Need opinion for a DIY Isolation Platform
Posted by: Seanbeer on 04 September 2006
Hello
I would like to seek some opinions before my starting of creating a DIY isolation platform for my newly purchased NAIT5i. I never tried playing with isolation or vibration control before except some blue tacks between my speakers and the stand which worked well to my ears, oh, and the stands came with spikes on their legs.
It might sounds a bit silly but the main reason for me wanting to add a platform to the amp is due to the fact that after I have changed from a set of pre and power amp to this slim looking naim, the rack where the Nait is currently sitting looks “empty”, it has about half a feet of empty space above it until the next level of the rack.
I am thinking that an isolation broad will make it looks nicer at least and as long as it doesn’t degrade the sound I am ok with it.
The rack is not a hi-fi dedicated one, its just a wooden TV rack and it pick up vibration quite well , say if I put my hand on it while the music is on at reasonable level I can easily feel the ‘music’ on my fingers.
Now my plan is to use either 3 or 4 sorbothane half spheres to support a flat thick platform which the nait is going to sit on (on its own and original feets), materials I am considering :
1. Acrylic
2. Corian
3. Marble
4. glass
I choose Sorbothane because I think it would be easy to just stick it to broad.
After reading around here , I heard lots of difference opinion regarding hard or soft supports and am now a bit confused as to rather to isolate or not and what materials to use.
Any suggestion is welcome.
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by kuma
quote:
I choose Sorbothane because I think it would be easy to just stick it to broad.
But they deaden the sound.
I've tried several.
And they were all bad under electronics.
Realistically, I don't think you can completely isolate the vibration. So the best you can do is to drain them quickly without much feedback. ( low mass ridged way )
I'd think that the material listed all have pros and cons but I haven't listened to them in a controlled environment.
Good luck and have fun.
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by joesilva
As an isolation platorm, personally I prefer corian, marble, glass and acrylic in that order. I have used sorbothane but do not like it. Suggest you use inverted spikes (point facing the platform) as an alternative. Sound should be cleaner than sorbothane IMHO.
regards,
Joe
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by Seanbeer
Joesilva Hing ,
I am from Hong Kong too.
How would I be able to attach the spike to the corian? oh, you mean spiking pointing upwards...........i might try that, btw do you konw where can i get hold of some Sorbothane in Hong Kong ?
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by Seanbeer
quote:
Originally posted by kuma:
quote:
I choose Sorbothane because I think it would be easy to just stick it to broad.
But they deaden the sound.
I've tried several.
And they were all bad under electronics.
Realistically, I don't think you can completely isolate the vibration. So the best you can do is to drain them quickly without much feedback. ( low mass ridged way )
I'd think that the material listed all have pros and cons but I haven't listened to them in a controlled environment.
Good luck and have fun.
i think i agree with you and understand what you mean ...then :
Seems like it has to be some hard and pointy materials as feet. Hm…………except those expensive spikes what can be used as alternative to soborthane ? how about some pointed wooden feet and attached to the platform by glue or simply think layer of blue tack?
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by Keith L
Seanbeer,
Why not start experimenting for next to nothing? Adam Meredith pointed me in the right direction months ago. Use thin 6mm MDF supported on 10mm ball bearings sitting in screwcups. I can feel the music/vibrations on the wooden shelf but not on the equipment sitting on top on of this simple isolation platform.
Happy experimenting!
Keith
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by Seanbeer
thx keith, I am planning to do some 'trying' out soon, just want to ask around to rule out some options like the soborthane that i originally wanted to try out.
seems like ball bearing is favoured by many memebers. is it just one metal ball from general hardware store?
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by prowla
Buy some Stands Unique Carbon Isolators for about £20 for a set of 3, and save yourself some money and effort!
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by BigH47
Nuts and ball! Do a search.
I have used 1/2 SS ball bearings and a suitable nut with 15mm MDF. I must admit to not noticing any difference when using theses platforms on my SO 5 tier stand. I have a lighter IKEA based stand now so another experiment may be in the offing.
Howard
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by Guido Fawkes
Nuts and a ball and a slab of Corian would be my choice.
If you want somethging more professional then you could use
under a Corian slab.
Posted on: 04 September 2006 by Keith L
Seanbeer,
"seems like ball bearing is favoured by many memebers. is it just one metal ball from general hardware store?"
Three or four ball bearings and screwcups (or nuts) supporting a piece of MDF the same footprint as your equipment.
Keith
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Seanbeer
ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhl............sugar!
i want to get out of this office and get all those corian , balls and nuts for my naim now !
but obvioulsy i can not do so..haha..
cheers everyone, i think i will go for corian balls and nuts. let you guys know the result later. meanwhile, feel free to keep this thread open !
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Axel F
Seanbeer,
I can't tell you if corian is better, but I did myself a rack with MDF and round metal feet (round head screw) and it's working quite well (may be far from a fraim
)
I feel that it smoother the sound without loosing any speed (which is exactly what I was looking for)
You need to know that each material will probably have an effect on the sound ...
Regards,
Axel
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Mick P
Chaps
The best DIY advice came from the best brain ever to grace this forum...Vuk Vuksanovic.
He experimented and came up with two options.
The first was a dedicated stand called the Excalibur and a platform for use under amps and sources known as the Vukwhich.
Basically you get a sheet of 10mm glass, cut to the same size as the amp / CD player. You mount the glass on a small assmembly of 1/4" dia ball bearings and two nuts.
In other words you have an assembly of :-
Nut
Ball bearing
Nut
These are placed in the four corners of the glass. You can have as many layers as you wish.
I used this method when I ran a CD3.5 and it improved matters considerably.
It is cheap so try it.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Seanbeer
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
In other words you have an assembly of :-
Nut
Ball bearing
Nut
These are placed in the four corners of the glass. You can have as many layers as you wish.
is there an easy way to mount the nut into theglass? or can i use super glue or something? or shall i dig my electric drill out?
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by joesilva
quote:
Originally posted by Seanbeer:
Joesilva Hing ,
I am from Hong Kong too.
How would I be able to attach the spike to the corian? oh, you mean spiking pointing upwards...........i might try that, btw do you konw where can i get hold of some Sorbothane in Hong Kong ?
Many shops in Hong Kong sell Sorothane feet in various sizes. Try Ocen Centre or Mong Kok Hi Fi. But I agree with Kuma, they make the system sound dead.
Joe
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Mick P
Sean
The weight keeps it all very rigid.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Seanbeer
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Sean
The weight keeps it all very rigid.
Regards
Mick
right, thx !
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by blackforest
i am in the process of doing this as well - would you all recommend it just for the cdp and the pre amp or would also other components like hi caps and power amps benefit?
regards, christian
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Analogue
quote:
Originally posted by kuma:
quote:
I choose Sorbothane because I think it would be easy to just stick it to broad.
But they deaden the sound.
I've tried several.
And they were all bad under electronics.
Realistically, I don't think you can completely isolate the vibration. So the best you can do is to drain them quickly without much feedback. ( low mass ridged way )
I'd think that the material listed all have pros and cons but I haven't listened to them in a controlled environment.
Good luck and have fun.
I agree,
Squidgy feet tend to retain vibration, rather than earthing it.
ATB
Chris N
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by Mick P
Christian
The Vukwhich works for all "black boxes".
I had three layers under the CD3.5 and one under each black box.
My eldest son now uses it under his Marantz (he really has let me down )
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by agm1
I have tried Nordost Pulsar Points under an old Mana sheet of glass. Actually looks good as well as sounds good - probably almost as good as the original Mana sound frame, which was a bit ugly.
Have also tried polycrystal cones - under the glass they did nothing. Under the CDP, the sound became 'lighter' and more transparent but clearly lost the rhythm and drive. The Nordosts don't do that in my experience. I have the aluminium ones but the titanium ones are supposed to be better.
Andrew
Posted on: 05 September 2006 by blackforest
quote:
My eldest son now uses it under his Marantz (he really has let me down )
mick - you could always fix that for christmas with a nice little supernait.
christian
Posted on: 10 September 2006 by tre2fly
Posted on: 11 September 2006 by Mick P
Sebastian
Yes Vuk is banned from this forum, he got into a heated debate and a complaint was made etc etc.
Vuk took Hifi isolation very seriously and experimented like mad. He could think outside the box and was well respected on all fora. People took notice of what he said because of his objectivity.
He eventually opted for Mana and his endorsement was a massive boost for them. This incidently was before the creation of the Fraim.
I miss his contributions and still regard him as the all time greatest contributor.
He is now more into photography.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 11 September 2006 by JamieWednesday
I use 3 Vibrapods with their matching cones under my CDP and it works well. Seems to combine the presumed benefits of sorbothane (i.e. isolation/soaking up vibration) but with the benefit of minimum contact with the CDP (which now sits on ball bearings inserted into the tip of the cones). Altogether more coherence and focus. Perhaps sorbothane works better on my glass shelves/steel frame support than other members' already more solid and less resonant structures? However adding the cones to the sorbothane feet made the biggest difference in bringing greater focus and I've since tried an A/B comparison with and without to make sure it is better as opposed to different or even that my ears are deceiving me, and it is distinctly better with pods and cones.
The added benefit for me, like you maybe, is that the combination of Vibrapod and cone, physically raises the CDP to occupy the middle air between the two shelves, so this may aid your aesthetics.
