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Thread: Sorbothane under speakers

  1. #11
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

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    I'm Lawrence.

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    I tried sorbothane hemispheres under floorstanders a few years ago, they wobbled something chronic

  2. #12
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Speakers can be isolated/decoupled but the point that seems to be missed is that with heavy speakers this decoupling will occur below bass frequencies and not in the audio band. Isolation at say 2 or 3 Hz will be of little value.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  3. #13
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lawrence001 View Post
    I tried sorbothane hemispheres under floorstanders a few years ago, they wobbled something chronic
    And that points to another issue. The pistonic movement of substantial drivers may induce a small amount of fore and aft rocking in speakers standing on 'squishy' pads. This will do nothing favourable for the sound.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  4. #14
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    And that points to another issue. The pistonic movement of substantial drivers may induce a small amount of fore and aft rocking in speakers standing on 'squishy' pads. This will do nothing favourable for the sound.
    Yep that was my conclusion.

  5. #15
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Bishops Stortford

    Posts: 1,250
    I'm Chris.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lawrence001 View Post
    Yep that was my conclusion.
    I guess there are at least 2 things in play that influence the consequences of speaker isolation

    Firstly the introduction of the classic image blurring, likened to camera shake, that might occur due to posttonic action, particularly of the big bass driver. I personally think this is over played. If it were of concern then no concentric drivers or whizzer coned drivers would be immune.

    Secondly the reduction of the transmission of speaker vibrations to the room (floor, walls, ceiling etc) that then re emit the vibrations. I have a feeling that for many people this will prove more destructive than 'camera shake'

    Just my two penny worth.
    Source
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    Power amps -- Welborne 45 SET monoblocks 1.8W / Decware Taboo 6W / Elekit 300B TU-8600SVK plus further improved components 9W / ICE Power 1000W
    Speakers
    Highly modified Endorphin P17 open baffle speakers containing both vintage and modern alnico drivers and paper cones. All silver wired - 8" Cube Audio FC8 full range drivers and vintage 15" Altec VOTT 416 bass drivers. All sat on Townsend Audio Podium seismic isolation platforms.
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  6. #16
    Join Date: Dec 2017

    Location: limerick

    Posts: 223
    I'm charles.

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    "I have a feeling that for many people this will prove more destructive than 'camera shake'

    Yes indeed. Newton's 3rd law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

    Take a driver with a cone mass of 30gms and the complete speaker weighs 30Kgms, the difference is 1000 times, resulting in a loss of intensity of the music which = 0.01dB. I see that as a non-issue.

  7. #17
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Add resistance of air to the equation. It takes force to move a cone through its excursions.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  8. #18
    Join Date: Aug 2008

    Location: notts uk

    Posts: 296
    I'm Pete.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sailor View Post
    "I have a feeling that for many people this will prove more destructive than 'camera shake'

    Yes indeed. Newton's 3rd law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

    Take a driver with a cone mass of 30gms and the complete speaker weighs 30Kgms, the difference is 1000 times, resulting in a loss of intensity of the music which = 0.01dB. I see that as a non-issue.
    precisely !

  9. #19
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Bishops Stortford

    Posts: 1,250
    I'm Chris.

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    WOW
    Its so rare to find a modification that far exceeds expectations

    I put 6 of the beasts under each speaker. Its a bit unnerving as the speakers rock about if you push them but they are quite safe.

    Its mainly the lower frequencies that find their way into the structure of your room so for best evaluation I disconnected all except the 15" drivers which I ran full range - They are VOTT Altec 416B vintage Alnico drivers so still do very well when played alone, although I confess to being just a bit underwhelmed with them in open baffles when low passed and where low frequencies are rolled off and a little confused.

    My room has a chipboard floor suspended over 4" thermal Celotex and the walls are essentially plasterboard on timber frame, so potentially quite resonant.

    Initially, I played a track from a dubbed version of Dark Side of the Moon with plenty of intricate bass lines. I played it 6 times to build up a strong sound memory and it played exactly as it always does and in a way that I have always thought to be excellent but ultimately lacking in low punch which is an attribute of open baffles.

    Rapidly I put the sorbothane feet under the speakers, 4 at the front where most of the weight is and 2 at the back. After a few minutes and a couple of flattened fingers I sat back to listen. Everything else was left untouched.

    Bloody hell, what a moron. I had put on a different track thinking that's buggered up this precise experiment!

    But no, it was the same track and improvements were so profound that it was not immediately recognised. There was lower bass, more stop start to bass notes, better separation of bass lines, better tone, more foot tapping, and vastly improved focus. In a few words the Altec VOTT drivers came alive. What more can I say. This is the best bang for bucks I have had in the last 10 years - total cost less than £100.

    Two thing's to note.
    1. Your room may behave differently to mine
    2. You must get the right 'stiffness' of sorbothane so that it is squashed into its best working range

    seas in location small.jpg
    Last edited by bumpy; 22-01-2022 at 11:45.
    Source
    SW1X Universal Music Server UMS I Signature with Power Supply Unit PSU I Signature
    SW1X USB II
    SW1X DAC III Special
    Audiolab 6000 CDT transport
    Amps
    Pre amps -- Hi fi Collective twin mono ladder stepped attenuator, with Charcroft Z-foil and silver wired. And First Watt B1 active no gain buffer.
    Power amps -- Welborne 45 SET monoblocks 1.8W / Decware Taboo 6W / Elekit 300B TU-8600SVK plus further improved components 9W / ICE Power 1000W
    Speakers
    Highly modified Endorphin P17 open baffle speakers containing both vintage and modern alnico drivers and paper cones. All silver wired - 8" Cube Audio FC8 full range drivers and vintage 15" Altec VOTT 416 bass drivers. All sat on Townsend Audio Podium seismic isolation platforms.
    BK Electronics XLS400FF Sub.
    Cabling
    Silver mains cables, interconnects and speaker cables by SW1X
    Headphones
    HRT HeadStreamer and SennHeiser HD650 headphones

  10. #20
    Join Date: Aug 2008

    Location: notts uk

    Posts: 296
    I'm Pete.

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    again this is very close to my experience ..i thought I'd played a different track too

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