Vibration - What are the Main Sources?

With something like photography it’s obvious that keeping the camera as still as possible is of great benefit.

You only have to look at 100 year old photographs to see just how much detail any camera on a decent tripod can capture.

With audio playback the vibration phenomenon seems less clear.

For example, with equipment that has no moving parts, are there any measurements that can reveal differences between signal output between isolated and non isolated products?

Of course there are plenty of measurements detailing the differences when it comes to mechanical devices such as loudspeakers and turntables.

Those devices have by far the highest rates of measurable distortion and by nature must also produce vibration of their own accord.

To this day some will insist that belt drive turntables have the advantage over the so called direct drive because the isolation properties of placing the rubber belt between the motor and the platter.

In my experience there’s no doubt that some form of resonance control is essential when it comes to speakers and turntables but the rest I’m not so sure.

For me there’s also no doubt that solid floors in buildings situated away from busy main roads must be of great advantage.

Unfortunately I don’t have those advantages, but I have heard systems in rooms where they have.

The result is usually a palpably cleaner sound. With or without any additional isolation.

It's also worth bearing in mind that most HiFi equipment does come with some form of prior decoupling, usually it's the almost ubiquitous rubber feet.

Therefore it can get tricky to work out whether you might need some more, and if so, just how much more?

@mijostyn,
"Electronics are not effected by vibration. Electrons could give a hoot. If they were we would have F22s crashing all over the place as they are completely controlled by electrons. If we blinded all these silly people they would never be able to tell which devices were isolated or not excepting perhaps the turntable. Silly in the Monty Python sense.
This circus is subsidized by reputable manufacturers who do not want to alienate potential customers, they remain quiet on the subject. Others take advantage of it. Why not? All is fair when it comes to making money.
If people want to spend their money on silly things it is their prerogative and problem. Big Pharma does this in spades."


Unfortunately for some of us, the trillion dollar Big Pharma industry now has governments acting as enforcers.

However when it comes to audio there isn’t a shred of evidence that vibration (or even G Forces) can affect the movement of electrons.

As you say, if you were to believe there was, then you’d probably never board an aeroplane. Or ever get into an electric car. Can you imagine doing 70mph and all the electrics suddenly decide they’re not playing ball?


I’m guessing some of us might be wondering about the relationship of vibration and mechanical transducers eg cartridges, tonearms, turntables, loudspeakers (headphones and microphones) etc.


Surely this an area where designers with advanced measuring resources are better equipped to find answers and solutions, if they’re needed, than we are?
On the other hand it seems harmless enough to experiment with bits of sorbothane/rubber pads and a few springs under your loudspeakers if you feel that environmental resonance is high in your location.


Where I live (a 100 year+ old house with wooden floorboards just yards away from an increasingly busy main road), every now and then I can almost feel (as well as hear) the sound of a heavy vehicle as it passes by outside.


I always felt that my turntable sounded best on a light rigid wooden table than any of the wall shelves I tried.
I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that, apart from perhaps very late in the evening, the entire house was in a constant state of gentle resonance caused by the traffic.

There's some good information regarding the causes of loudspeaker cabinet vibrations in the following video where Andrew Jones talks to Upscale Audios Kevin Deal about his Elac DBR62 bookshelves.

It begins around the 13 minute mark

https://youtu.be/QgYzfR3Rrb0