What is vibration isolation for?

many users laughed at component isolation & vibration control until they tried it for themselves - I was one of those myself, until I tried it.

buzzard

Bob, (you don't mind if I call you Bob? Calling yourself buzzard is quite radical, I think). The users of the devices are no longer laughing because of the amounts they paid for them and the emotional attachment such an expenditure usually provokes. The manufacturers, on the other hand, are still in stitches. I know full well there is no point in getting into any kind of discussion or debate over improvements perceived on a totally individual or subjective basis. Worst yet is when a group of individuals reinforce one another's views and a cabal is born where the upshot verges on collective hysteria. I find it very different to adopt a "it can't hoit" attitude while tweaking to your heart's content; I find it another thing to assert, based solely on one's personal uncontrolled observations, that HUGE improvements occur for no logical reason. If we could actually hear electrons bobbing up and down inside cables, or the effect of vibration on solid state circuitry as believed by some, life would, indeed, be unbearable. I prefer to recognize the limits of my hearing and that of humans in general, and spend my time and limited monetary resources on software, read "music". Are present day devices used in the reproduction of music perfect? No. Is tweaking the answer? I don't think so, but, then again, if "it can't hoit", who am I to blow against the 'Agon wind. Coming back to the initial question asked: yes, indeed, airborne vibration acts on the chassis. Should we care? Nothing indicates we should, but if you fret over this the marketplace offers "solutions", how much you are willing to spend on these is entirely up to you. My bet is that one's belief in the significant improvements brought about will be in direct proportion to the amount of money spent, so strong is the belief in audiophile circles that great sound must be filtered through one's wallet.

Pbb, I am coming into this discussion a bit late, but do I understand you are saying that any device placed under amps or other electronics have no audible affect?

If so, you have either never conducted an experiment or your system is in dire need of improvement. There is no question as to the benefit of isolation.

Certainly some equipment benefits more than others, and there are a few rare pieces that are best left alone. But to say that ALL equipment is NEVER improved with ANY isolation device is just wrong.

Neither is cost the controlling factor in this truth. There are devices that cost $6.00 which offer tremendous benefit, and some which cost $200.00 that are great benefit.

Your suggestion that money somehow attaches the user to the device has completely failed in my case. My preamp retails for more than $10,000.00 and is isolated by $10.00 devices.

My $30,000.00 speakers work best with $55.00 isolation devices, yet my stock Sony SACD player has Symposium Roller blocks which cost several hundred dollars.

Each device chosen for it performance benefit, dismissing cost all together as a factor.

price? Who even looks at the price? No true audiophile considers anything but the sonic improvements as long as there's food on the table & a roof over one's head :-)

After reading Pbb's thread I couldn't help but think of the old tale 'The Emperor's New Clothes'. I think that pretty much sums it up.