Then add damping material inside the cabinet walls to absorb higher frequency vibrations. Consider adding internal bracing to large cabinets. Well-built cabinets resonate too, but at much higher frequencies which result in lower vibration amplitudes with less influence on the sound. The speaker vibrations will excite cabinet resonance and the cabinet will vibrate and create its own sound people refer to this as coloration or distortion. A thin wall speaker cabinet will have resonances at lower frequencies (modes) than a thick one with internal bracing. Resonance occurs when a vibration frequency matches a natural frequency. Isolate your speakers or audio furniture to prevent coupling of floor vibration.ĭamping absorbs vibration this is only effective at resonance.
#Sound control board generator
Think of an air conditioner unit mounted on a rooftop or emergency generator on springs. A drawback to isolation is that if the isolated component produces vibration that vibration is amplified. Isolation prevents transmission of vibration from one object to another precision microscopes are isolated to the 99th degree. Damping: Resonance and Structural Rigidity Not only is damping material applied inside speaker cabinet but is very mainstream in car audio too. Also, sand, rice or kitty litter inside of a hollow speaker stand or embedded between layers adds damping. Dynamat is another popular brand of damping material. To counteract vibration, damping material is applied to the surfaces to absorb vibration (and turn this into small levels of heat).ĭanny Richie of GR Research sells NoRez. Thin speaker boxes and lightweight cabinets will be resonant even very good cabinets will be. Reducing vibration at resonance requires damping. When vibration is present and coincident with a resonant frequency, that vibration is amplified (think of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge). Other than isolation, how can you reduce vibration? Vibration influences low level currents which travel through the signal chain into your speakers. Solid state circuitry and printed circuit boards are susceptible to vibration through microphonic effects. Vibration influences sound okay - this is easily detectable in turntables, but what about solid-state gear? Sound waves created by loudspeakers generate mechanical vibration that couple with floors, component shelves, and HiFi equipment.
A wood shelf will have a different impact on the sound than a glass shelf. Tip: Not all equipment sounds better isolated some gear sounds better coupled.īe mindful of that fact that every surface resonates at a different frequency. What do you note? This is the secret to critical listening.
Then remove one set at a time one change at a time and give it 1 day or 3. I prefer to give it 7 days, but every situation is different. Start by placing isolation feet under each component does the sound change?Īllow this change for at least 3 days and listen for any differences in the sound. Don’t assume because a component is extremely heavy or very lightweight that it will react the same way to vibration. Identify which components are the most sensitive to vibration.