Vibrapod (vibration isolation)

JuanR

Anybody use a vibration isolation device on their equipment such as Vibrapod? I was just wondering what your thoughts were if you did. I have various pieces of equipment (blu-ray player for example) I was wondering if it would be a benefit to have. I here claims of improved audio and video performance, anybody experience that? What kind of vibration isolation device are you using? Your thoughts are welcomed.

phipiper10

I will be getting to the brass footers or some iso blocks etc soon. I've used Vibrapods and Herbie's tenderfeet with varying degrees of success.

My gear is a mess now since I'm in the middle of a move so not set up properly. The above items are at the less expensive end of the isolation game.

Give something a try and decide.

JuanR

Thanks BlueFox and phipiper10, I probably will try one set to begin with and if all goes well - do the entire system. I still would like to hear a little more opinions and recommendations, if you got some, put em here .

Thanks!!!

concealer404

I use Vibrapods on my CDP, made an improvement in the bass department. Tighter, and just cleaned it all up a bit.

treitz3

Here's a link to an American owned company that makes Sorbathane Anti Vibration Risers

http://avrisers.com/order.aspx

Just scroll down a bit and you will see them. Reasonable pricing, excellent quality and very good feedback from those who have used them, including myself. The sorbathane risers I ordered took care of any and all harmonics my Jolida JD100 was picking up. They are also as effective under the TT I use as well.

leroyjr1

treitz3 wrote: »

Here's a link to an American owned company that makes Sorbathane Anti Vibration Risers

http://avrisers.com/order.aspx

Just scroll down a bit and you will see them. Reasonable pricing, excellent quality and very good feedback from those who have used them, including myself. The sorbathane risers I ordered took care of any and all harmonics my Jolida JD100 was picking up. They are also as effective under the TT I use as well.

Now that's in my price range.

hearingimpared

These Isol-Pads work very well and are relatively cheap. I have them under all my gear. If you tell Stephen Monte, the owner of Quest for Sound, that I sent you and you are a Polk Forum member he'll give you a great discount. BTW pay no attention to the $50 price tag, it is a misprint. I have tried a great many different isolation products and next to the Mapleshade footers which are expensive these work as well for a whole lost less moola.

I also use them in conjuction with Black Diamond Racing Cones (carbon fiber) under my turntable.

http://www.questforsound.com/accessories/acc_sqIsolPads.htm

Here's a google link for BDRC. Read away. They are very good to but a little pricey.

http://www.google.com/search?q=black+diamond+racing+cones&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

F1nut

A word of caution when using Vibrapods. They will leave a circular mark on whatever they are sitting on that is almost impossible to remove.

JuanR

I'm going to check for Brass stock on Monday, I'm thinking of making some Brass isolators with a wire EDM machine I have access to...just to play with.... I also know the owner of an Iron foundry...he can cast a few for me if I give him a sample...

I think the wire EDM will be more precise. I'll post some picks if I make this happen next week.

hearingimpared

F1nut wrote: »

A word of caution when using Vibrapods. They will leave a circular mark on whatever they are sitting on that is almost impossible to remove.

Yep Sorbothane does that! I've used Sorbothane pods aka Black Holes on my gear since the '80s and any gear or shelf I had it setting on has unremovable stains. I got rid of them all. That's why I didn't give the Vibrapods a thumbs up.

hearingimpared

Lasareath wrote: »

I also like those mapleshade ones that a bunch of people here have, i have never ordered any yet.

maybe I should now to try them out

They are called isoblocks

http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/products.asp?dept=1

They are terrible Sal. I've used them under all my gear in that past and I didn't like their perfomance of vibration damping plus it made the music sound muddy as did the Sorbothane pods I mentioned above. But the Isol-Pads by Quest for sound are only one tier high compared to the two tier Mapleshade Isol-blocks. I found the Isol-blocks being so high caused the gear to resonate more with airborne vibrations and have actually seen a CD player jiggling on top of them when the right frequencies where hit while the music was playing.

Don't you remember my rig when I had the Parasound and Adcoms biamping my 1.2TLs? I had the Mapleshade Isol-blocks under everything and with some gear used in conjuction with the Sorbothane pods.

hearingimpared

Lasareath wrote: »

I do remember, I thought you liked them.

Not after I compared them to the Isol-Pads by Quest for Sound. A/B comparison really was eye-opening. I got rid of all the Isol-blocks, Sorbothane pods and aluminum "tip-toe" cones after using the Isol-Pads and I went even further with my turntable by using Black Diamond Racing Cones screwed onto the four corners of my TT base with the BDRC resting on four Isol-Pads.

hearingimpared

Lasareath wrote: »

I read someplace that Quest buys these $5 4" x 4" pads and cuts them in (4) pads and sells them for $20.

Maybe we should buy a couple of these and see if they look exactly the same.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200397369_200397369

That's complete BS. The Mapleshade blocks are less than 4" x 4" plus Stephen has some kind of rights to intellectual property on the pads. Not only that, but I've tried to take the Mapleshade blocks apart at the tiers and it doesn't come off cleanly. I tried this because the Mapleshade blocks were too high for my Adcoms and wouldn't fit in the rack because they were too high.

Those Midwest control pads are knock offs of the Quest blocks. Don't know if they knocked them off perfectly so they may be worth a try if they are that much cheaper but I doubt it.

hearingimpared

Lasareath wrote: »

I found it here, read thru all of the posts.

http://deals.woot.com/deals/details/b50e2b32-0fac-4d11-980f-5d43e4f20ebc/sound-quest-isol-pads

Those are Quest for Sound's pads. He sells a whole line of products from amps to CDs players and accessories etc that he designs and has manufactured under the brand name of Sound Quest.

hearingimpared

Lasareath wrote: »

Did you read the entire post?

A guy who works at Woot.com said they couldn't get enough information from Quest if they were cutting $5 blocks in quarters or they were making their own blocks.

So they cancelled all the order and sent people their money back and I can bet you they won't be selling Quest products anymore.


I'll buy a set of the Quest pads and the other guys and I'll do a review.






Update:

We have canceled all the orders on this item- and refunded all purchases. We are not happy with the lack of information concerning this product and will not put our reputation and standing with our clients in jeopardy.

Thanks to everyone for visiting our site (and giving us some Woot love). If you have any audio home electronic questions you'll give us a call.

Thanks,
Dale

Director of IT Operations

Yeah I saw that. I've known Stephen for quite awhile and find it hard to believe that he would soil his great reputation by doing something so slimey.

He have received great reviews from Stereophile, TAS and 6moons for this product and I doubt they would get involved in anything that is fraudulent.

hearingimpared

Lasareath wrote: »

Is it really fraudulent?

There's so many people out there that take one product and split it up and sell it at a profit.

Check this out; http://www.questforsound.com/accessories/acc_sqIsolPads.htm

"DONT BE FOOLED BY CHEAP KNOCK OFFS -- WE ARE THE ONE AND ONLY ORIGINAL AWARD WINNING ISOL-PADS "

Our pads have been developed for Audio and Video Use !!

We developed a special Compresion Ratio for the Cork and Rubber to work in eliminating all negative waves from all Audio and Video gear ..

Unlike cheap knockoffs that fall apart and do not isolate properly! And we are the only Pad that is

I think it would be fraudulent to make that claim if he were to just take Mapleshade blocks and cut them in half and sell them as his own design. ]

Trust me I had to complete do-diligence when I designed my clamp and manufactured it claiming it to be my design. It took a lot of time and money, i.e. a patent attorney to investigate all existing designs of clamps. If I didn't do that and someone found the lest little similarity in my design to their own I would have paying out a lot of dough to cover their claims of fraud and copyright/patent or intectual property infringement.