Alternative Isolation Options

[lostwin]

I am always on the lookout for industrial and commercial type products that could have cross over applications for hi-fi, particularly on supports and decoupling.

This is a new UK seller on eBay with a good range of high quality UK made options including military grade rubber.  These spring based feet look interesting although you would need heavier pieces of kit - or loudspeakers - to load them correctly. Much cheaper option to Townshend, Gaia et al.  Worth a browse through their shop...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/Anti-Vibration-Methods/Spring-Mounts/_i.html?_storecat=33737603012

 

[lostwin]

And this looks interesting too, a NOS gun sight anti vibration mount from a Hawker Hunter.  Quite small but maybe under a DAC or similar...?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Vibration-Platform-26FX-2135-B-190457-Hawker-Hunter-RAF-Vintage-Aircraft/324049696300?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

edit; in fact I couldn't resist so have ordered one.  lots more available.

 

[Lawrence001]

I look out too, but at a rather lower price. I bought the minimum run of some quality rubber carpet underlay, about 5m for £50 so I can get about 2000 rubber feet out of it at 5cm sq each [emoji23]

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[lostwin]

From the same seller as in the first link, an alternative option to spikes?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Pack-Low-Frequency-Load-MF-M6-Rubber-Bobbin-Anti-Vibration-Mount/373015391104?hash=item56d9732b80:g:xOQAAOSwSWZejfF2

 

[slavedata]

And this looks interesting too, a NOS gun sight anti vibration mount from a Hawker Hunter.  Quite small but maybe under a DAC or similar...?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Vibration-Platform-26FX-2135-B-190457-Hawker-Hunter-RAF-Vintage-Aircraft/324049696300?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

edit; in fact I couldn't resist so have ordered one.  lots more available.

Let us know how you get on with it. Any idea what weight loading it's designed for?

 

[lostwin]

Let us know how you get on with it. Any idea what weight loading it's designed for?

Hopefully 2 -3 kg at least, I would imagine that the gun sight of that era that would be mounted on it would be a decent chunk of metal and glass.  I'll update here when it arrives.

 

[daddydj]

From the same seller as in the first link, an alternative option to spikes?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Pack-Low-Frequency-Load-MF-M6-Rubber-Bobbin-Anti-Vibration-Mount/373015391104?hash=item56d9732b80:g:xOQAAOSwSWZejfF2

These  ^^^^^^ that you linked to look very interesting with pretty good figures when max loaded, I wonder if the loading chart is per individual unit or set of 4?
I might send a question to the seller.
I use springs under most of my gear including speakers, something very similar to these.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000153078912.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.28.7c121874CQqR4O&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.33416.215329.0&scm_id=1007.33416.215329.0&scm-url=1007.33416.215329.0&pvid=41b3ba5a-be3d-4320-9ab2-9138563650aa&_t=gps-idcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.33416.215329.0,pvid:41b3ba5a-be3d-4320-9ab2-9138563650aa,tpp_buckets:668%230%23131923%2363_668%23888%233325%2313_23416%230%23215329%233_23416%234721%2321967%23340_23416%234722%2321972%238_668%232846%238113%231998_668%232717%237561%23347_668%231000022185%231000066058%230_668%233422%2315392%23445_4452%230%23214000%230_4452%233474%2315675%23193_4452%234862%2324463%23605_4452%233098%239599%23774_4452%235108%2323442%23189_4452%233564%2316062%23756

 

[leenorris78]

I am always on the lookout for industrial and commercial type products that could have cross over applications for hi-fi, particularly on supports and decoupling.

This is a new UK seller on eBay with a good range of high quality UK made options including military grade rubber.  These spring based feet look interesting although you would need heavier pieces of kit - or loudspeakers - to load them correctly. Much cheaper option to Townshend, Gaia et al.  Worth a browse through their shop...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/Anti-Vibration-Methods/Spring-Mounts/_i.html?_storecat=33737603012

As these support 10kg to 125 kg, wouldn't each speaker need to be a minimum of 40kg? Or 30kg if you used three feet on the base?

 

[lostwin]

As these support 10kg to 125 kg, wouldn't each speaker need to be a minimum of 40kg? Or 30kg if you used three feet on the base?

Yes, they supply different load settings but the minimum is ‘sensitive’ with rating 10 - 25 kg. You would need at least 40kg speakers to make them work. 

I made my own spring supports for 50kg speakers and buying springs separately gives much greater ability to match for load, which is critical for them to function correctly. These do look a neat solution but fair to say, only for the heaviest equipment or speakers.

on a separate note, my spring isolated gun sight platform arrived today - separately linked above. I’ll post a bit more on this but it is a wonderful thing...
 

 

[lostwin]

The Hawker Hunter gun sight mount I linked to in the second post has arrived. Wow!, one of the best things I have ever bought on eBay. Firstly, it comes as true NOS in an unopened box with a label marked 1959 and string tied labels to match. It’s beautifully engineered, very light as the frame is aluminium, and take a look at the spring mechanism - that’s 16(!) springs per foot mounted at 45 degrees both upwards and downwards to give both vertical and lateral damping. It’s as beautifully smooth as the day it was made.



Bear in mind though that it does have a light weight rating, I would say 1 to 3 kg is ideal. I have put my VIDA on top of it which weighs 4.5kg, with the addition of felt feet it’s ok, but still heavier than ideal. No reason why you can’t use two or more though and I am starting to track down similar alternatives with higher loadings...

 

[lostwin]

With a bit of chatter on isolation, I thought it worth flagging these type of products again. These vintage spring isolation feet, which date to aerospace 50's and 60's implementation, are beautifully engineered and have got to be better than a random lump of rubber. And with pricing that is distinctly non foo.

I have these in use under TT, phono and pre-amps - but the higher rated versions have speaker isolation potential as well.  Having said that, I do think they are at their best in 2lb, 4lb and 6lb versions.  the highest rated take upto 15lb each are a bit stiff and maybe the small springs are not working at their best.  The lighter weight rated versions have a superbly smooth damping that works both vertically and laterally.

Availability on eBay is patchy, but I would be very tempted by this currently. Less than £30 for 4 x 6lb mounts (just unbolt from the tray). For a perfect weight loading, 3 feet would give you 8kg for and 11kg with all four-  a very useful weight range for TT's and amps.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324594279528?hash=item4b9353a468:g:WgoAAOSwFEFgiLUv

Slightly more common are vintage Barry Mounts.  These came after the spring based versions, Barry Mounts use rubber instead of springs but again at under £30 you are getting a level of engineering that would cost you £100's at typical hifi prices

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323710363111?epid=9029701946&hash=item4b5ea425e7:g:vtgAAOSw2uhe7MQ0

 

[TheFlash]

With a bit of chatter on isolation, I thought it worth flagging these type of products again. These vintage spring isolation feet, which date to aerospace 50's and 60's implementation, are beautifully engineered and have got to be better than a random lump of rubber. And with pricing that is distinctly non foo.

I have these in use under TT, phono and pre-amps - but the higher rated versions have speaker isolation potential as well.  Having said that, I do think they are at their best in 2lb, 4lb and 6lb versions.  the highest rated take upto 15lb each are a bit stiff and maybe the small springs are not working at their best.  The lighter weight rated versions have a superbly smooth damping that works both vertically and laterally.

Availability on eBay is patchy, but I would be very tempted by this currently. Less than £30 for 4 x 6lb mounts (just unbolt from the tray). For a perfect weight loading, 3 feet would give you 8kg for and 11kg with all four-  a very useful weight range for TT's and amps.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324594279528?hash=item4b9353a468:g:WgoAAOSwFEFgiLUv

Slightly more common are vintage Barry Mounts.  These came after the spring based versions, Barry Mounts use rubber instead of springs but again at under £30 you are getting a level of engineering that would cost you £100's at typical hifi prices

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323710363111?epid=9029701946&hash=item4b5ea425e7:g:vtgAAOSw2uhe7MQ0

I love the idea of using this sort of thing: wonderfully engineered and at modest cost vs some "hifi" alternatives.

I do think though that the prospective purchaser needs to understand a little about the mechanism, how it works, what sort of vibration it was designed to deal with on what sort of component, etc. For example, my guess would be that source components need to be protected mainly from vertical vibration (footsteps, passing traffic, the subtle vibration of other components such as CD transports) but loudspeakers need to be also protected from lateral vibration eg. sound waves bouncing off a wall. If a Barry Mount is intended to deal with both, excellent. If primarily one directional, it may or may not be suitable.

Tell me I'm wrong, but gently.

 

[lostwin]

I love the idea of using this sort of thing: wonderfully engineered and at modest cost vs some "hifi" alternatives.

I do think though that the prospective purchaser needs to understand a little about the mechanism, how it works, what sort of vibration it was designed to deal with on what sort of component, etc. For example, my guess would be that source components need to be protected mainly from vertical vibration (footsteps, passing traffic, the subtle vibration of other components such as CD transports) but loudspeakers need to be also protected from lateral vibration eg. sound waves bouncing off a wall. If a Barry Mount is intended to deal with both, excellent. If primarily one directional, it may or may not be suitable.

Tell me I'm wrong, but gently.

The main implementation seems to have been to provide isolation to early radio equipment fitted to aircraft. Gun sights have also been referenced.  I would image an aeroplane would be subjected to far more various forces that just vertical, so the multi directional isolation would be part of the design.

As such, you are wrong! 

 

[TheFlash]

I love the idea of using this sort of thing: wonderfully engineered and at modest cost vs some "hifi" alternatives.

I do think though that the prospective purchaser needs to understand a little about the mechanism, how it works, what sort of vibration it was designed to deal with on what sort of component, etc. For example, my guess would be that source components need to be protected mainly from vertical vibration (footsteps, passing traffic, the subtle vibration of other components such as CD transports) but loudspeakers need to be also protected from lateral vibration eg. sound waves bouncing off a wall. If a Barry Mount is intended to deal with both, excellent. If primarily one directional, it may or may not be suitable.

Tell me I'm wrong, but gently.

The main implementation seems to have been to provide isolation to early radio equipment fitted to aircraft. Gun sights have also been referenced.  I would image an aeroplane would be subjected to far more various forces that just vertical, so the multi directional isolation would be part of the design.

As such, you are wrong! 

Aha! He fell into my cunning trap... I of course can't be wrong because I didn't actually assert anything. Knowingly.

Good news then. If a Barry Mount is designed to deal with vibrations from every angle you can imagine, it should work for hifi. Subject to any lower-upper weight limits which the springs/rubbers were designed to accommodate. Excellent.

 

[lostwin]

Aha! He fell into my cunning trap... I of course can't be wrong because I didn't actually assert anything. Knowingly.

I kind of knew it wasn't going to be that easy!   :doh:   xD

 

[TheFlash]

I kind of knew it wasn't going to be that easy!   :doh:   xD

I think I might change my name by deed poll to Barry Mount and see how it turns out.

 

[lostwin]

I’ll keep banging on about these vintage aircraft spring units. This supplier has a reasonable stock of these and have halved their price to just £10. I have just bought 2 trays, that’s 4 spring units per tray. They are NOS, still in their 60 plus year old waxed paper wrapping and the original grease on the springs has kept them in near perfect condition, which makes them a fantastic buy. The spring units are each rated at 8lbs. You need to drill out 8 rivets per tray to separate the mounts.

£10! and they make the engineering on the Nobsound equivalents look positively agricultural in comparison.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Radio-tray-10AJ-214-for-RAF-aircraft-GB8-/192891038962?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

 

[lostwin]

An additional picture of these spring mounts. There are 8 springs on either side of each mount, so 16 in total. Picture shows the underside, a similar arrangement sits on the other side. The housing is about 6cm square.

 

[VanDerGraaf]

Have to say I love this thread. How's it going with the Hawker Hunter gunsight stabiliser?