advertisement


DIY isolation shelves?

H

horace

pfm Member
Hi

My TNT Flexy rack is coming along nicely, but I'm still a bit concerned that it won't offer much in the way of isolation - the shelves are bolted to the uprights, after all.
So, my plan is to add a second, decoupled MDF shelf on top of each of the main MDF shelves. Question is, how to decouple them effectively? spikes would be good, but at £5 for a set of four the cost will soon mount.
How about squash balls (halved) or screws through the bottom of the main shelves, pointing upwards with the second shelf resting on the points?
Basically, I'm thinking cheap and effective. Any suggestions? Perhaps my thinking is all wrong here and I should be trying a different approach altogether?

Grateful for some advice.

Cheers

Martin
 
Bob

Ball nutters?

Sounds interesting. Now, if I had the faintest idea what you mean I'd....

Grateful for an explanation, as my brain is hurting.

Cheers

Martin
 
ball bearings from a bike shop sitting in nuts from B&Q just like in a Naim fraim (well almost!).

Bob
 
Ah, dome nuts!

Cool. Hadn't thought of that.

Thanks

Yet another trip to the local fasteners warehouse......


Martin
 
Err, dome nuts vs bearings sitting inside nuts?

Is that a worthwhile debate or should I pass?


Martin
 
Whichever you choose they'll be cheap. Use in threes and they're even self levelling.

Bob
 
If you do go for the self levelling 3 point contact as suggested by Bob, i have found it a good idea to mount some small rubber, cork, felt, etc self adhesive feet into the corners of the end with just one contact. You may need to trim these feet so that they don't touch the lower surface but only by 1mm or so`. In this way they don't effect the 3 point, self leveling aspect of the platform, but if you are a bit heavy handed it will prevent the corners dipping down to low and your component possibly sliding off.
 
Sid and Coke said:
If you do go for the self levelling 3 point contact as suggested by Bob, i have found it a good idea to mount some small rubber, cork, felt, etc self adhesive feet into the corners of the end with just one contact. You may need to trim these feet so that they don't touch the lower surface but only by 1mm or so`. In this way they don't effect the 3 point, self leveling aspect of the platform, but if you are a bit heavy handed it will prevent the corners dipping down to low and your component possibly sliding off.
Click to expand...
Please explain what you mean.
thanks
Jim
 
I used these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KC3L7Y1/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

Very effective under my acrylic shelves. Probably a bit more than you want to spend, but you can actually make something very similar using some springs and some cut-to-size thick MDF discs off the net. Costs next to nothing and works very well. Similar principle to Townsend Audio isolators but much cheaper!

Pete
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
in general, stiff things don't isolate, soft things do. So spikes are not isolating, sorbothane feet are.

Mdf has very little damping, so will 'collect' vibrations from sound in the room, and distribute those vibrations to all parts of your rack through the threaded rods, and as the vibrations will be amplifier by the mdf, it will make the whole thing much worse!
 
Helen Bach said:
in general, stiff things don't isolate, soft things do. So spikes are not isolating, sorbothane feet are
Click to expand...

I agree completely on this. I moved away from spikes many years ago as I found that although they could give a superficially more immediate and detailed sound with seemingly greater clarity over time the effect was fatiguing and unnatural. Compliant isolation like sorbothane, rubber, springs or foam pads etc. I find gives a much more natural presentation, more laid back with detail still present but not 'in-your-face' as with spikes. Personal taste also comes into play with these things of course.

Pete
 
"Personal taste also comes into play with these things of course."
Click to expand...

It took me a while to realise this. Why would someone want to impose their own view of the music. But I listen mostly to classical music, where I want to hear exactly what is on the recording. [or 'exactly' within my budget!]
 
Helen Bach said:
It took me a while to realise this. Why would someone want to impose their own view of the music. But I listen mostly to classical music, where I want to hear exactly what is on the recording. [or 'exactly' within my budget!]
Click to expand...

Yes agreed. I dislike systems that put a 'spin' on the music, ie. make it sound more exciting, more dynamic etc. than it should be. Many people do seem to like these effects though. The best systems in my view are the ones that simply 'get out of the way' and let the music speak for itself. Such systems need not cost a fortune either - my own very modest system does quite well at it.

Pete
 
Pete L said:
Yes agreed. I dislike systems that put a 'spin' on the music, ie. make it sound more exciting, more dynamic etc. than it should be. Many people do seem to like these effects though. The best systems in my view are the ones that simply 'get out of the way' and let the music speak for itself. Such systems need not cost a fortune either - my own very modest system does quite well at it.

Pete
Click to expand...

couldn't agree more.;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top