Damping Plates


Lots of discussions about isolators and couplers used on the bottom of components but not much said about dealing with internal resonances using damping plates on top of the equipment. Harmonic Resolution Systems (HRS) is one of many manufacturers that make such devices but, like all things with an audiophile label, they can get expensive. Low-cost alternatives such as scuba dive weights have been mentioned by some.

Have you tried damping plates and were there worthwhile improvements in sound quality?
turnbowm
@mesch I’d ask Eden Sound. I cannot offer direct comparative insight since I don’t have the cork base. The elastomer is very grippy. The surface of the (your) component will also play a role.

I’m sure you will be fine with either application, however, Energy and Entropy do have their ways. : )
I found 1# bars of copper on Amazon that I'm going to order to replace the ugly candle on the pre.Exactly the same weight.I thought a black pyramid would look cool but the heavy ones are all huge.
Wouldn't iron weights on or close to an amplifier cause interference from eddy curents and other induced EM?
@noromance , dont know. But maybe not a good idea to have bare metal touching the amp.
My weights are lined with cork and are on top of sources.

Micheal Green used to sell these roomtune platforms that you’d place around your component and adjust the pressure being exerted the effectively tune the resonance inside the component to your room/system/ears.

Eventually he extended the concept to use rods inside his speakers and external countersunk bolts that would be turned to tighten the walls of the speaker to your likening.  It did actually work quite well.

In playing with my latest acquisition, an EtherRegen, I tried various ways to make it sound even better. At first I put it on cones (it’s a very small light case) with heavy weights on top.

i liked the effect, but as I experimented further, I put it on top of an old sistrum stand, which is an iron platform with brass cone feet.

Once in that, I began to try adding lots of different levels of weights (mostly copper or a other metal) and what I found was that with any weight on the unit, the sound became a bit more focused but lost it sonic freedom, bloom and wonderful staging.

I can’t say which is correct, only that I preferred nothing on top of this very light Ethernet isolator/reclocker. (Not even a few copper washers)

I began to think about the old roomtune products and felt I was doing the same thing with weights, effectively Tuning the product to your environment and preferences.

That stated, I am generally a fan of mechanical grounding as opposed to isolation.  However I’ve had good results using mechanical grounding but sitting on top of halcyonics type platforms, which are in essence a stiffly sprung spring with piezo actuators to move inversely with vibration that comes from under the unit. It’s most effective under turntables.