A little Covid-era VFM vibration management tweak (thanks, Ack!)

[spiritofmusic]

So, after Covid has shredded my earning potential, luckily some return to sanity on horizon, I've readjusted some spending plans.
I was gonna spend about £3-3.5k on HRS Damping Plates after a truly stellar demo from a batch brought over by my friendly London audio group.
However, both Covid spending restrictions and the impulse to find something cheaper on principle, intersecting w Ack's declared success w Isodamp in his system has given me an idea on the best alternative to HRS Plates.
So I'm gonna get a piece of 54" x 12" Isodamp, cut it into appropriate sizes for my phono, cdp, pre and pre psu. And mass load w 1.5kg steel bench blocks.
All in all, £300-350, so 10% the cost of HRS.
If this checks out I'll extend to damping phono psu, tt motor psu, rim drive pod and balanced transformer.
The things a pandemic forces one to do Lol.

 

[ack]

You've also been ack-ified - curious what your results will be

 

[spiritofmusic]

And I thought Covid was the worst of my problems.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ack, the HRS are damping elastomer w aircraft-grade Al mass loading. I can imagine it could well be Isodamp...and is there any liability in going to steel blocks from Al? Methinks not.

The HRS trial was startlingly good. But my system has come on quite a way in the 9 months since that trial, and is now really open, linear and clear. It's the perfect benchmark to really gauge the effectiveness of any further tweaks. And if I get any further insightful changes, £300-400 will be a small price to pay.
I'm currently listening to Brahms/Complete Solo Piano Works/JSuk and JKatchen/Decca vinyl 1970, and my system is finally doing justice to lps like these.
My remaining objectives in this hobby are pretty much to open up communication and immersion from classical, that way I have a more direct line to the musicians' intent. And if my Isodamp/bench block loading goes the way I hope, more veils will be lifted.

 

[Kingrex]

I have had good luck with Corian slabs and little chunks with a Drusey bead or insulation. I got the used corian for maybe $40. Definitely the poor man job. There is also dabs of felt mat under the corian plate for the phono. I can definitely hear all the iterations. They make a difference.

 

[tima]

View attachment 66717I have had good luck with Corian slabs and little chunks with a Drusey bead or insulation. I got the used corian for maybe $40. Definitely the poor man job. There is also dabs of felt mat under the corian plate for the phono. I can definitely hear all the iterations. They make a difference.

That piece on the right (Alnic?) looks like it sits on a ball bearing.

 

[Kingrex]

That piece on the right (Alnic?) looks like it sits on a ball bearing.

Its a bead. A little more clean and clear. I dont think I lost much bass which is most peoples complaint. But did they really loose bass or just loose mush, which sounded thick so was equated with bass.

The type of bead matters. Drusy is similar in texture and feel to lava. Its pourus. When you flick it with your finger nail its more of a flat, non discript, between click and clunk. Harder stones have a high pitch click. That textural difference presents in the playback gear. I don't like any other stone.

If you try this, saw outside and use a good respirator. The dust is not good for you at all.

I got the idea when Uktrafast brought his stilpoints here. We both heard a big gain under my preamp. I did not have $1,000 to spend on 3 footers. When he was gone I tried my footers and heard a lot of the same results.
FWIW my preamp is thin and hard on a corian plate. It prefers decent plywood. In the pix is 11 ply baltic birch.