Vibration Isolation............ where to start?


For maximum effectiveness; which piece of equipment to isolate first? and then what descending order would you proceed by? Thank you
jjwa
Don't start with the impossible. Attempting to 'isolate' vibration nearly as dramatic as attempting to paint the sky red. The term 'vibration isolation' is an oxymoron.

Sure you can put an air-bladder, tennis balls, sand, etc. under a component to isolate it to one extent or another from floor-borne vibrations. But now how do you address the air-borne and internally generated (electrical and mechanical) vibrations captured by your components?

And the big question is which of the 3 types (air-, floor-, or internally-generated) of vibration induce the most sonic harm?

If you answer that one incorrectly then it really doesn't matter what you do.

-IMO
Jjwa,
CDP first of course,and it would help to know what other equiptment is in your system?
Mechanical devices (sources: TT, cdp, etc); these produce vibration as well as being sensitive to airborne & structural vibration.
Low-level signal processors (active pre, dac, phono, etc) that can be sensitive to external vibration. These devices may be sensitive to vibration -- but surely, in applying coupling or decoupling devices you will change their structural resonance and, hence, the sound somewhat.
Spkrs should be well /sturdily fixed.

Agon member Jadem is very well versed in this subject and is very helpful.
Source componets first (CD, TT), Pre Amp, Amp, Speakers. You can also make these in combination with one another as well such as (name dropping) Bright Star/FIM where you chase the control. You also may want to ask Maxgain about this as well, he is very versed un this.
A friend of mine did a shoot out of sorts & you can read about it here

Like others have mentioned, the source is usually the best place to start but just assessing the room & placement of all your components should be the first step.