Rubber Feet Seem Like a Scam

[mhardy6647]

I've used these DiversiTech pads on-and-off over the years and, without commenting on their performance, I need to tell all that they will permanently stain finished wood floors. FWIW.

good to know.
FWIW^2: I assume a priori that every black rubber/polymer thing will leave something behind in contact with wood, finished or otherwise. Better safe than sorry.
Note this interesting photo of a Weltron 2001 AM-FM/8 track on a bench somewhere in France...

R6II5805 by Jean-Baptiste Higounet, on Flickr

I had a Weltron BITD. It will leave a black ring on that poor bench from its suction-cup bottom.

 

[mike7877]

Out of curiosity I just ran a couple of measurements comparing my Woofer's response with the speaker sitting on the tile floor and sitting on 6mm thick x 25mm dia. rubber pads, one at each corner. There is a difference, but it is very slight, not audible. I repeated the measurements three times, and the results were consistent. The microphone was fairly close to the woofer, about 20cm.

Here it is with the speaker on the floor:

View attachment 491306

Here it is with the speaker on the rubber pads:

View attachment 491307

How tall are your rubber pads?

 

[JohnnyAudio]

Just use tennis balls.

 

[terryforsythe]

How tall are your rubber pads?

Re-read the first sentence.

 

[CuteStudio]

Just as a note, it's actually fairly easy to DIY your own silicone feet, in various colours.
You just need a mould, a measuring spoon or your required shape, you can even build them in stages, and the silicone gun and tubes can be had for peanuts. Or even peanut shells, in HiFi cost terms...

I get slightly bugged by modern turntables using rubber feet TBH. IMO it's lazy and a poor way to isolate them. One simply needs a strong beam between the platter bearing and the arm base: glass, wood, stone, metal, doesn't matter, and then to suspend that on three springs, two on a T from the platter (front and back) and one for the arm: it's not rocket science.
But no, it's always a giant soundboard on cheap wodgy feet. Even the Dual CS505 tried harder than that.

Maybe I'll so the project one day - take a Project or Rega etc and build it properly suspended. Maybe a direct drive would be better - an AT or Technics - a battered used on with good parts. Hmm - maybe time to research the best donor table

 

[mhardy6647]

Just as a note, it's actually fairly easy to DIY your own silicone feet, in various colours.
You just need a mould, a measuring spoon or your required shape, you can even build them in stages, and the silicone gun and tubes can be had for peanuts. Or even peanut shells, in HiFi cost terms...

I get slightly bugged by modern turntables using rubber feet TBH. IMO it's lazy and a poor way to isolate them. One simply needs a strong beam between the platter bearing and the arm base: glass, wood, stone, metal, doesn't matter, and then to suspend that on three springs, two on a T from the platter (front and back) and one for the arm: it's not rocket science.
But no, it's always a giant soundboard on cheap wodgy feet. Even the Dual CS505 tried harder than that.

Maybe I'll so the project one day - take a Project or Rega etc and build it properly suspended. Maybe a direct drive would be better - an AT or Technics - a battered used on with good parts. Hmm - maybe time to research the best donor table

Suspended turntables were all the rage in the '70s, albeit generally sans the backbone described in the post quoted above.

 

[HenrikEnquist]

Did anyone measure the effect of soft vs hard feet (or even spikes) on the floor below the speakers? Even if there is no audible difference in the listening room, there may be some benefits to be had for the neighbors on the floor below. It would be interesting to know how much can be done here.

 

[Descartes]

I've used these DiversiTech pads on-and-off over the years and, without commenting on their performance, I need to tell all that they will permanently stain finished wood floors. FWIW.

Yep better put some felt underneath and then no stains

 

[RexrothPigeon]

Did anyone measure the effect of soft vs hard feet (or even spikes) on the floor below the speakers?

I have measured the effect of soft feet vs spikes and found them inaudible but nonetheless important to me: spikes left 2"-4" scratches in my floor when accidentally bumped by a guest's wayward pre-teen.

 

[DVDdoug]

Even if there is no audible difference in the listening room, there may be some benefits to be had for the neighbors on the floor below. It would be interesting to know how much can be done here.

Most of the sound comes through "the air" then through walls, ceilings, and floors, rather than by "direct vibration".