Granite speaker isolation

You can get some granite "chopping boards" from most super markets online or off.

They are typically 30 x40 cm. and approx. 1.5cm thick

Dunelm Mills £6.39

Tesco £14

Wilko £10

Asda £12 (40x35cm)

Sainsburys £9.33 was £14

Staffy!

I have just completed making my set of loudspeakers and an integral part of the design was using Polished Granite bases.  I bought mine cut to my exact sizes by

Right now I am using ceramic tiles (as much to protect the floor from the spikes as anything), but I would like to move to granite or marble for sure.

DrMark posted:

Right now I am using ceramic tiles (as much to protect the floor from the spikes as anything), but I would like to move to granite or marble for sure.

If the granite chopping boards are available in the UK they're very probably for sale in the USA.

They have protective pads underneath, so no danger of scratching the floor.

They seem to be made in China. No surprise there.

I have just left Argos with two black mottled worktop savers. £9.99 each.  They will do until I find a supplier who can produce what I want.

Thanks guys.

Try getting offcuts from a Monumental Mason, it'll probably be a LOT cheaper.

I actually use 4 ceramic 'bricks' from the inside of a night storage heater (density 4000kg / cu m) sandwiched between 2 ceramic tiles.  Total mass about 35kg each.

Huge posted:

Try getting offcuts from a Monumental Mason, it'll probably be a LOT cheaper.

I actually use 4 ceramic 'bricks' from the inside of a night storage heater (density 4000kg / cu m) sandwiched between 2 ceramic tiles.  Total mass about 35kg each.

Blimey, that plus the speakers. What's the construction of the floor?  

Obviously suits you sir.

p.s. Is that per speaker  base ?

Yes that's for each speaker plinth, all three of them.

The floor is a conventional 1960's suspended wood floor, narrow spaced 6" joists, 3/4" T&G softwood boards, thin carpet.  The entire speaker assembly at 57kg each is less mass than most people!  They are also close to room boundaries rather than in the centre of the room, so not a problem structurally.

Had black granite slabs (2cm) made specially for my Twenty.23s. Cost: about €140 (currently £100-£110).

+1 For going to a monumental Mason.. Gives you greater choice over type and finish,  black granite , white granite, slate or marble.  All have supposedly differing sonic signatures.   And Concrete...not as pretty but sounds the best.

I tried granite slabs years ago and found now matter what mass they were, they gave the sound a horrible ringing edge. They need to be dampened.

I have the same ProAc speakers, and use slate bases supplied by the firm that supplied and fitted my wood burner and slate hearth.

Dimensions are: 280mm x 365mm x 30mm.

They're secured to the wooden floorboards with Blu-Tack.

I paid £50 for the pair, and the control they bring to the bass is truly remarkable.

That said, I used granite 300mm sq 20mm thick tiles bought from Topps Tiles for £10 with my previous Monitor Audio floorstanders, which worked just as well! I just wanted to match the new ones with the hearth!!

If they are large and heavy enough, granit slabs also serve to prevent robot vacuum cleaners from bashing speakers.

 i had a black pair from Tesco and were fine but i did feel that there was a real danger that the ovator 400 would slip off the shiny surface

them. The purpose mainly was to protect the wood floor swell as to be able to carefully adlust placement. in the end rather than have the speakers crash i've used 2 large wood chopping boards and they seem a bit more stable as the spikes dig into the wood a bit

Timmo1341 posted:

I have the same ProAc speakers, and use slate bases supplied by the firm that supplied and fitted my wood burner and slate hearth.

Dimensions are: 280mm x 365mm x 30mm.

They're secured to the wooden floorboards with Blu-Tack.

I paid £50 for the pair, and the control they bring to the bass is truly remarkable.

That said, I used granite 300mm sq 20mm thick tiles bought from Topps Tiles for £10 with my previous Monitor Audio floorstanders, which worked just as well! I just wanted to match the new ones with the hearth!!

Yes, Blue-Tak under the slabs, and I use Atacama floor protectors to stop the spikes sliding on the granite surface. The speakers can't possibly move.

I have small blobs of blu tack under each corner of my slabs which measure 420 x 280 x 30mm.  They are not moving anywhere.........

I have sent the Argos granite slabs backs as they muddied the midrange and affected the the sweet higher range from my tweeter.

However on using the Tesco range of granite slabs all is perfect. The spread of music across a wider sound stage is more natural.   The midrange is so clear and precise.

Thank you Naim and Tesco.

I wouldn't use granite which an affect frequency response. Slate is more neutral. I've tried both at different times. Happy with hardwood now, or Townend audio podiums if cost not relevant.

I guess there isn't one perfect solution. When I contacted PMC they recommended granite over both marble and slate. 

I find it hard to believe that a different type of granite slab should alter the sound so much. I suppose everything is possible with hifi - but this means that, with so many variables (room, cables, placement, the use of Blue-Tak or not, the type of spikes used, and now the material on which the spikes rest), optimum sound quality is almost impossible to achieve, and is a hit-and-miss affair at best...

I was only joking Frenchnaim.  I doubt very much that the sound will be affected.

You read so many bizarre things on this forum... It sounded perfectly credible (knowing the forum), and you have to be very diplomatic in your reply, in case you might offend someone...

I prefer a laminated approach...

Porcelain Tile
Basalt
No. 540 diamond grit
Unobtainium
No. 540 diamond grit
Basalt
Porcelain Tile

All glued together using fused silver layers 

Interesting thread as I have been toying with trying this under my Kudos X2's. Today have just bought 4 of the Dunelm versions for £25 in total and am going to try one board under each to start, then try two boards sandwiched together to see if this makes any difference. As per above posts will use Blu-Tack between the granite and solid wooden floor and spike shoes on top. When trying two boards should I use more Blu-Tack between the two granite boards or just place one on the other? Any suggestions appreciated...

Am looking to achieve more bass control as room seems to suffer with bass bloom leading to loss of detail when the music gets busy. Room is 21 x 13 feet with solid hardwood floor and speakers fire down long length of the room. Are 2.5 feet from side walls and 9 inches from rear wall with slight toe-in fed by 172XS and 250.2 with NACA5

if it works well, will consider then buying some thicker granite slabs (30mm) to base the X2's.

Arnsider, if you have bass bloom you should probably get a calibrated microphone to determine the precise frequencies responsible and then be investing in bass traps.