heard anywhere from any speaker.

What are some of your experiences with speaker isolation - good or bad, Chime in folks !!!!

Could you please explain for me what isolation tweaks are....I have never heard of them, but they sound interesting?

[prerich]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

Could you please explain for me what isolation tweaks are....I have never heard of them, but they sound interesting?

Sure, isolation tweeks are any tweek used to isolate your speakers or equipment from unwanted vibration. They can also be used to couple/decouple your speakers to/or from the floor (thats what spikes or rubber balls are for). Most of us are familiar with spikes, but there are other things - some of them crazy - that people use to "tighten" up the sound. What you want to hear is the music - not the box or enclosure - so many people use things to isolate the enclosure. I have used limestone combined with cones with my set up and it has definately worked. Some people may say it's snake oil - but I believe there is some relevance to some tweeks (some are snake oil ). I love the results of my home made tweeks (especially since my cones were rather inexpensive but very solid and do their job very well).

Mdabb wanted me to look into building special cabinates for my Snells - I was fearful of messing with the design but I am changing the wires and caps on my spare crossovers (wiring will be silver now) - that's not an isolation tweek, but what Mdabb wanted me to do is to add more internal bracing - that would be considered an isolation tweek - to keep the box or enclosure from coloring the sound. Mdabb, if you're out there I have the scematics to the crossovers and the boxes !!!!! Construction time!!!! !!!!

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by prerich

Sure, isolation tweeks are any tweek used to isolate your speakers or equipment from unwanted vibration. They can also be used to couple/decouple your speakers to/or from the floor (thats what spikes or rubber balls are for). Most of us are familiar with spikes, but there are other things - some of them crazy - that people use to "tighten" up the sound. What you want to hear is the music - not the box or enclosure - so many people use things to isolate the enclosure. I have used limestone combined with cones with my set up and it has definately worked. Some people may say it's snake oil - but I believe there is some relevance to some tweeks (some are snake oil ). I love the results of my home made tweeks (especially since my cones were rather inexpensive but very solid and do their job very well).

Mdabb wanted me to look into building special cabinates for my Snells - I was fearful of messing with the design but I am changing the wires and caps on my spare crossovers (wiring will be silver now) - that's not an isolation tweek, but what Mdabb wanted me to do is to add more internal bracing - that would be considered an isolation tweek - to keep the box or enclosure from coloring the sound. Mdabb, if you're out there I have the scematics to the crossovers and the boxes !!!!! Construction time!!!! !!!!

Thanks prerich, I never heard of this procedure, but it may be worth looking into!

[un4gvn94538]

thought about it for my turntable not speakers. but decided to wait until i upgrade the turntable. im still not sure if i would notice a diff.

also my towers are on carpet so im not sure how effective isolation cones or feet will be. they already have spikes though

[naturephoto1]

I have had very good success with all kinds of tweaks from Herbies'

http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/home.htm

These have included such things as his tenderfoot and iso cup footers for components. See an assortment:

http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/compfeet.htm

And some of his domes and big fat dots for speakers. See an assortment:

http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/spkrfeet.htm

The domes are not at present listed on the site it seems, but it would be worth a contact to Steve of Herbies to find out if these are still available; they probably are.

Rich

[Go Blue]

Would this include Gramma Isolation Risers?

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Schultzy

Would this include Gramma Isolation Risers?

in a way yes. but id call it more to be on the acoustics side instead of isolation. isolation is primarily for the components interaction with their immediate relation with what they're on so to speak - shelves, tables et al. acoustics would provide not only isolation to what they're standing on, but also helps with regards to the room interaction.

the problem with certain tweaks is that there is a vast market out there of products that are scientifically proven to work, and others are snake oil and just want a cut of your cake so to speak.

a number of tweaks ive come across in the industry are...

coin tweak - putting coins on top of your speakers. consider the top of your speakers as a quadrant, placing a quarter coin on the first quadrant, and the fourth quadrant , with the numbers going clockwise respectively. a variance would be adding another coin in the middle of the quadrant line, closer to the speakers front... this apparently improves the imaging as well as the clarity of the speakers...

ping pong tweak - dangling a pingpong in front of a HT driver, or the tweeter in some variations, 'improves' the higher frequencies as well as gives you a wider sweet spot due to the dispersion.

i am tho a firm believer of decoupling your front stage with auralex's products. they are probably the best 40 clams ive purchased, and have been endorsing it to a couple of my colleagues. again, this is more on acoustics instead of isolation imo.

about isolation tweaks? well, that part i havent dove into that much, as i dont have my turntables here in the states. if i did, id be basting in 2 channel listening instead.

[Go Blue]

Originally Posted by jomari

in a way yes. but id call it more to be on the acoustics side instead of isolation. isolation is primarily for the components interaction with their immediate relation with what they're on so to speak - shelves, tables et al. acoustics would provide not only isolation to what they're standing on, but also helps with regards to the room interaction.

the problem with certain tweaks is that there is a vast market out there of products that are scientifically proven to work, and others are snake oil and just want a cut of your cake so to speak.

a number of tweaks ive come across in the industry are...

coin tweak - putting coins on top of your speakers. consider the top of your speakers as a quadrant, placing a quarter coin on the first quadrant, and the fourth quadrant , with the numbers going clockwise respectively. a variance would be adding another coin in the middle of the quadrant line, closer to the speakers front... this apparently improves the imaging as well as the clarity of the speakers...

ping pong tweak - dangling a pingpong in front of a HT driver, or the tweeter in some variations, 'improves' the higher frequencies as well as gives you a wider sweet spot due to the dispersion.

i am tho a firm believer of decoupling your front stage with auralex's products. they are probably the best 40 clams ive purchased, and have been endorsing it to a couple of my colleagues. again, this is more on acoustics instead of isolation imo.

about isolation tweaks? well, that part i havent dove into that much, as i dont have my turntables here in the states. if i did, id be basting in 2 channel listening instead.

So, you use risers then? where do you use them?

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Schultzy

So, you use risers then? where do you use them?

i dont use 'risers', i use isolation pads from my front stage, which has decoupled my LCR and definitely showed signs of improvement. the gramma isolation risers i cant really comment that much on. simply because i dont use them in my setup.

im assuming you're planning on getting them, and would rather suggest on focusing on buildin/buying better bass traps, and adding diffusors instead.

[Go Blue]

Originally Posted by jomari

i dont use 'risers', i use isolation pads from my front stage, which has decoupled my LCR and definitely showed signs of improvement. the gramma isolation risers i cant really comment that much on. simply because i dont use them in my setup.

im assuming you're planning on getting them, and would rather suggest on focusing on buildin/buying better bass traps, and adding diffusors instead.

I was given a riser, but haven't tried it out yet. I was planning on testing it under my sub.

[Twitch9]

isolating your speakers will only work if you have acoustically treated your room, you may notice a bit of a difference but it's not going to be a night and day thing.

I do believe in spikes and other forms of stopping vibration from speaker to the surface it sits on.

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Twitch9

isolating your speakers will only work if you have acoustically treated your room, you may notice a bit of a difference but it's not going to be a night and day thing.

I do believe in spikes and other forms of stopping vibration from speaker to the surface it sits on.

i wouldnt call it an all or nothing comparison, but a progression. each acoustic treatment we put into each room increases the difference in sound. its not a living room versus an anechoic chamber. we can tell certain changes made, one at a time.

now, in regards to isolating your speakers, its probably not the most effective treatment in a room, but its a good start. slowly, you can start learning about bass traps, and wall treatments et al.

back to isolating tweaks, i think there are a number out there, mostly geared towards vinyl enthusiast.

[Twitch9]

Originally Posted by jomari

i wouldnt call it an all or nothing comparison, but a progression. each acoustic treatment we put into each room increases the difference in sound. its not a living room versus an anechoic chamber. we can tell certain changes made, one at a time.

now, in regards to isolating your speakers, its probably not the most effective treatment in a room, but its a good start. slowly, you can start learning about bass traps, and wall treatments et al.

back to isolating tweaks, i think there are a number out there, mostly geared towards vinyl enthusiast.

I wasn't saying all or nothing, i agree with your statement of not the most effective treatment, that was more of what i was trying to say.

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Twitch9

I wasn't saying all or nothing, i agree with your statement of not the most effective treatment, that was more of what i was trying to say.

i guess i assumed wrong from the initial posting you mentioned

Originally Posted by Twitch9

...will only work if you have acoustically treated your room...

anyways, its a good starting point for people who want to learn more about acoustic treatments - no need for detailed measurements, no DIY'ing stuff, no need for speaker adjustments et al. at this point, if any noticeable details are produced from the mopads (and i guarantee they do if you know what to look for), then that would incline them to research more into it.

[billt928]

I think it works. you can get some crazy prices for some of it. makes monster seem inexpensive

[mdabb]

Originally Posted by prerich

Mdabb wanted me to look into building special cabinates for my Snells - I was fearful of messing with the design but I am changing the wires and caps on my spare crossovers (wiring will be silver now) - that's not an isolation tweek, but what Mdabb wanted me to do is to add more internal bracing - that would be considered an isolation tweek - to keep the box or enclosure from coloring the sound. Mdabb, if you're out there I have the scematics to the crossovers and the boxes !!!!! Construction time!!!! !!!!

Hey,

All great news !!! Hope to see you take the Snells you love so very much to the next level so they can love you back. All worth it I believe.





I think some people need to understand, the more time you spend or the more you fall in love with audio it becomes something special to you and to many people. The same way and reason some people are passionate about cars.

A little tweak here, a little tweak there, it's all done to try and make the best out of what we got. Fine tuning if you will. Sometimes things will work for you and sometimes they won't. A little trial and error never hurt anyone and the only way you are personally gonna know is to try it for yourself. Sure It's good and all to talk it out with your peers, but not everyone's situation's are the same.

Anyhow, Speaker isolation I believe.......... is a good thing. When was the last time you seen a speaker come without spikes and/or a plinth. You want to decouple the speaker from the floor and to stop the transfer of energy. Think of it as removing pollution.

In general certain types of wood are supposed to have better absorption properties than others and are used for isolation tweaks. Great musical instruments are also made from certain woods so why not speakers or isolation tweaks. Many of these products are available.

Many also believe isolating a CD, DVD, or BDP by using isolation tweaks like spikes, cones, wood blocks or things called clouds help best when they are subjected to vibration. Obviously by loud volume and subwoofers. Everything resonants at a certain frequency.

Some may have a use for these products and some don't. To each their own, but you're gonna need first hand experience to know.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by jomari

i dont use 'risers', i use isolation pads from my front stage, which has decoupled my LCR and definitely showed signs of improvement. the gramma isolation risers i cant really comment that much on. simply because i dont use them in my setup.

im assuming you're planning on getting them, and would rather suggest on focusing on buildin/buying better bass traps, and adding diffusors instead.

Are you using the Mopads?!!! Those look great and they provide a sometimes necessary tilt to the speakers!

[jomari]

Originally Posted by prerich

Are you using the Mopads?!!! Those look great and they provide a sometimes necessary tilt to the speakers!

always have, always suggested them, always will continue doing so.

the best 40 bucks ive spent.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by mdabb

Hey,

All great news !!! Hope to see you take the Snells you love so very much to the next level so they can love you back. All worth it I believe.





I think some people need to understand, the more time you spend or the more you fall in love with audio it becomes something special to you and to many people. The same way and reason some people are passionate about cars.

A little tweak here, a little tweak there, it's all done to try and make the best out of what we got. Fine tuning if you will. Sometimes things will work for you and sometimes they won't. A little trial and error never hurt anyone and the only way you are personally gonna know is to try it for yourself. Sure It's good and all to talk it out with your peers, but not everyone's situation's are the same.

Anyhow, Speaker isolation I believe.......... is a good thing. When was the last time you seen a speaker come without spikes and/or a plinth. You want to decouple the speaker from the floor and to stop the transfer of energy. Think of it as removing pollution.

In general certain types of wood are supposed to have better absorption properties than others and are used for isolation tweaks. Great musical instruments are also made from certain woods so why not speakers or isolation tweaks. Many of these products are available.

Many also believe isolating a CD, DVD, or BDP by using isolation tweaks like spikes, cones, wood blocks or things called clouds help best when they are subjected to vibration. Obviously by loud volume and subwoofers. Everything resonants at a certain frequency.

Some may have a use for these products and some don't. To each their own, but you're gonna need first hand experience to know.

+1 post!!!