monitor isolation pad

[andyhix]

So I have so real Monitors on the way! Bye bye hi fi! I'm scared to give more details as the brand name may start with a "B." But it's gotta be better than what I had.

Anyway, my question is about decoupling (to use a fancy word I read somewhere) them from the shelf and desk. I don't want to spend more than a few bucks on some foam or rubber pads, I've come up with the following options - will any of these work or is it just pointless? which would be best? Basically, I just don't know how thick or dense to shoot for.

1. A thick mousepad or two
2. One of those 3/4 or 1" thick gardening pads that you kneel on. Might be the same as the pads you can bring into stadium bleachers to sit on.
3. a layer or two (or three) of the rubber tool drawer liner - like a mechanic would put in a tool chest to keep wrenches from clanking around.
4. I saw this thin rubber stuff that kids can use to make art projects. It's pretty dense, but really thin - maybe 10 sheets is 1/2" thick? actually here's some stuff.
5. a big pile of Floam.
6. Maybe just a thin layer of the foam rubber that you can buy at fabric stores. I thought that might compress too much though under a 30# speaker.
7. A really powerful box fan pointed straight up so the monitor can hover above the desk.
8. Something else that I haven't thought of...

 

[Track Rat]

I have 4 mouse pads under each speaker. It works for me.

 

[Ethan Winer]

Andy,

> my question is about decoupling <

Many setups don't need or benefit from decoupling. Before you waste too much time on this, get a couple of friends over and have them lift each speaker half an inch while you listen. If you hear no change, you don't have to bother.

> Something else that I haven't thought of...<

Yes: acoustic treatment and especially bass traps. That will do far more to improve the sound of your system than decoupling possibly could.

--Ethan

 

[andyhix]

Many setups don't need or benefit from decoupling. Before you waste too much time on this, get a couple of friends over and have them lift each speaker half an inch while you listen. If you hear no change, you don't have to bother.

What are these "friends" you speak of? Seriously, though, good idea. Didn't even think of that.

> Something else that I haven't thought of...<

Yes: acoustic treatment and especially bass traps. That will do far more to improve the sound of your system than decoupling possibly could.

This is a seperate issue, and not one that I have completely ignored. I'll be working on that as well.

 

[Beck]

The fan suspending the monitor in mid-air is the coolest idea, but too noisy.

If you’re mounting your monitors on floor stands, decoupling with a pad will have little impact. If you have these sitting on your desk or console, then yes… good idea to decouple.

Many of the commercially available monitor pads are made of the same foam as mouse pads. You will need about 2” worth of mouse pads to justify your time and trouble.

A better option is to buy a camping pad at Wall-Mart or another discount chain for a few dollars. If you’re not into camping these pads are used to put on the ground under sleeping bags for comfort and thermal insulation from the ground. The kind I’m talking about are less than $5.00 at Wal-Mart. You can spend a little more for thicker and more comfy pads -- still less than speaker pads from a music store.

They are easily cut with scissors. Cut to fit the bottom of the monitor and double the thickness using two pieces for each monitor.

My decoupling system is a little more elaborate. I have stands I made from steel pipe and fittings permanently mounted to my tabletop. They are insulated with rubber and minimal contact where they mount to the table, and where they mount to the speaker rest, as well as having a pad between the rest and the speaker.

~Tim