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Speaker isolation for wooden floors

RankingRoger

pfm Member
I gave my friend a pair of floorstanding speakers which he has put on blankets to stop the bass annoying his downstairs neighbour - he lives in a new build flat with wooden floors. Any better suggestions: cones on the floor with a concrete slab with the (spiked) speakers on top?
 
I've had great results using Bright Star IsoNodes, and removing my speaker floor spikes. My neighbours no longer complain, and I play louder now too. What speakers is your friend using? The weight will dictate what decoupling is required.

Cones & a slab will not stop the low frequencies from going through the floor (you're still coupling the speakers to the floor), you need something squishy and compliant, but correctly optimised, to achieve this.
 
You need to think in completely the opposite direction and get the speakers mounted on (correct sized) springs. Townshend does a wonderful speaker isolation platform range, but they are pricey. Others are available or with a bit of ingenuity you can do a roll-your-own variety.
 
You need to think in completely the opposite direction and get the speakers mounted on (correct sized) springs. Townshend does a wonderful speaker isolation platform range, but they are pricey. Others are available or with a bit of ingenuity you can do a roll-your-own variety.

The issue with springs is that there is no damping (like with the Townshend ones). If I give my speakers on IsoNodes a push, there is a damped wobble, a lot like the Seismic Bars really. An even better value way (and where I'd start) would be to get some properly matched Sorbothane i.e. from http://www.qtasystems.co.uk/articles/how-to-use-sorbothane-hemispheres.htm, which would cost £25-ish to try.
 
Cost is a major factor. The speakers are Tannoy Mercury M3 which aren't too heavy but also don't warrant spending too much cash on.

I'll give the QTA Systems stuff a go. Thanks for the responses.
 
Cost is a major factor. The speakers are Tannoy Mercury M3 which aren't too heavy but also don't warrant spending too much cash on.

I'll give the QTA Systems stuff a go. Thanks for the responses.

Took a peek and the speakers are 10.5kg each, so you'd want 8x pieces of "30M50D".
 
If he can build a sandbox it will work. So will boards separated by Blutak, this, like a folded blanket, is a form of CLD (constrained layer damping). The more layers the more energy removal.

Suspend them from cables mounted on a frame! You know you want to!
 
Passive isolation requires a soft spring so that the mass (speaker) / spring resonance is at a frequency well below what you want the speaker to handle. This means a few Hz, the same as a suspended turntable and for exactly the same reason. Isolation occurs at frequencies above this resonance. Damping makes the isolation WORSE by providing a force that couples the speaker to the floor particularly at the higher frequencies which are to be isolated. However, if something drives the natural resonance of a few Hz (e.g. footfalls) then some damping to limit it's magnitude might be worthwhile at the price of making the isolation a bit worse.

The major problem with effective isolation of speakers using soft springs is stability. Stability wants the soft spring attached above the centre of gravity which is difficult to achieve. Attaching below is unstable. Things can be done with multiple independent soft springs but the speaker is likely end up a bit wobbly. Mechanisms which prevent all movement except the vertical tend to be complicated and expensive but can solve the problem of supporting the speaker from below.
 
I doubt that would work in his new build but I'll try it in my Victorian Terrace with my Meridian DSP5500s. Any suggestions on how to suspend an 80kg speaker :) ?
Sure. 80kg is easy. I can do it with a few lengths of Bowden cable, as used for bike brakes, car clutches, etc. It is inexpensive. A frame can be made from anything, I'd weld up a structure from box steel with brackets and have it powder coated. Then hang your cables off that. You would need to attach direct to the speakers or make an inner frame. Adjustmemt of cables via turnbuckles. Great project. A weekend to cut and shut your steel, another to hang the cables and make it work. Ace project, cost a couple of hundred plus time.

Edit - paracord would be OK for 80kg, easier to joint than cables.
 
Sure. 80kg is easy. I can do it with a few lengths of Bowden cable, as used for bike brakes, car clutches, etc. It is inexpensive. A frame can be made from anything, I'd weld up a structure from box steel with brackets and have it powder coated. Then hang your cables off that. You would need to attach direct to the speakers or make an inner frame. Adjustmemt of cables via turnbuckles. Great project. A weekend to cut and shut your steel, another to hang the cables and make it work. Ace project, cost a couple of hundred plus time.

Edit - paracord would be OK for 80kg, easier to joint than cables.
The cord should be soft not stiff if it is to isolate (e.g. bungee). A stiff cord will transmit the vibrations from the speaker to the frame and on into the floor.
 
Just paid £16.26 for 2 x 30M50D packs. Quick response despite the archaic order process - "Send email with address quoting product and postal address"

Looking forward to trying them out, thanks Yamonze!
 
I have achieved great results by having plinths made from caesarstone and then placing them under the speaker spikes. I also backed the plinth with felt on its underside to protect the wood floor. You can use various types of stone.

I have found that it significantly tightens up the sound (especially the bass).

I've done it with SBLs, DBLs and now Kudos Titans.

Very cost-effective and a massive upgrade!
 
I'm sure it works. CLD again. Squash balls cut in 2 are an old-school favourite for this, minimal cost again.
 
After playing with the concept of de-coupling my floorstanding speakers from the wooden floor, I reckon it can make a positive difference.

Spikes into drilled champagne corks (cut to about 2cm, full size was too long)
then felt pads on the cork
next a work surface saver (granite 30x40 cm. 1.5cm thick)
this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Naturals-G...nite+work+surface+saver&qid=1595949977&sr=8-1

Next 4 half spheres cut from a cheap pack of bouncy balls £2.50 under each piece of granite.
these
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-5pk-rainbow-bouncy-balls

(I also use those balls cut in half to help isolate my decks etc. that are on glass.)

Cost £22.50.

I then ordered another pair of granite slabs the same as the first pair.

I tried the same elastic bouncy balls cut in half, to separate the slabs.

This made the speakers a little too tall re: tweeter/ear height.

So today I have removed the layer of half-spheres and replaced them with felt pads.
I was concerned that the half-spheres were coupling with the granite.

(Various felt pads =£1 from Morrisons)

This now sounds better, i.e. the room is less involved with the bass.

Cost £45.

Result.
 
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