Isolation feet - what are you using under your gear?

[RothwellAudio]

2 schools of thought on this. One is that every component is capable of having its performance changed by what it sits on. The other is that only components susceptible to vibration - like a turntable - can be affected by what they sit on.
The second school of thought is the logical, textbook one. It is the one I am inclined to agree with. I mean how can what a solid state power amp, for example, sits on possible affect its performance?

The second school of thought is the one I'm inclined to agree with too, but I must point out that solid-state electronic circuits are susceptible to vibration. Surface-mount electronic components seem to be more susceptible and that might be due to their construction and the way they're mounted to the circuit board - any flex that the board is subjected to produces a pulling/bending force on the component. It's possible to hear the effects quite clearly, but only if it's a high gain circuit and you're whacking the board with a pencil or lolly stick or something similar. The forces on the board from soundwaves must be millions of times less.

However, if the aim is to isolate a component from external vibration what use would a piece of bamboo or stainless steel etc. be? Try replacing your car's suspension with a rigid piece of bamboo and see how much isolation you get!

[RobbieGong]

The second school of thought is the one I'm inclined to agree with too, but I must point out that solid-state electronic circuits are susceptible to vibration. Surface-mount electronic components seem to be more susceptible and that might be due to their construction and the way they're mounted to the circuit board - any flex that the board is subjected to produces a pulling/bending force on the component. It's possible to hear the effects quite clearly, but only if it's a high gain circuit and you're whacking the board with a pencil or lolly stick or something similar. The forces on the board from soundwaves must be millions of times less.

However, if the aim is to isolate a component from external vibration what use would a piece of bamboo or stainless steel etc. be? Try replacing your car's suspension with a rigid piece of bamboo and see how much isolation you get!

Maybe I don't know what I'm doing
Basically my ss amp and cdp sit on seperate glass shelves.
My thinking is that it wouldn't be a bad idea to have them on something like wood isolation feet even for tiny benefit. That's my simple thinking anyway.
Like I said, the Panzerwood spike feet appeal but daft money for what they are in my opinion.

[struth]

Indeed, a lot of amps dont sound good on glass ive found. Dont know exactly why but ive had a huge improvement when i had my mf a1000 on glass then up on feet

[Macca]

The second school of thought is the one I'm inclined to agree with too, but I must point out that solid-state electronic circuits are susceptible to vibration. Surface-mount electronic components seem to be more susceptible and that might be due to their construction and the way they're mounted to the circuit board - any flex that the board is subjected to produces a pulling/bending force on the component. It's possible to hear the effects quite clearly, but only if it's a high gain circuit and you're whacking the board with a pencil or lolly stick or something similar. The forces on the board from soundwaves must be millions of times less.

However, if the aim is to isolate a component from external vibration what use would a piece of bamboo or stainless steel etc. be? Try replacing your car's suspension with a rigid piece of bamboo and see how much isolation you get!

If there is an effect to be had on SS amplifiers I doubt that the cause is isolation from vibration. As I said earlier my own experience was that putting anti-vibration feet under the power amp seemed to degrade the sound when I expected no change or an improvement.

I've not messed about with this sort of thing for a few years now, preferring to concentrate on getting the basics right, but when I was poor but time-rich I experimented quite a bit with different ad-hoc supports, placing weights on top of kit, etc in the hope of getting a free upgrade.

I never discovered a miracle tweak but I did sometimes think I heard differences, That is what leads me to still think that there may be something in it.

[Macca]

Indeed, a lot of amps dont sound good on glass ive found. Dont know exactly why but ive had a huge improvement when i had my mf a1000 on glass then up on feet

Hmm I've got one of those glass chopping boards in the cupboard, could try sitting the power amp on that, if it will fit. I'm all in favour of trying tweaks like this so long as they cost nothing and I don't have to leave the house.

[struth]

Hmm I've got one of those glass chopping boards in the cupboard, could try sitting the power amp on that, if it will fit. I'm all in favour of trying tweaks like this so long as they cost nothing and I don't have to leave the house.

Glass may need to be suspended for the effect to happen. Be interesting to see if just glass on floor has any, as its being damped by floor.
Think Gaz had his stuff on oak spikes on his glass shelves too and found it benificial

[wee tee cee]

I cut down the legs on Ikea Lack table to place my amp under the turntable recently. Just couldnt get the sound back to where I wanted it.

Was faffing about with speaker placement and tightened up all the speaker stand spikes-still no joy.

Thought I would try some oak cone feet that I had in a drawer under my amp/DAC-it sorted the problem!!

I try to keep an open mind and do my own experimentation.

A slate chopping board under the turntable improves things but under the amp makes things worse-go figure!

[Gazjam]

You really cant vouch for this stuff with different bits of kit!

My boxes all sits on isolated glass shelves in a wooden rack, one of those Stands Unique table jobbies.
Previous to that I had a couple of target shelve racks, which were MDF I think.

Different sound depending on what you plonk the boxes on for sure.
For the current setup I tried a fair few different feet, the best I for my glass rack was the Sound Damped Steel Isofeet plates.
http://www.sounddampedsteel.com/hifi.html
The turntable feet sit directly on them and the big valve amp sits on RDC cones on top of the SDS plates.

Ironically, the best equipment support I found for my Transporter digital source was the 3 rubber turntable feet off the old Rega Planar 2 I bought in 96!

[karma67]

Like I said, the Panzerwood spike feet appeal but daft money for what they are in my opinion.

have you got a link for them mate?

[RobbieGong]

have you got a link for them mate?

Here you go Jamie http://panzerwood.com/products/ - I'm tempted to get a set in the future to go at least under my amp.
However,any spare cash at the moment though has to go towards paying down on the Paul Hynes SR7 psu and triple stage regulator mods so it would have to wait.