[Nirmalanow]

Just wondering if anyone has direct experience to relate of how vibration control devices affected the sound of their purely headphone system. While the whole idea of vibration control can itself be controversial, it seems that it would be more helpful in a speaker based system due to the vibrations transmitted through the air and through the floor from the speakers to the components. But with headphones there is no vibration of the components caused by the music, so any benefit would have to come mostly from reducing or absorbing vibrations generated inside the components themselves (ie the motor in a CD player), although I guess passing trucks, airplanes and the like could also shake your system.

So anyone have any perspectives on the importance or benefits of vibration control on their headphone listening? Due you use hard components like cones or soft ones like Vibrapods? I am mostly interested in reports of what you actually heard, and I am not so interested in a theoretical debate as to whether it should or should not help.

 

[apatN]

Sorry to say but this thread won't get off the ground. Vibration control is -like cables- pretty controversial. It will be a worthless discussion of haters and believers.

Anyway when headphones are not properly built they will start to vibrate which is audible. Denon headphones suffer from this (the markl mod is pretty much dampening).
For CDPs, amps etc. I am not a believer.

 

[Nirmalanow]

I have the MarkL Denons and love them, but I have never compared them to stock. I remember my AT1000s would sound better if I pressed lightly on the cups which would have dampened them some, but the MarkLs sound does not change when I press with my fingers on the cups, so they may not need any further dampening.

Thanks for your perspective. I know this is a controversial topic.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to say but this thread won't get off the ground. Vibration control is -like cables- pretty controversial. It will be a worthless discussion of haters and believers.

Um... haters?

Rather strong language don't you think?

Quote:

For CDPs, amps etc. I am not a believer.

Wouldn't that, by your own words, make you a "hater"?

k

 

[Uncle Erik]

* Main Entry: cre·du·li·ty
* Pronunciation: \kri-ˈdü-lə-tē, -ˈdyü-\
* Function: noun
* Date: 15th century

: readiness or willingness to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence

 

[bergman2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif * Main Entry: cre·du·li·ty * Pronunciation: \kri-ˈdü-lə-tē, -ˈdyü-\ * Function: noun * Date: 15th century : readiness or willingness to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence

how did I know you were going to say that ??? I must be psychic !!!

 

[fhuang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergman2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif how did I know you were going to say that ??? I must be psychic !!!

 

[robm321]

Wow a lot of grumpy people lately.

I think it's actually a great question OP, and I've wondered it myself. I think it is less important overall since the bass vibration from the speakers clearly causes serious vibrations. I would assume it helps to some degree since there are small vibrations almost everywhere unless you are sitting on bedrock

- but haven't actually A/Bd to find out.

As for the skeptics, ask all the major amp manufactures Ray Samuals included that put spikes under their amps rather than fat rubber feet which are much cheaper. Ask all the CD player manufacturers why their high end units all come with spikes and are made of a material that damps vibration. Ask all the speaker manufacturers why they supply or recommend spikes for the carpet to help vibration. Take a look at all the high end systems and see what kind of rack they use, you know the vibration control ones.

In other words, if everyone is drinking the cool aid, then maybe the Kool aid is just kool aid and you are the one with a logic flaw.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for the skeptics, ask all the major amp manufactures Ray Samuals included that put spikes under their amps rather than fat rubber feet which are much cheaper. Ask all the CD player manufacturers why their high end units all come with spikes and are made of a material that damps vibration. Ask all the speaker manufacturers why they supply or recommend spikes for the carpet to help vibration.

Those are some damn good questions.

Why indeed do all those manufacturers put spikes on everything to help vibration when spikes are the last thing you'd ever want to put on something if you're looking to deal with vibration?

You might want to ask yourself why don't companies whose business it is to deal with vibration and actually know what they're doing put spikes on everything to deal with vibration?

Do you see any spikes on this isolation platform?

Or under these precision microscopes?

Nope. Sure don't.

Know why?

Because spikes don't address vibration issues other than making them worse.

Quote:

In other words, if everyone is drinking the cool aid, then maybe the Kool aid is just kool aid and you are the one with a logic flaw.

Or not.

k

 

[crapback]

Could a wire carrying current, thereby generating a magnetic field, experience an increase in it's inductance by being vibrated within it's own field?

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crapback /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could a wire carrying current, thereby generating a magnetic field, experience an increase in it's inductance by being vibrated within it's own field?

No.

Since the wire is the source of the magnetic field (or rather the current flowing through it), if the wire moves, the magnetic field would move along with it.

k

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi /img/forum/go_quote.gif You might want to ask yourself why don't companies whose business it is to deal with vibration and actually know what they're doing put spikes on everything to deal with vibration? Do you see any spikes on this isolation platform? Or under these precision microscopes? Nope. Sure don't. Know why? Because spikes don't address vibration issues other than making them worse.

Higher end audio manufacturers use several different methods to control vibration. Spikes are the cheapest way which is why you see so many of the under $10K units using it. As you get into the cost no object, then you start seeing more effective methods.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Higher end audio manufacturers use several different methods to control vibration. Spikes are the cheapest way which is why you see so many of the under $10K units using it. As you get into the cost no object, then you start seeing more effective methods.

Again, spikes don't do dick with regard to vibration control. Cheap rubber feet are actually more effective.

k

 

[fhuang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Again, spikes don't do dick with regard to vibration control. Cheap rubber feet are actually more effective. k

 

[Patrick82]

I have found that vibration control devices tune the ground bourne vibrations into other frequencies which makes the audio component only sound different. To get better audio the vibrations should be stopped completely. Put the component levitating on Magix and put books on top of the chassis to dampen the internal vibrations. Background becomes crazy black!