Conference hips::uk_audioo

123.0. "Forget spikes, get into rubber" by LARVAE::IVES_J (T.R.U.B.I.L) Wed Sep 13 1989 11:17

    I live in a small modern house, with plaster board walls and another
    house attached. Due to space I have to mount my Ls3/5a's on high
    quality Sound Organisation wall brackets. As you can imagine this
    sounded fairly dire, as the walls would vibrate and every thing
    sounded "honky". 
    
    One fine day   when i was in a sports shop i saw a stand selling
    "sorbothane" sports inserts, which you put in your running shoes
    to absorb shock from the ground, and reduce injuries. Extravagant
    claims were made about sorbothane (a new form of rubber), how it
    can absorb up to 90% of any impact. I thought at the time that this
    sounded ideal for Hi-Fi de-coupling applications. From the name
    on the back, I tyraced sorbothane down to "The Birmingham & Leyland
    Rubber Co".Golden Hill lane,Leyland,Preston,PR5 1UB (0772) 42 14
    34.
    
    I wrote off , hoping for a catalogue,but recieved a brochure all
    about the product. B&L Rubber make up items to your requirements
    i.e units of 1000's  they don't sell four packs of little rubber
    feet. They did however send me a "Puck" shaped sample.
    
    This I cut up into small 1cm squares, and place under my speakers
    on the stands. 
    
    The result was that I still get wonderful transparency , detail
    & imaging but without the house shaking or the neighbours complaining.
    
    Speaker De-Coupling seems almost Hi-Fi herecy, but if lijke me and
    I suspect most people , you live in a small modern house/flat this
    is well worth a try.
    
    Since doing this I have noticed that A&R sell sorbothane rubber
    feet at around #28 for 4 (rip-off). Also it is used on the Mission
    Isoplat.

    Maybe rubber works for you (keep it clean!) just as Blue Tack does
    for using stands on concrete floors.  Blue Tack is often recommended 
    for interfacing speakers to their stands as opposed to spikes. 
    Some say spikes are better for wooden floors.

    
    Re: .0, .1
    
    Do you have CD player? Put them under your CD player and tell us
    the difference. I am looking for something to put under my CD
    player for better performance.
    
    Good suggestion.