ultimate decoupling of speakers?

[pucho812]

saw this and speaker stands come to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZTKL4f3azA

 

[living sounds]

Cool, but I think the high tension of the wires/cables/chains etc. will carry resonances through.

I have found that multiple layers of pieces of rough rubber mats (the ones you put under a washing machine) work best to isolate speakers and also sound best, since they isolate well but don't dampen the speakers in a way that would impact the sound negatively.

 

[scott2000]

Neat!

 

[pucho812]

Cool, but I think the high tension of the wires/cables/chains etc. will carry resonances through.

I have found that multiple layers of pieces of rough rubber mats (the ones you put under a washing machine) work best to isolate speakers and also sound best, since they isolate well but don't dampen the speakers in a way that would impact the sound negatively.

I am thinking, can sell them to audiophiles and have that be a feature.  on a more serious note if you want to see some good decoupling, talk to Paul Gold about his sandboxes.

 

[Gold]

on a more serious note if you want to see some good decoupling, talk to Paul Gold about his sandboxes.

My speakers are on sand boxes. The boxes are acrylic food service bins. One stacked on another.

The arraignment above is akin to hanging speakers from the ceiling. A bad idea because the speakers are on a swing. They will move in space.

Thomas from Northward Acoustics has suspended speakers like that under tension. That takes serious math and experience. I wouldn’t attempt something like that DIY.

 

[pucho812]

Paul i use your photo you posted when i talk of decoupling.  even did the sandbox thing too, but in earthquake country has potential to be messy.  I am wondering if covering the sandboxes in cloth  would effect things acoustically. I know it would definitely keep the sand in in case of a quake. 

 

[Gold]

You can rest the speakers on a piece of wood. I’d put a lip around the four sides of the board.  If you don’t have a lip the sand tends to want to escape from under the board.

 

[pucho812]

good to know. 

 

[scott2000]

Since we're on it, any thoughts here on the bicycle inner tube deal??

 

[living sounds]

My speakers are on sand boxes. The boxes are acrylic food service bins. One stacked on another.

I'd love to see a picture!

By the way, since your business is called saltmastering, I think it would be nice if you used salt instead of sand... 

 

[pucho812]

I'd love to see a picture!

By the way, since your business is called saltmastering, I think it would be nice if you used salt instead of sand... 

Might be time for Paul to explain about the amazing acoustical properties of sand.  8)

 

[Gold]

Might be time for Paul to explain about the amazing acoustical properties of sand.  8)

Mass is your friend. Sand has the same mass as stone or concrete but since it is granular doesn’t ring or transmit sound easily. The downside is that it is hard to control and keep in place.

 

[john12ax7]

Some speaker stands are hollow to allow for them to be sand filled.  Is there a dramatic difference in sound in doing so.? I understand that mass helps,  but wondering if it's worth the trouble with generic prosumer type stands.

 

[Gold]

Some speaker stands are hollow to allow for them to be sand filled.  Is there a dramatic difference in sound in doing so.? I understand that mass helps,  but wondering if it's worth the trouble with generic prosumer type stands.

I guess it would help but you don’t get the decoupling. The speaker stand is coupled to the floor and will transmit vibrations easily. With the  way I do it the sand absorbs the acoustic energy.

 

[ubxf]

Small Sorbothane disks between speaker and stand. Stand metal filled with sand. spikes between stand and floor

 

[Gold]

Here is a shot of my setup.

 

[pvision]

Some speaker stands are hollow to allow for them to be sand filled.  Is there a dramatic difference in sound in doing so.? I understand that mass helps,  but wondering if it's worth the trouble with generic prosumer type stands.

Definitely worth doing and generic prosumer stands might be where you'll get the most improvement

Assuming you can get at it, I recommend packing the join between the top plate and the upright with blutak or plasticene and filling the upright with dry sand

Nick Froome

 

[Tubetec]

I was in the hifi trade a few years and many of the more robust stands were made to be damped with sand , typically we recomended plastic bags filled with it and dropped into position .

I like Pauls 'dual sandbox' approach ,vibes transferred get turned into heat and over the course of (geological) time you'll probably end up with finer grains  ;D

The cars hiss by my window
Like the waves down on the beach
The cars hiss by my window
Like the waves down on the beach
I got this girl beside me
But shes out of reach .........

 

[Gold]

I use 00 (double aught) playground sand. Construction sand is too wet and isn’t all fine grain.