Power cords and vibration question

Indy

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2014
59
1
138
I have Shunyata power cords in my system, and I was wondering if they have any anti vibration material or devices in them? As far as I know, Naim is one of the few companies who stress the importance of anti vibration materials/properties in their cables like the Powerline.

I was also wondering if putting sorbothane rings or strips around my Shunyata power cables, might dampen vibrations and be beneficial (or detrimental) somehow?
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
2,156
751
1,160
Austin
I have Shunyata power cords in my system, and I was wondering if they have any anti vibration material or devices in them? As far as I know, Naim is one of the few companies who stress the importance of anti vibration materials/properties in their cables like the Powerline.

I was also wondering if putting sorbothane rings or strips around my Shunyata power cables, might dampen vibrations and be beneficial (or detrimental) somehow?

Vibration isn't good for anything. Shunyata does sell a product for this...called Dark Field Elevators. Deals with static to off carpet...I plan to try this soon...
 

MtnHam

Industry Expert
Jan 12, 2014
275
50
335
Nothern California Wine Country
Vibration control of cables (and everything else too) is important and best dealt with item by item with whatever works. In the case of cables, you don't need expensive 'audiophile approved' devices to do this. I make my own out of black construction paper, forming them into cylinders filled with a damping material. On the other hand, Stillpoints (expensive!) are extremely effective under components and have a huge effect.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Vibration isn't good for anything. Shunyata does sell a product for this...called Dark Field Elevators. Deals with static to off carpet...I plan to try this soon...

I use the Dark Field Elevators throughout my system. I understand that Caelin has just released a newer and better version of such called DFSS which I am hoping to try soon in my system
 

Indy

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2014
59
1
138
Thanks for your responses! I already have the dark field elevators. I use them under my speaker cables, and also under my Copperhead PC that goes from the wall to the power strip. I like the reasoning and science behind them (as explained on Shunyata's website). I still wondered if more could be done, especially where the cable connects to the connectors. It seems that this could be a spot where there would be resonances or vibrations.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Thanks for your responses! I already have the dark field elevators. I use them under my speaker cables, and also under my Copperhead PC that goes from the wall to the power strip. I like the reasoning and science behind them (as explained on Shunyata's website). I still wondered if more could be done, especially where the cable connects to the connectors. It seems that this could be a spot where there would be resonances or vibrations.

The new cables all contain noise suppression filters (analog, digital and HC)
 

lasercd

Member Sponsor
Oct 28, 2010
339
3
905
Voorhees, NJ
www.lasercd.com
Vibration isn't good for anything. Shunyata does sell a product for this...called Dark Field Elevators. Deals with static to off carpet...I plan to try this soon...

Transparent does not recommend using cable elevators. Talk to Josh Clark...
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
3,899
2,142
495
Vibration control for AC is critical and can change the entire balance of a system. Damping should be incorporated into the structure of the cable rather than using external means like cable lifters, but external damping can work quite well on AC and IEC plugs. Furutech's FI-50 AC plugs are a perfect example... the "guts" are the same as the FI-28 for the most part, it's the external housing that is different. The stainless/carbon fiber housing damps vibration and it's effects are easily heard. The damping of a power distribution box also makes a huge difference, the footers used can change a system from dark sounding to vibrant depending on the materials used.
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
618
92
265
WA, USA
www.shunyata.com
The new DF-SS (Dark Field Suspension System) was designed to go beyond simple cable elevators that consist of wood, plastic, ceramic or metal shapes that simply raise the cable off the floor. We designed a "suspension system" that actually, measurably, reduces cable vibration induced by the floor.

You can read about it on our website but I thought you might like to see one of the vibration tests that we have run.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/51888525/DFSS%20Test.png

This test uses two identical accelerometers that are attached to two identical cables. One cable is lying on the floor and the other is supported by 3 DF-SS'. The screen capture from the oscilloscope shows the readings from both accelerometers simultaneously from the same stimulus. The top orange trace is the cable on the floor and the bottom green trace is from the suspended cable.
 

Speedskater

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2010
941
15
368
Cleveland Ohio
How in the world would you shake a listening room floor?
On another note: in an industrial development lab, there was a big 3 phase machine (3 wire) each time it's motor started the power wires jumped off the floor.
In another industrial situation, we were doing an FFT on a large test machine, but because the frequencies of interest were or 1/10 Hz the test took hours. Anyway a railroad freight car derailed just outside the building. It showed up as a big jump on the FFT.
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
618
92
265
WA, USA
www.shunyata.com
How in the world would you shake a listening room floor?
On another note: in an industrial development lab, there was a big 3 phase machine (3 wire) each time it's motor started the power wires jumped off the floor.
In another industrial situation, we were doing an FFT on a large test machine, but because the frequencies of interest were or 1/10 Hz the test took hours. Anyway a railroad freight car derailed just outside the building. It showed up as a big jump on the FFT.

Hm, was the DUT an electronic device or something else. Anyway, pretty interesting.
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
618
92
265
WA, USA
www.shunyata.com
This was your statement, earlier.

If you attach an accelerometer to the speaker cones, is there a measurable difference when using different cable lifters?

What I mean by my post I think it is pretty clear. The DF-SS is not a common cable lifter. We don't call it that because it actually reduces vibration from the floor - not just lift the cable off the floor. And it is measurable as you can clearly see. Therefore, we call it a "suspension system" for cables.

I don't know of a cable lifter that operates in the same manner or has any measurable effects. We are not making any claims for the generic term "cable lifters" but rather a specific product.
 

Whatmore

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
1,011
2
438
Melbourne, Australia
This was your statement, earlier.



What I mean by my post I think it is pretty clear. The DF-SS is not a common cable lifter. We don't call it that because it actually reduces vibration from the floor - not just lift the cable off the floor. And it is measurable as you can clearly see. Therefore, we call it a "suspension system" for cables.

I don't know of a cable lifter that operates in the same manner or has any measurable effects. We are not making any claims for the generic term "cable lifters" but rather a specific product.

I get it now, let me ask my question more clearly....

If you compare the measured effect at the speakers (or at the amp terminals as speedskater has suggested) do you see a difference between DF-SS lifted cables and cables that are on the floor?
 

CGabriel

Industry Expert
Oct 31, 2013
618
92
265
WA, USA
www.shunyata.com
Vibration isn't good for anything. Shunyata does sell a product for this...called Dark Field Elevators. Deals with static to off carpet...I plan to try this soon...

I get it now, let me ask my question more clearly....

If you compare the measured effect at the speakers (or at the amp terminals as speedskater has suggested) do you see a difference between DF-SS lifted cables and cables that are on the floor?

Let me be as clear. If you listen before and after - you can HEAR differences in addition to there being a measurable difference at the cable.

But let's follow SpeedSkater's diversion to a conclusion. How about we get an Audiogogist and install micro accelerometers at the eardrum and do some measurements there. Then when all sharpshooters are done complaining about the model of accelerometer and the methodology being flawed we can move on to an electroencephalograph being installed to the brains and measure that.

So are we playing a forum game or are we being serious? I can answer real questions or we can keep playing.
 

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