Hi

Does anyone know of an Aussie manufacturer of isolation platforms e.g. for CD players, amps, etc.? I currently have a couple of Audiophile Base platforms but need another one for my amp. However Audiophile Base have no distributor in Oz, price is high when including shipping and the actual price has gone up about 40% in the last 4 years. So anything that's a good bit less than $500 would be great - if it's a well made & does a good job of course! I'm not a great DIYer so ready made solutions are what I'm looking for.

cheers

Toisich-Jnr

Andrew of Aslan Acoustics makes them.

From my research into the topic there are very few platforms, made in Australia or elsewhere, that actually provide any isolation from vibration. Many will claim they do but do not provide any data to support their claims.

Vibration can be generated by the component itself (optical disc players and turntables would be examples), it can travel through the floor from footfalls or due to coupling of loudspeakers to the floor or it can travel through the air from speaker output. Solutions that address just one, let alone all three sources of vibration, tend to be very expensive. I would look at the types of products used to isolate electron microscopes or analytical balances if you really consider it important. In my opinion, unless you have an unsuspended turntable or amplification components using vacuum tubes then the cost/benefit ratio of elaborate isolation platforms and racks is very low.

Products worth investigating include Harmonic Resolution Systems, Grand Prix Audio, Silent Running Audio, Kinetic Systems Vibraplane, and Halcyonics. All are expensive.

Bocchino Audio in Queensland.

http://www.bocchtech.com/bocchinoaudio/isolationplatform.html

Do a search for other threads on Bocchino.

Thanks for the replies.

Bucchino Audio's basalt slab looks like it'll do the business and very reasonably priced. Can't stretch to the Mecado's but know of a suitable substitute.

Did a search on Bucchino but nothing came back. Maybe due to the recent upgrade?

Cheers

Toisich-Jnr

Just did a search of Bocchino, not Bucchino, and several threads came up mate...

Concrete paver slabs are cheap, about $7.00 from memory and are a good readily available isolator.

the cheapest and very effective way to isolate vibrations is to buy some vibrapods and put them under some sort of medite or whatever platform - this will effectively isolate very well. the potential downside is that they can soften dynamics.

or use a bicycle inner or compression springs - works very well on turntables - just ask Linn. Other than the very expensive devices Skywalker mentioned that is about it.

spikes, footers etc etc don't isolate anything, just change tonal frequency, therefore sound different/better - insert whatever word makes you feel better about what you have bought.

Cheers for further replies. Josh - tried Bocchino and now lots to look at. Now where's that learn to type software.....

Slainte

Toisich-Jnr

Hi

Does anyone know of an Aussie manufacturer of isolation platforms e.g. for CD players, amps, etc.? I currently have a couple of Audiophile Base platforms but need another one for my amp. However Audiophile Base have no distributor in Oz, price is high when including shipping and the actual price has gone up about 40% in the last 4 years. So anything that's a good bit less than $500 would be great - if it's a well made & does a good job of course! I'm not a great DIYer so ready made solutions are what I'm looking for.

cheers

Toisich-Jnr

While, yes, a Vibraplane (using technology developed to isolate electron microscopes) would be a great choice (if you have a deep wallet) you can DIY something that will give you almost the same benefit by combining:

* a heavyweight slab (to rest your component on), and

* squash balls (say 1 per 10lbs total weight - component plus slab). A partially inflated bicycle inner tube can also be used.

As NT3 posted, a concrete slab works well ... but only with the associated air isolation. A slate slab will cost a lot more than the concrete but has higher WAF.

Regards,

Andy

Perhaps I should have mentioned, the Thorens turntable I have has rather large rubber springs in its supporting feet. Am no expert but would guess these are isolators of a sort. If I give the t' table a push it moves about a bit. Probably why a humble concrete slab, due to its mass, works so well.

Perhaps I should have mentioned, the Thorens turntable I have has rather large rubber springs in its supporting feet. Am no expert but would guess these are isolators of a sort. If I give the t' table a push it moves about a bit. Probably why a humble concrete slab, due to its mass, works so well.

Que?

Yes, a concrete paver has mass ... however, if a TT rests on a concrete paver (or slate/granite slab) which rests on a concrete floor, there will be no difference in the level of "isolation".

However, if the concrete paver or slate/granite slab rests on some kind of air isolation (squash balls or an inner tube) then you will get isolation.

And, yes, the rubber springs in your Thorens feet are isolators-of-sorts. So maybe you don't need any further isolation under these feet?

Regards,

Andy

Agreed 100%, re isolation from a simple slab, and re the possibility of not needing still more isolation for a TT.

As was mentioned elsewhere, when used on their own, slabs, cones, etc. may be helpful in some systems. But they are likely to be tuning devices, not isolation devices.

Re TT isolation, if more was better, then higher performance cars would have two or more shock/spring assemblies per corner.

A really nice "invention" was having 2 flat boards with magnets (8) in the corners so that the boards repelled each other.

That way there was an air gap between them and the TT sat on the top board.

A partially filled inner tube would be close to that, I reckon, but I don't have to worry. TTs are for girls (and very old men).

A really nice "invention" was having 2 flat boards with magnets (8) in the corners so that the boards repelled each other.

That way there was an air gap between them and the TT sat on the top board.

A partially filled inner tube would be close to that, I reckon, but I don't have to worry. TTs are for girls (and very old men).

Interesting post Nigel.

The magnetic repulsion method is used by Continuum Audio Labs to support the top shelf in their Castellon turntable stand. The magnets are held captive by air bladders around the perimeter. The closer the magnetic field is to collapse the lower the resonant frequency of the system.

If I recall correctly the theory for mass loaded air bladders is that increasing the load causes the resonant frequency of the "system" to increase which is obviously not a good thing. Certainly a delicate balance needs to be struck between the total load and the air pressure inside the tube/s. Really not that different to damping materials like sorbothane which much be properly loaded for the material to operate efficiently.

YS

I am currently using some of the Simposium Acoustic Svete Flatform, i just can not explain in details, but its does help my system. www.symposiumusa.com/

There is a dealer in Chastwood , Sydney . Audiophile Utopia .

All the best.

Khoi

but I don't have to worry. TTs are for girls (and very old men).

I reckon you have decided SNA is a bit dull today Nigel. :nana

Que?

Yes, a concrete paver has mass ... however, if a TT rests on a concrete paver (or slate/granite slab) which rests on a concrete floor, there will be no difference in the level of "isolation".

However, if the concrete paver or slate/granite slab rests on some kind of air isolation (squash balls or an inner tube) then you will get isolation.

And, yes, the rubber springs in your Thorens feet are isolators-of-sorts. So maybe you don't need any further isolation under these feet?

Regards,

Andy

Sorry Andy, was away from the computer for a few days. Think the main problem here is that the floor is timber on brick piers. Rather bouncy as people walk about. The turntable and preamps sit on a pretty cruddy timber side table as well.

So guess the heavy slabs just add stability and deadning. Before putting the slab in it was annoying playing records and walking about at the same time. Sometimes the needle would jump about if one was not careful.

I still like the TNT sandbox, the sand can absorb vinbrations and turn the energy into heat. It's also DIY so cheap and easy to make.

DS

Hi

Thanks for all the replies - I will have a look at the options provided. Isolation does work and has solved an acoustic feedback issue I had in the past when using my turntable. It can also tune the sound.

cheers

Toisich-Jnr