Vibration isolation for my VPI Aries 3

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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Boston, MA
My Zoethecus rack is not big enough to fit a Bright Star Audio sandbox, so I launched on my custom vibration isolation solution, comprised of Stillpoints and Sorbothane - remarkable and easily verifiable results with simple knuckle tapping and obviously listening:

1) Stillpoints with Hard Coat Mini Inverse Risers isolate the granite shelf from the rack - estimated reduction of -20dB
IMG_2003-2..JPG
2) Sorbothane Hemispheres are used under the VPI's feet - the feet literally sink into the Sorbothane mass; 'table is still extremely stable; estimated further reduction of another -20dB
IMG_2002-2..JPG
3) Sorbothane sheet sits underneath the motor for further isolation - whereas before you could feel the motor vibrations by simply touching it, they are now virtually gone and absorbed by the Sorbothane
IMG_2006-2..JPG

Every incremental step was tested by playing a silent track on a test LP, and every step offered measurable improvement; I cannot stress enough the effect of the sheet under the motor.

I also had an HRS S1 isolation platform in for eval, which came close to these results, but still lags. The results are expectedly significant, but I think a sandbox approach plus the Sorbothane sheet would have been even more effective.
 
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