Amp weights

[riffmaker]

Hi guys,
I haven’t found anything about this on the forum so I decided to create a new thread.
Last week there was an audio show where I live. I saw a bunch of weights on amps which made me smile
But since my knowledge is limited, and you know, question everything...
Can putting some weights on amplifiers and DACs have any sort of effect?
Thanks

 

[EdW]

Might break the shelf supporting the amp? More usefully a weight might stop a cheap amplifier case from rattling if it’s near the loudspeaker?

 

[Matias]

For very light amplifiers, helps with connecting and disconnecting cables without them moving too much. Or heavy cables tilting the amp.
For marketing reasons, big and heavy is preferred by many as a powerful amplifier.
For subjective reasons, some people add weight so that the chassis does not vibrate too much and color the sound, acoustically of electrical microphonic (how audible or BS this is?).

These are the top reasons that came to me.

 

[riffmaker]

For very light amplifiers, helps with connecting and disconnecting cables without them moving too much. Or heavy cables tilting the amp.
For marketing reasons, big and heavy is preferred by many as a powerful amplifier.
For subjective reasons, some people add weight so that the chassis does not vibrate too much and color the sound, acoustically of electrical microphonic (how audible or BS this is?).

These are the top reasons that came to me.

Thanks @Matias , something like this crossed my mind. I wasn't sure whether vibrations from speakers could really affect the sound coming from amp.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Thanks @Matias , something like this crossed my mind. I wasn't sure whether vibrations from speakers could really affect the sound coming from amp.

A high quality amplifier should not vibrate.

 

[riffmaker]

A high quality amplifier should not vibrate.

Or a low power one

 

[Matias]

Thanks @Matias , something like this crossed my mind. I wasn't sure whether vibrations from speakers could really affect the sound coming from amp.

For tube amps for sure, some are highly sensible to microphony. For solid state amps less so, some would say that not sensible at all.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Can putting some weights on amplifiers and DACs have any sort of effect?

Someone thinks it does...

 

[DVDdoug]

I've never heard of this... Are they special weights or like weights from the gym? Maybe they are a new-expensive "audiophile" gadget? Anyway, I'm sure they give a "heavier" or "denser" sound, or some other nonsense.

I wasn't sure whether vibrations from speakers could really affect the sound coming from amp.

Tube amps can be microphonic

With an active speaker the (solid state) amp is built-into the speaker.

 

[riffmaker]

Someone thinks it does...

Yes, and someone also hears an audible difference between two streaming servers...
Actually, I saw Darko promote the weights extensively, that's why I was suspecting it's bullshit

 

[charleski]

Tubes are microphonic, if you have a tube amp and tap one of the tubes you’ll hear the taps coming through your speakers. It’s a manifestation of the perverted literalism of the audiophool mindset that this became translated into the perception that all vibration is bad, even in solid-state devices that aren’t microphonic. Even with tube amps, the air pressure levels developed by speakers played at a non-damaging level is insufficient to produce measurable feedback.

The mania over damping vibrations really kicked-off with Ivor Tiefenbrun’s classic LP12 record player, though. It used a plinth suspended on springs that was novel at the time and audiophool history is packed with numerous worthless discussions as to whether damping or sheer mass was the superior means of dealing with the evil vibration demon.

 

[riffmaker]

I've never heard of this... Are they special weights or like weights from the gym? Maybe they are a new-expensive "audiophile" gadget? Anyway, I'm sure they give a "heavier" or "denser" sound, or some other nonsense.

Tube amps can be microphonic

With an active speaker the (solid state) amp is built-into the speaker.

I guess weights from gym make subtle difference, but with audiophile weights for at least 1000$, you will hear your recordings for the first time as they were recorded!

 

[tomtoo]

Depends on the amp. If it realy helps, you know the amp is shiit.

 

[riffmaker]

Tubes are microphonic, if you have a tube amp and tap one of the tubes you’ll hear the taps coming through your speakers. It’s a manifestation of the perverted literalism of the audiophool mindset that this became translated into the perception that all vibration is bad, even in solid-state devices that aren’t microphonic. Even with tube amps, the air pressure levels developed by speakers played at a non-damaging level is insufficient to produce measurable feedback.

The mania over damping vibrations really kicked-off with Ivor Tiefenbrun’s classic LP12 record player, though. It used a plinth suspended on springs that was novel at the time and audiophool history is packed with numerous worthless discussions as to whether damping or sheer mass was the superior means of dealing with the evil vibration demon.

Thanks. I suspected something like this to be the case

 

[DonH56]

Attached one to each end of a barbell, a number of older amps make great weights. For contenders I nominate most any Blaze Phase Linear 700, the old Bose 180x series, any number of cheap 1970's vintage amps (and a few much younger), etc.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

For tube amps for sure, some are highly sensible to microphony. For solid state amps less so, some would say that not sensible at all.

Tubes themselves, being mechanical things, can be tremendously prone to microphonics. Tubes like the 300B and 2A3 will ring like a bell when the filament is excited (kind of like those Hammond reverb springs). Tube dampers don't really work all that well on those big tubes.

 

[BostonJack]

Someone thinks it does...

The one on the left looks like a Djed-pillar, symbolizing, to ancient Egyptians, the spinal column of the resurrected god Osiris.
As a hieroglyph, this symbolizes stability, endurance, and rejuvenation.

I'm thinking there is an intersection of audiophiles and Jungian adherents for whom this might provide beneficial effects.

 

[egellings]

If you add weights, why, you'll give your amplifier much needed foundation! Gotta have foundation, you know.

 

[Gregss]

Hello All,

Given this discussion, am thinking about creating and selling some audiophile weights.

Would be gold plated.
Harmonically tuned.
Cryogenically treated.
With secret recipe rubber vibration absorbing base coating.
Blessed by the religion of your choice.
Nano coated for the better version. $
Made on the night of a full moon.
And Quantum entangled for better sound.

Did I miss any needed properties to quality as true audiophile quality???

Regards,
Greg

 

[egellings]

Audio effects discernable from the kitchen!