Expensive Rack

[GaryProtein]

If REAL isolation is your desire, you need ACTIVE isolation, not the expensive pretty TOYS manufactured by stillpoints, critical mass systems or HRS.

Do a google search for HERZAN or TMC active isolation. These instruments are designed for stabilization and isolation of laboratory research instruments and will run circles around the audiophool toys made by the audio industry.

[mfoley3]

Hi GaryProtein, I've had what I consider very good results using Stillpoints (Ultraminis and UltraSS) and Symposium shelves under all of my equipment. Prior to the Stillpoints, I used some RollerBall Juniors with reasonably good results. That's the total of my meager experience with vibrational isolation tweaks. I am a believer in their effectiveness, but as always I'm on the look out for even better options.

I'm intrigued by your comments regarding the apparent efficacy of the other products you mention. Could you please provide a bit more contrast between them and the Stillpoints?

Much appreciated,
Mike

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by mfoley3

Hi GaryProtein, I've had what I consider very good results using Stillpoints (Ultraminis and UltraSS) and Symposium shelves under all of my equipment. Prior to the Stillpoints, I used some RollerBall Juniors with reasonably good results. That's the total of my meager experience with vibrational isolation tweaks. I am a believer in their effectiveness, but as always I'm on the look out for even better options.

I'm intrigued by your comments regarding the apparent efficacy of the other products you mention. Could you please provide a bit more contrast between them and the Stillpoints?

Much appreciated,
Mike

The Herzan active vibration control shelves can be used for audio gear, although they are used more often in scientific applications such as:

Atomic Force Microscopy
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Interferometry
Fluorescence Microscopy
Tribology and Nanoindentation
High Precision Metrology
High Resolution Microscopy
Profilometry
In-Vitro Fertilization

The last I recall, these were about $12k-$15k per shelf.

[Masterlu]

Here is a photo of two of them in an audio rack.

[Masterlu]

TMC 20 active isolation platform; not very high on the WAF scale.

[GaryProtein]

All I can say is if you want real quality, you gotta do what you gotta do.

As far as the TMC20 photo is concerned, that's a pretty big table and most stereo systems I have seen do not have that sort of componentry with that cluttered look. The Herzan and TMC units suitable for stereo components, mostly turntables and preamps, are flat boxes that blend into any stereo component milieu.

[mtroo]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

All I can say is if you want real quality, you gotta do what you gotta do.

As far as the TMC20 photo is concerned, that's a pretty big table and most stereo systems I have seen do not have that sort of componentry with that cluttered look. The Herzan and TMC units suitable for stereo components, mostly turntables and preamps, are flat boxes that blend into any stereo component milieu.

Gary,
What do you use? The pictures Ivan showed would not fly in my house. In undergrad, I used milk crates then an old piano bench. Surely there would be some benefit to an HRS or Stillpoints rack without the hideous racks Ivan showed.
Just wondering.

[mfoley3]

Ivan, thanks for the info. I had no idea that such devices existed. Given their appearance and cost, they better do something quite special! In comparison the Stillpoints do appear to be toys. Any way of describing or quantifying how much more effective they are than say the Stillpoints Ultra5s?

Gary, I'm sure you're correct about having to pay if you want to play at the level suggested by the appearance and price of these units. Unfortunately, they're too expensive for me. An old friend's dad used to repeat this bit of wisdom to him, whenever he complained how his meager allowance or his bicycle didn't measure up to that of one of his more affluent friends - "One man's ceiling is another man's floor". I will have to content myself with the first floor. It's nice though to be able to at least get a glimpse of the penthouse by seeing and better understanding what you, Ivan and many of the others on AA are doing.

Thanks, Mike

[theophile]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

The Herzan active vibration control shelves can be used for audio gear, although they are used more often in scientific applications such as:

Atomic Force Microscopy
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Interferometry
Fluorescence Microscopy
Tribology and Nanoindentation
High Precision Metrology
High Resolution Microscopy
Profilometry
In-Vitro Fertilization

The last I recall, these were about $12k-$15k per shelf.

Masterlu has given just a few examples of industrial scientific applications which demand state of the art isolation in order to be able to carry-out these processes. Does anyone think that these industries haven't tried other less expensive methods? If they could get away with buying a few blobs of sorbothane from ebay or any of a number of audiophile solutions and save thousands, does anyone think that they wouldn't adopt those far less expensive methods? These industries expend vast amounts of money investigating the problems and employing expensive solutions because there are no cheap solutions to these problems.

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by theophile

Masterlu has given just a few examples of industrial scientific applications which demand state of the art isolation in order to be able to carry-out these processes. Does anyone think that these industries haven't tried other less expensive methods? If they could get away with buying a few blobs of sorbothane from ebay or any of a number of audiophile solutions and save thousands, does anyone think that they wouldn't adopt those far less expensive methods? These industries expend vast amounts of money investigating the problems and employing expensive solutions because there are no cheap solutions to these problems.

Quite so, and these products are very interesting. But that doesn't mean they're necessary for audio.