Footers - isolation or resonance draining

It depends on the piece of gear as to which you need. You either have to deal with internally-generated vibrations (like from a large power transformer inside a component) or externally-generated vibrations (like those coming from a speaker, through the floor and rack, to the component).

If your component support is very solid, then draining internal vibrations to the support is the better method. This is particularly true for your BDP since its transport mechanism produces internal vibration. Your preamp is probably fairly neutral either way so you could use the same supports under both.

As for what kind of footers, that totally depends on the individual application, i.e., weight of the component, support type, flooring type, speaker size (bass capability), etc.

You can easily experiment for little money. I've made my own using cork board, foam core, SCUBA lead shot weights, Vibrapods, granite, slate, weight on top of the component (this one is not to be underestimated), rubber stoppers, cork stoppers, wood blocks, racket and super balls cut in half, etc. Once you find something that works, you can determine which fancy tweak you should go for. Or just keep using your cheap tweak! Some of them will make a real difference.

Hope that helps.
Arthur

Great post Aball - very cool DIY ideas!

FWIW in my experience I have found that platter players (CD, DVD, BD) usually benefit most from tweaks - and respond to the broadest range. So the first comments are specific to that

As Aball points out, the issue here is internal vibration caused by the motor. Things that I have found helpful include:

Foundation/Isolation - in the form of a heavy platform for the unit to sit on. This is the single most important tweak for me. Products to consider include Black Diamond Racings "The Shelf" a massive solid piece of carbon fiber. Granite with the right footers (I don't care for the sound of metal with granite or glass). For cost, aesthetics, and compatibility I have settle on 2" or thicker maple or myrtle. See the Mapleshade site for a lot of the original thinking on this

Mass loading - ie putting some weight on the top - can as Aball suggest make a nice difference - take a look at the Mapleshade site for some rationale.

Vibration absorption - never ceases to amaze me how tinny the cases are. Depending on the unit (value mostly) I will pop the top and damp the interior with any number of products. Close it up and thuds instead of rings...

Vibration absorbing footers - by this I mean things like Aurios, Ganymedes and some of Herbies products. The unit will feel like its on ice and a delicate touch is required. (Can be quite problematic if the unit is very light or the cables very stiff.) I have also used MiniClouds to good effect. BTW one generally uses three feet (not four) in a triangle and it pays to experiment with placement of the feet under the unit.

Do check the Herbies site as he has a lot of good information about these issues. Also if you have tubes consider his tube dampers for incremental effect.

As for the preamp and often more importantly the amp its again a solid base followed by a broader range of footers.

This is kind of like seasoning your dinner - buy a few things used, keep what you like and sell the rest. Because of all the variables its pretty much impossible to get it all right the first time around - though most of these things will make an audible difference.

Last note - there can be too much of a good thing - sometimes you will find the sound becomes lifeless - start over...

Aball and Ckorody--very good primer on footers.

since all components resonate, i find tuning, the best approach. thus, through trial and error, i use devices under and over a component to adjust the resonant frequency of a component until it no longer bothers me.

i favor soft objects, such as furniture foam and sound fusion sound boosters.

embrace coloration and use it to your advantage--production, not reproduction.

Thank you all for your responses. Very informative.

My BDP is shelved on a SounDesign rack wich has 5/8" MDF shelves. I have two 5 shelf racks and am using only 6 out of the 10 shelves. So I put one of the shelves under my Parasound pre (which is in my PC system)which is atop an ordinary wood furniture side table. I think I'm gonna put 3 of those cork/vinyl squares between the MDF and the table top.

I wanna try some Vibrapods under the BDP. Currently its sitting on 3 upside down 1.5" diameter furniture gliders (ceramic and rubber - probably not level)Also, I'll take a look/see at Lowes for some weight to put on top.

I wonder if putting a couple of clamps on the sides of the BDP would do anything? It plays great but has a flimsy build. Well, it was a birthday present.

Try some Blutack or equivalent between two of the shelves since you are not using all of them and use them together and see if it helps. See the Star Sound site for their view on the first alternative you list.