DIY Speaker Isolators for Wooden Floors

[stevec67]

So, assuming my solid floor is not transmitting any noise into my speakers and possibly affecting my pin-point imaging (not) I need to take any noise generated away from my boxes by coupling them with spikes whose only function in practise seems to be turning my floor into a dartboard. But if the walls of my boxes seem to be totally inert and impervious to even the strongest bass beats then it is presumably the air inside that is vibrating and affecting my drivers which need to be isolated from its toxic effect. Should I buy some old Roksans with tweeters dangling from springs ? But my tweeters are Seas Millenniums which are not open backed and certainly look to be virtually bomb - proof from behind. So the real culprits are the fixing screws on the drivers which should be made of jelly
I guess we should implant our speakers into reinforced concrete walls.

If you like. You asked "do they isolate ?" To which the answer is "yes". You now appear to be questioning whether speakers need to be isolated. That's another question.

 

[Stefano Papini]

Hi all,
I'm going to resume an old thread because I found very easy to appreciate real time graphs of the tiniest vibrations affecting the systems with seismographic mobile apps, (e.g. look for hamm seismograph on google play and - disclaimer - I'm not affiliated with them).

I did it this weekend and could easily listen and "see" how a partially deflated inner tube effectively reduced noise when placed under my power amp. I already have another inner tube under my pre and plan to install ASAP under CD driver and DAC, too!

BTW it was "strange" to appreciate music induced vibrations on the armrest of my listening chair, a couple of meters away from each speaker... As of today my floorstanders are coupled with spikes and brass plates but I'm looking for some perhaps wooden rings and cuts of inner tube to try the decoupling solution for speakers too!

 

[say it as it is]

very interesting thread I love a bodge er i mean well worked diy solution haha!

my only concern is the weight of say SBLs using the stretched inner tube method.

I have the perfect storm chipboard suspended floor with laminate floor coverings.

currently have old Naim Nam402 stand mount they are sat on granite chopping board with bouncy balls cut in half sandwiched between a second granite board.

stands and felt pads sit on top of this, has reduced bass boom substantially not totally ay higher volumes, bass less overpowering but still there.

always interested in cheap diy solutions

when I put the SBLs in was thinking spikes and aluminium cups on top of the granite boards.

The concept of springs and rubber seems sound but as said getting the correct spring rates ?

I see one of the original replies states they had springs custom made how did that work out?

cheers

 

[Stefano Papini]

Hi,
I bet that the resonance frequency provided by the system made of two granite boards and half balls is on the highish side. I mean, I think that the benefit of the inner tube is to let you achieve around 3-4Hz, well far from the audio band. I'm searching around, but I struggle to find spring based systems allowing such low resonance frequency with my floorstanders and while preserving the stability!!! Moreover a spring, although always lossy, has to be dampened.

Stefano

 

[Fatmarley]

But my tweeters are Seas Millenniums which are not open backed and certainly look to be virtually bomb - proof from behind. So the real culprits are the fixing screws on the drivers which should be made of jelly

The first speakers I built used rubber Well Nuts to fix the drivers. The driver frame is isolated from the cabinet by the rubber.

I found them a right pain if you need to keep removing the drivers, sometimes the whole thing would turn in the hole and be near impossible to remove, so I don't use them anymore. It's hard to say if they made an improvement anyway.

 

[Zombie]

Sonic Design feet are nice, use them for my 988s. Read somewhere that cutting pieces from a sleeping pad and building up until the speaker doesn't compress them too much anymore is also good.

 

[say it as it is]

Old thread alert linked to a current conversation

I gave up on the granite boards with half bouncy balls, they played havoc with the Naim Intro had for a bit.
Very simple now bamboo boards straight onto laminate floor speaker spikes into that.
Speakers now Ruark Templar that can occasionally get boomy I put that down to the floor as new spikes fitted and levelled off sitting on the bamboo boards.

Not at all bad and only higher volume and certain tracks that can get them to boom, so definitely better than previous attempts.

I am interested in what cheap and easy solutions might help.

With the vast knowledge experience on here hope someone has had similar issues be curious what solved it for them?

 

[rbrown]

How about some bubble wrap sandwiched between a couple of squares of wood? Haven’t tried it but it might be worth a try.

 

[say it as it is]

might try that, thanks

 

[mega lord]

I thought that to be effective the isolation must be able to move and at a very low resonant frequency ie lower the better ?

 

[say it as it is]

As I have laminate flooring I might try the bubble wrap between my existing bamboo boards and floor.

 

[Chris]

You might like the effect of tilting the speakers slightly back at the same time - old vibrapods up front and thinner felt at the back.. It has worked wonders in my case, maybe because I have a coffee table between them and me and my lowish sofa. I can´t distinguish between Paistes and Zildjians but I do suspect their presence now and again.

https://imgur.com/ixcJuqh

 

[say it as it is]

I have tried them slightly set back via the spikes I prefer them level but the Ruarks are so small they are on an angled face and project upwards at a slight angle.

I have the larger size bubble wrap with bigger air pockets see if that makes a difference to the regular small stuff

 

[stevec67]

How about some bubble wrap sandwiched between a couple of squares of wood? Haven’t tried it but it might be worth a try.

It will certainly work for isolation. So will a bike tube, a cushion, a folded towel, a bath sponge, half squash balls, the list is endless. Which is best? Well, that depends on what you do with it, as the actress said to the bishop.

 

[say it as it is]

well might try a 10inch inner tube inflated under the bamboo boards can play about with pressures but given how good a job a pneumatic tyre does at isolation.

My other thoughts are sorbothane is well regarded as excellent in engineering for isolating mechanical noise and vibration.

3mm cork sheet also has superb properties

I do like the idea of a rubber inner tube stretched over tealight holders, just trying to think what to fill the void with, I am tempted to try the foam from packing peanuts to fill the void and perhaps sit on a cork pad.

all cheap ideas and hey what to lose