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Sorbothane for stand mounts

watchnerd

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So my old speaker adaptor plate for my speaker stands had Sorbothane (or similar) on the speaker facing side, making a sandwich between the bottom of the speakers and the adaptor plate.

My new adaptor plate it just bare metal screwed into the bottom of the speakers. No sandwich.

I have no idea how effective the old Sorbothane was at doing anything; it wasn't removable so I couldn't compare with or without.

Is it worth getting some Sorbothane and making a new stand plate sandwich?

Recommended thickness?

Or is it better to go without?
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Sorbothane definitely absorbs vibration effectively used like that. Whether it is an audible difference I don't know.

You might find it cheaper elsewhere:
https://www.isolateit.com/products/sorbothane-vibration-damping-sheet-stock-12-x12in

You might do just as well to put pucks at the corners or something of that sort.

Thanks.

I think the pucks are possibly too thick to fit into a sandwich that still allows me to bolt the speakers to the plate, though.

I was thinking more like 1/8th of an inch / 3-5 mm.
 

pjug

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So my old speaker adaptor plate for my speaker stands had Sorbothane (or similar) on the speaker facing side, making a sandwich between the bottom of the speakers and the adaptor plate.

My new adaptor plate it just bare metal screwed into the bottom of the speakers. No sandwich.

I have no idea how effective the old Sorbothane was at doing anything; it wasn't removable so I couldn't compare with or without.

Is it worth getting some Sorbothane and making a new stand plate sandwich?

Recommended thickness?

Or is it better to go without?
It can be useful to isolate speakers on a desk or bookshelf where you don't want vibrations, but I can't imagine it would matter with stands. I'd rather have rigid coupling. Maybe use neoprene washers or something to prevent scratching but otherwise just screw them down tight I'd say.
 

dougi

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Is there an accepted practice with speakers as to whether isolation from the floor or rigid coupling to the floor is better? I recently replaced my turntable feet with isoAcoustics Giaia feet. They were much cheaper than replacement VPI feet. They do a great job there but were designed as speaker feet.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Is there an accepted practice with speakers as to whether isolation from the floor or rigid coupling to the floor is better? I recently replaced my turntable feet with isoAcoustics Giaia feet. They were much cheaper than replacement VPI feet. They do a great job there but were designed as speaker feet.

Well, I use those as speaker feet under the stands.
 

jhaider

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Sorbothane might stain those beautiful cabinets. I’d omit.
 

Blumlein 88

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I've seen this with sorbothane pucks as well. The surface gets slightly greasy and leaves residue after it gets a few years old.
 

Blumlein 88

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I can point you to a material that is nearly as good as sorbothane, available in thin sheets and cheap.

Vinyl flooring like linoleum. The modern formulation is made so it has the consistency of something like tar paper. It bends and doesn't bounce back. It absorbs most of the energy. I've used it in strips inside metal panels on gear. Just contact cement it on. In your case you could put it between two surfaces. Probably hang out at the big box store or a flooring place and they'll give you a few scraps enough to do what you want. It holds up okay to heat in most gear and doesn't degrade over time the way sorbothane does.
 
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