Isolation of HiFi components from vibration

If you are correct why do Naim use suspension systems in their source and preamps, I will tell you to reduce vibrations entering their internal electronic boards
Steve

Yes, so I’ve always wondered doing that why do they need extra isolation?

But most solid state gear is cheaply made and designed to be thrown down or piled up on any vaguely horizontal surface.

Aside from the IEC power connector that is a bit wigly, what else would be vibrations suspended in their Pre-amps? In 252 for example the PCB is bolted straight into the chassis. The wiring from the inputs could probably reduce microphonics but if the preamps stands on something that vibrate you will get vibrations into the PCB no matter what as far as I can tell.

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Everything vibrates.

The air, esp when playing heavy metal at volume 11.

The floor, esp during earthquakes.

The other gear, esp with big toroidal transformers.

The cables too.

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This might be a bit different. My whole system is sitting on light, rigid, very strong low mass wooden supports & platforms. When I am playing something like Walk on the wild side or a bit of Bob there is no way I can isolate my equipment from the very low bass frequency that travels thru everything thats in my room, including me sat in front of the speakers. So you could say it’s system that is all in sync together, with the music passing thru everything as fast or slow as it comes and goes. I am also not saying different types of isolation and vibration control is wrong, but I have found this coupled low mass system so to speak has worked best for me.

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Interesting.
If poss, please post a photo of the supports?

Hi this is a quick shot of the full system on the low mass supports. The Rega P8 turntable is also low mass design including its wall bracket.

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Jim, I have enjoyed reading all your feedback in various
threads from your experience - spot on! - thank you.

Microphony is the mother of all sonic evil.

We can plug and play and not bother but
everything rings externally and internally
and this degrades the sonics to varying
degrees.

Set-up is a royal pain. Most can’t be bothered much,
and that’s fine. WRYB… whatever rocks your boat.

Gents, however way we look at it, there can never be
any discounting of anti-vibration support measures
for any hi fi system, particularly when we are aiming
for SQ. Once sorted, the system just takes off
for goosebump territory.

It’s much the same with room acoustic treatments.

No short cuts unfortunately. The effort has to be put in.

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Is it just me, but your left speaker doesn’t seem angle-toed
quite the same as the right, WolF. Could be camera skew
or my eyes which might need a check. lol

Lovely floor and cosy set-up!

Cheers

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Sir, that’s certainly not the case.

Even the Statement will benefit from additional
isolation support as an owner here on the Forum has
already attested to with his pre, despite the gargantuan
efforts made by the Naim design and mechanical team
to mitigate microphony.

If we look at all major high end shows, they seldom
sit even monstrous behemoth amps straight on the
carpeted floor. Some do, but most are usually placed
on isolation platforms for sonic benefit.

In hi fi set ups, don’t we think it’s usually the sum of all parts
that determine the overall SQ… it’s never quite piecemeal
to just any singular aspect in the setup in particular though
if we addressed aspects in stages, we could certainly hear the
differences, just not always so clear-cut. Many variables.

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Hi it could be. I think this was taken after putting it all back together after having the window shutters installed. I also tend to set things up be ear rather than measuring it all out exactly. I have also just ordered some Phantom speaker cables and jumpers, so the speaker layout will probably change again. The never ending tweaking cycle goes on. :grinning:

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Hi WoLF

Lovely room and system.

Can you say a bit more about how the racks/supports are made and how they work?

Are they mass produced by a firm?

Thanks
Jim

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The bollocks we all go through for hi fi… ha ha It’s where the fun is, I guess.

Read so much about these in positive light… enjoy and post some thoughts as they run in!

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For some! On the other hand, a system that’s so engaging that you’re not tempted to fiddle about with tweaks and changes, means you have to seek “fun” elsewhere… (Unless the term “fun” fits the immense satisfaction gained from being fully immersed in wonderful sounding music!)

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Hi Jim

Thank you for your kind comments about my room & system. The racks/support shelves are made of wood and are like an internal honeycomb design sandwiched in between the top and bottom sides, that makes them very light, strong, rigid and low mass. (lots of air inside the structure) They have a very natural resonant character and being low mass and very rigid the energy travels faster thru the system. So the basic idea is the coupling the masses technique that allow all the feedback energy coming out of the speakers to travel thru the system as fast as possible so all parts or the system vibrate together very fast so that the vibration itself doesn’t mater. Thats my the basic theory of it anyway. They are beautifully handcrafted in the UK, the speaker plats were custom made for my transmission line speakers . They are made to order and called Torlyte. I hope the above makes some kind of sense.

Have a great listening weekend.

WolF

Close Up

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Vibration control comes with the cable rolling and other smaller tweaks. It’s nowhere near as the most important thing to consider when building a system. I’ve experimented with IsoAcoustic GAIAs for two pairs of speakers and there’s a clear audible difference but these isolation footers won’t solve bigger problems like room acoustics, which is one of the most if not the most important thing to consider when building a music system. I currently use heavy granite slabs under my active ATC’s.

For solid state electronics, I’ve heard zero difference with isolation platforms or footers. I do have IsoAcoustics Zazen I under my Linn ADSM but I can’t say I heard any difference when I put it there but I like the looks so it stayed. I’m sure these kind of tweaks are helpful with vinyl playback though. It makes more sense to control vibrations there.

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Can you see us a picture of your room acoustic treatment ?

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Thanks for telling us about Torlyte, WoLF.

Your cable dressing looks meticulous.

Jim

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There’s 2x GIK 244 basstraps behind speakers, 2x Hofa tube bass traps in two of the worst corners and 6x 60x60x4cm Ecophon Master SQ panels behind the sweet spot. This is not nearly enough but the room happens to be open concept living room with kitchen and I don’t live here alone so I can’t do much more. My sofa is 1,7m from the back wall and it makes it easier to adjust the sound of my setup. I can’t move speakers that much, they’re 78cm from the front wall measured from the middle of the front baffle.

This goes offtopic though so let’s not wander into acoustics any further.

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