The Challenge
Simulation video courtesy of Wikipedia
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Loudspeakers make your system vibrate. This has a negative effect on the signals in electronic circuit boards (PCB's), components and cables.
Good vibration absorbers improve sound quality not only in mechanical devices such as turntables & CD players, but also in amplifiers and even power supplies. |
Undesirable Vibrations
Microphonics |
Microphonics is the scientifically proven effect that currents and signals disturbed by vibrations will be influenced negatively. The outcome is an audibly more tentative and spatially less stable sound image. Devices impacted by this include turntables, CD players, DACs, power supply units and amplifiers of all kinds.
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Mechanical components |
Vibrations reaching mechanical devices such as turntables and CD players have a deleterious influence on the sound, as there is a negative effect on the pick-up abilities of the stylus and the read quality of the CD laser. As microphonics has an additional effect here, we have the best potential for optimisation with mechanical source devices.
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ABSORB THOSE Vibrations
SOURCES
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You should first address your source devices (such as turntables and CD players) with vibration absorbers by changing the feet, adding an absorption platform or both - even if you are the proud owner of a high end Rack. This will noticeably improve the clarity from the most sensitive components in the hi-fi chain.
If a CD player is disturbed by the sound from its loudspeakers, depending on the intensity of the vibrations, massive read errors can be produced and these are only partially alleviated by the correction bit. This can often result in an “unnatural” or indeed “harsh” sound. bFly-audio recommend the MASTER series of feet for Source Components. Further improvement can be achieved by also adding Absorption Platforms, in particular the POWERBASE for Digital Sources & DACs and the range of custom LBASE Platforms for Turntables. |
AMPLIFIERS
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You can again achieve a more stable and natural sound image through a reduction of mechanical vibrations and ambient noise in Amplifiers. bFly-audio recommend the MASTER series of feet for Solid State Amplifiers.
bFly have specially developed the 4TUBE series of feet for valve amplifiers. The transformers of Tube Amplifiers produce relatively significant localised, mechanical vibrations and so disturb the flow of signals within the internal printed circuit boards, connectors, cables, electronic components and especially the sensitive tubes. |
LOUDSPEAKERS
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If you have a laminated, tiled or floating parquet floor, we urgently advise you against using spikes on Loudspeakers. You should replace spikes with absorbers such as the TALIS PRO series to significantly reduce mechanical vibrations. If you can't remove the spikes, we advise that you try out the new, low cost, bDisc PRO Spike Absorbers - post haste! |
125Hz with spikes
125Hz with soft feet
Images courtesy of the
Audio Engineering Society |
Hi-Fi Racks
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The bDisc PRO Spike Absorbers also offer a subtle improvement in sound quality, irrespective of the cost of the Rack, particularly when used on unstable flooring. Definitely, give them a try under the spiked feet of your Rack. |
THE END GOAL OF MOVING
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"The bass was tighter, cleaner and better modulated."
"A cleaner, clearer sound with better focus and greater depth." "The bass seems to go deeper, with greater ability to follow melodies." "You can now play the music much louder without resonances." |