Sorbothane feet for audio

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Guys,I need your your sincere opinion based on actual experience -are Sorbothane feets apt for audio devices ? Is it the best solution as isolators and anti vibration for Hi End audio and speakers ? Is it best suited for amplifier,D/A,Transport,Preamplifier or even Hi End heavy 4 way speakers with a weight of 220Lb ? Can Sorbothane handle 220Lb speaker without sliding or collapsing within time ?
I heard a rumor that Sorbothane might cause discoloration or damage to wood of the speaker or floor.I'd love to hear your views about it.
 

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Sorbothane got very good attributes for a lot of uses. Heavy speakers or amp racks are not a good use though. The problem is, these do not have an evenly distributed weight. The feet with the highest load on them will be squeezed down the most, which results in the speaker (or whatever you put on them) slants in that direction and topples much easier. I'm pretty sure that's not what you want.
 
Are Sorbothane sheets a proper solution as isolators and anti vibration ? Are you-Kec satisfied with Sorbothane solution ? My speakers will be 7 times heavier with a size of around 24inch width and depth, so I don't know it's compatibility if at all ?! What about lighter audio devices such as Preamplifier,D/A,
Transport etc....? If not Sorbothane-what is the best solution to be used as isolators and anti vibration for 220Lb speakers and audio devices including amplifiers and the above mentioned ?
 
One of the best vibration isolation material is Sylomer.
For my speakers I use the brown SR110 that works optimal with a pressure of 0.7kg/cm²

Regards,
Danny
 

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Thanks Danny,It seems interesting-what kind of material is it-some kind of densed rubber? What is the difference between your material and Sorbothane sheet ? How long have you got it ? Is it safe for wood speakers/floor in sense of damage/discoloration? what model/sheet cut do I need for 220Lb speaker ? Is it apt for lighter audio devices as well ?
 
Sorbothane got very good attributes for a lot of uses. Heavy speakers or amp racks are not a good use though. The problem is, these do not have an evenly distributed weight. The feet with the highest load on them will be squeezed down the most, which results in the speaker (or whatever you put on them) slants in that direction and topples much easier. I'm pretty sure that's not what you want.


You can buy Sorbothane feet with different stiffness and use the stiffest in the heaviest end.

I use the same stiffness in all 4 corners on my subwoofers and speakers. They are very stable and I haven't noticed any tilting.
 

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Thanks Danny,It seems interesting-what kind of material is it-some kind of densed rubber? What is the difference between your material and Sorbothane sheet ? How long have you got it ? Is it safe for wood speakers/floor in sense of damage/discoloration? what model/sheet cut do I need for 220Lb speaker ? Is it apt for lighter audio devices as well ?

Sylomer is a high quality polyurethane foam ...
I use it since two years for all vibration absorbing: speakers, amplifiers, transformers, ...
It's 100% safe for wood, it leaves no marks and is stable in time.
It comes in 10 different stiffness/load
For 100kg(220lbs) in SR110(0.7kg/cm²) you need 142cm², that are 4 pads SR110 of 6x6cm for each speaker.

Regards,
Danny
 
Experimentation is the key;

Tube pre-amp: When inserted under the 'tube' box, gave too much body to the presentation. Under the power supply, bingo.

Tube amplifier: No. Syrup would be a good description.

Turntable: At loud volumes, if there's a distortion you can't put your finger on, it may be a reflection from the platter. Sorbothane gets rid of the distortion, but it smooth's things out too much. I have the Stein perfect interface over the sorbothane. This combo was better than the Stein by itself.

Speakers: I don't like it under my woofers, but I do love it under my monitors.

These are my experiences, you need to experiment for yourself.
 
Fabreeka FAB-EPM is a similar product to Sylomer. The effectiveness of any of these materials including Sorbothane is going to be dependent on loading. Think of them all as nearly critically damped springs and you will be on the right track. Be sure to use the foams in the specified static loading range and load all of the isolators under one piece of equipment to the same pressure per square inch.
The big advantage materials like these have over prefabricated isolators is the ability to tune them exactly. All of the manufactures publish data that you can use to calculate the natural frequency given the loading. Select a material/thickness/size/shape to tune the spring mass to at least sqrt 2 below the lowest forcing frequency and you will have attenuation. I don’t think you will hear any difference between the materials given a specific tuning frequency.
The Fabreeka material is easy to use, you can cut it with a band saw and spray adhesive bonds really well. I make isolators by gluing the material between aluminum or phenolic plates and they work well. I assume the Sylomer can be used in a similar way. The big disadvantage to fabreeka is that you need to buy it in large sheets or find scrap. Not sure about the Sylomer but Sorbothane is for sure available in small quantities.
 
Hey, Danny 66, thanks for the heads up on Sylomer. Great damping materials. Sylomer has a range of products for different industrial applications, with mechanical loss factors form 0.1 to 0.6 (very high damping). Several years ago I searched the internet for about several months to understand the basics of structural damping. I don't recall Sylomer being mentioned, so is it fairly new? Several of the damping material websites also appear to be updated too with the material. Engineering progress moves forward.
 
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