Ironically (perhaps) Minus K is actually the modified “audiophile” version of the Newport Corp Sub-Hertz Platform of yore. Also ironically, the Vibraplane, the first high end iso stand is also based on a Newport iso stand, a table top microscope stand.
But what is missing, if I can be so bold, is the “black art” of isolation necessary to get the best performance out of isolation systems. It’s not all numbers, guys! In the beginning there were only four iso stand manufacturers - Townshend, Brightstar, Vibraplane and your humble scribe, and mine was the only one with a sub Hertz performance. Of course, there should be a tip of the hat to LIGO project - the grand wazoo of isolation ever since it detected gravity waves, the amplitude of which are on the order of an atomic nuclear.
Also, of some interest to the student is the fact that the actual operating principle of the Minus K stand is “negative stiffness,” a much more complex principle than simple mass-on-spring employing stiff members and springs. Get it? Negative K?
But what is missing, if I can be so bold, is the “black art” of isolation necessary to get the best performance out of isolation systems. It’s not all numbers, guys! In the beginning there were only four iso stand manufacturers - Townshend, Brightstar, Vibraplane and your humble scribe, and mine was the only one with a sub Hertz performance. Of course, there should be a tip of the hat to LIGO project - the grand wazoo of isolation ever since it detected gravity waves, the amplitude of which are on the order of an atomic nuclear.
Also, of some interest to the student is the fact that the actual operating principle of the Minus K stand is “negative stiffness,” a much more complex principle than simple mass-on-spring employing stiff members and springs. Get it? Negative K?

