Vibrations and cable network boxes

PeterA · Jul 28, 2013

I own Transparent Audio REF XL speaker cables. Someone suggested that I experiment with either raising the network boxes up on spikes or isolating them from floor born vibrations. I am a firm believer in isolating components and own three Vibraplane platforms for under my turntable and each SS amplifier. I have been exchanging emails with a fellow in Hong Kong who has DIY amp stands which involve a sandwich platform with bubble wrap as one of the layers.

So the other night I constructed a rather crude DIY isolation solution made up of stuff I had lying around the house. I placed my two network boxes up on a paperback book and bundle of bubble wrap and then placed a heavy book end on top. I listened to some of my reference LPs and can report the following:

The difference is subtle, but audible and repeatable. There is a slight increase in perceived detail, overall clarity and dynamics. It is not nearly as significant an improvement as when I added the Vibraplanes to the system or even later added the steel ballast plates to preload the Vibraplanes, but the areas of improvement are quite similar. The signal is cleaned up a small amount and as a result, I hear more contrast in dynamics, a bit more depth definition and overall information. Thus encouraged, I plan to experiment a bit more and perhaps find a way to support the networks on my Vibraplanes. Has anyone else tried to deal with vibrations effecting these network boxes?

Here are some photos of my DIY contraption:

Bruce B · Jul 28, 2013

Thanks Peter...

I've tried it with the Opus and really can't hear a difference. Guess my hearing is shot!

rockitman · Jul 28, 2013

Speaking with regard to my MIT Oracle MA-X SHD boxes, which are huge, I have them spiked through the carpet into the concrete floor. Considering that the network boxes (MIT) are completely filled with epoxy, I don't think much can resonate inside them, so I will not be buying expensive stillpoints for them.

ack · Jul 28, 2013

Same here; we may already be getting the benefits, by virtue of construction, including the extra hard outer shell plus spikes, in the higher end MITs.

Frank750 · Jul 28, 2013

rockitman said:
Speaking with regard to my MIT Oracle MA-X SHD boxes, which are huge, I have them spiked through the carpet into the concrete floor. Considering that the network boxes (MIT) are completely filled with epoxy, I don't think much can resonate inside them, so I will not be buying expensive stillpoints for them.

I put Ultra 5s under my MIT speaker boxes and IC boxes some time ago. I keep thinking I'm done with squeezing out improvements from my current set up but when I put the Stillpoints under the MIT boxes I got small but noticeable improvements in all areas. View attachment 10966 View attachment 10967

rockitman · Jul 28, 2013

Frank750 said:
I put Ultra 5s under my MIT speaker boxes and IC boxes some time ago. I keep thinking I'm done with squeezing out improvements from my current set up but when I put the Stillpoints under the MIT boxes I got small but noticeable improvements in all areas. View attachment 10966 View attachment 10967

nice Frank....only a $5,600.00 tweak. Your rock !

Frank750 · Jul 28, 2013

rockitman said:
nice Frank....only a $5,600.00 tweak. You rock !

Good news and bad news. Good news is I didn't pay $700 a piece for them. Bad news is you don't see the other 6 I'm using under the IC boxes.

MylesBAstor · Jul 28, 2013

PeterA said:
I own Transparent Audio REF XL speaker cables. Someone suggested that I experiment with either raising the network boxes up on spikes or isolating them from floor born vibrations. I am a firm believer in isolating components and own three Vibraplane platforms for under my turntable and each SS amplifier. I have been exchanging emails with a fellow in Hong Kong who has DIY amp stands which involve a sandwich platform with bubble wrap as one of the layers.

So the other night I constructed a rather crude DIY isolation solution made up of stuff I had lying around the house. I placed my two network boxes up on a paperback book and bundle of bubble wrap and then placed a heavy book end on top. I listened to some of my reference LPs and can report the following:

The difference is subtle, but audible and repeatable. There is a slight increase in perceived detail, overall clarity and dynamics. It is not nearly as significant an improvement as when I added the Vibraplanes to the system or even later added the steel ballast plates to preload the Vibraplanes, but the areas of improvement are quite similar. The signal is cleaned up a small amount and as a result, I hear more contrast in dynamics, a bit more depth definition and overall information. Thus encouraged, I plan to experiment a bit more and perhaps find a way to support the networks on my Vibraplanes. Has anyone else tried to deal with vibrations effecting these network boxes?

Here are some photos of my DIY contraption:

View attachment 10964

View attachment 10965

Try tiptoes. I think the improvement is sizable eg. as big as you might gain by going up two or three levels in models. At least in my system with the Goldmund cones that I consider the best-though not perfect-tiptoes that I own. (BTW years ago had done a huge survey -- read 12 or so cones --that sadly never got published in Sounds Like... Magazine. OTOH it was a very educational experience listening to all these products!)

MylesBAstor · Jul 28, 2013

Bruce B said:
Thanks Peter...

I've tried it with the Opus and really can't hear a difference. Guess my hearing is shot!

Different material used for construction of the network box. In fact, Andy Payor used carbon fiber to address these issues in the Opus level model.

rockitman · Jul 28, 2013

Frank750 said:
Good news and bad news. Good news is I didn't pay $700 a piece for them. Bad news is you don't see the other 6 I'm using under the IC boxes.

kennyb123 · Jul 28, 2013

My MIT Oracle V3 network boxes had always been used with the metal cones MIT provided. I substitued the now-discontinued Stillpoints cones for these a few months ago. The improvement was obvious. To my surprise, some bloat was removed from the bass that I had always assumed was room-related. The Stillpoints also brought the music into better focus. I noticed a similar but far more profound effect when placing Stillpoints cones under my Aerial 10T speakers. I suspect that there is some synergy due to my use of Stillpoints cones under everything.

I'll repeat here what I also mentioned in another thread where this topic was brought up as this was a real ear-opener. The other surprise was hearing the benefits from placing Stillpoints cones my Quantum QBase QB8 power strip. Very obvious improvements from this too - more so than from placing Stillpoints under my network boxes.

Roy Gregory has argued that our power loom offers a pathway for vibration to enter our components. Stillpoints used under power strips help to drain some of this off. I wonder if this may also be part of the reason that placing Stillpoints under my Oracle network boxes helped as much as they did. Having the networks spiked directly to the floor through the carpet provided a nice path for vibration to be passed. While that's hard for me to visualize, you never know with this crazy hobby.

Frank750 · Jul 28, 2013

kennyb123 said:
My MIT Oracle V3 network boxes had always been used with the metal cones MIT provided. I substitued the now-discontinued Stillpoints cones for these a few months ago. The improvement was obvious.

I'll repeat here what I also mentioned in another thread where this topic was brought up as this was a real ear-opener. The other surprise was hearing the benefits from placing Stillpoints cones my Quantum QBase QB8 power strip. Very obvious improvements from this too - more so than from placing Stillpoints under my network boxes.

I tried putting some Ultra 5s under my Shunyata Triton and Typhon but didn't notice any change. The Stillpoints are staying under the MIT boxes though. The improvement is obvious and significant enough for me to commit the $$.

Christian mocks me now but one of these days he'll try them out under his MIT boxes and he'll be hooked!

MadFloyd · Jul 28, 2013

Peter, why would you place weight on top of the network boxes; wouldn't that partially defeat the isolation gained by the bubble wrap?

rockitman · Jul 28, 2013

Frank750 said:
Christian mocks me now but one of these days he'll try them out under his MIT boxes and he'll be hooked!

Did you try ultra 5'a under your amps yet ? They made the biggest difference under my amp's compared to other componentry treated.

Frank750 · Jul 28, 2013

rockitman said:
Did you try ultra 5'a under your amps yet ? They made the biggest difference under my amp's compared to other componentry treated.

I tried them but I have SRA Ohio XL+ isolation platforms that were made for the XS300s. I didn't really notice a difference when I inserted the Ultra 5s.

PeterA · Jul 28, 2013

MadFloyd said:
Peter, why would you place weight on top of the network boxes; wouldn't that partially defeat the isolation gained by the bubble wrap?

Well, I did this thinking it would dampen vibration through mass, similar to the damping plates made by HRS and others that are used on the top plates of electronics. I'm still in experimentation mode. I first tried isolation (with the bubble wrap) which was free. I may next try some kind of spikes. It's interesting to me that doing anything to these network boxes can make a difference.

Roysen · Jul 29, 2013

MylesBAstor said:
Different material used for construction of the network box. In fact, Andy Payor used carbon fiber to address these issues in the Opus level model.

Andy designed the Opus?

MylesBAstor · Jul 29, 2013

Roysen said:
Andy designed the Opus?

The network boxes.

LL21 · Jul 29, 2013

Roysen said:
Andy designed the Opus?

MylesBAstor said:
The network boxes.

No kidding...that's pretty cool. Love and own both Gryphon and Transparent...and both are used by Andy Payor in his own setups at Rockport. Now one more reason to think about matching the 3 of them.

PeterA · Jul 29, 2013

lloydelee21 said:
No kidding...that's pretty cool. Love and own both Gryphon and Transparent...and both are used by Andy Payor in his own setups at Rockport. Now one more reason to think about matching the 3 of them.

You know, this set won't be complete without the Rockport turntable.

Vibrations and cable network boxes

Well-Known Member

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member

Member Sponsor

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member

VIP/Donor

Member Sponsor

VIP/Donor

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Member Sponsor

Well-Known Member

VIP/Donor

Member Sponsor

Member Sponsor

VIP/Donor

Well-Known Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads