CD Cases Center Speakers Vibration = better sound??

[MakeMineVinyl]

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That's right up there with the green marker on the edge of a CD mod to make CDs sound better (anyone remember that??).

Actually, there's good theory regarding that tweak; at least in the case of CD players in the 80s and early 90s, the green around the edges absorbed perpendicular scattering of the laser within the substrate of the disc and helped reduce jitter in the recovered data. Clocking has improved a lot in the meantime, and this tweak became unnecessary. Jitter was actually a very big problem - bits "are not just bits" if they arrive at the wrong time, which modulates the recovered audio with extremely harsh and non-harmonic garbage. Scientific data systems go to great pains to try to reduce jitter from data streams, since the right data at the wrong time is the wrong data.

 

[Flint]

So you're saying that physically decoupling the two systems is a thing that can only help and never hurt? Makes Mopads seem like good engineering practice.

Only help and never hurt? I think that is more than I was suggesting.

USUALLY help and rarely hurt? Yeah, I'd buy into that.

And the Auralex guys didn't invent this category of mechanical isolation for speakers. They just made it widely available and affordable. Today there are dozens of options.

 

[Deleted member 133]

I've been in several people's home theatres where a big "butt-kicker" effect is present due to the speakers / subs being coupled to the floor which is then coupled to the seats. It's not an unpleasant effect and in most cases the additional tactile sensation adds to the home theatre experience (assuming that everything else around you isn't vibrating and rattling like crazy!) Decoupling those speakers / subs would greatly reduce the effect - which might qualify as "hurting" rather than "helping" - again assuming that one likes the effect to begin with.

 

[Flint]

I've been in several people's home theatres where a big "butt-kicker" effect is present due to the speakers / subs being coupled to the floor which is then coupled to the seats. It's not an unpleasant effect and in most cases the additional tactile sensation adds to the home theatre experience (assuming that everything else around you isn't vibrating and rattling like crazy!) Decoupling those speakers / subs would greatly reduce the effect - which might qualify as "hurting" rather than "helping" - again assuming that one likes the effect to begin with.

And that falls into the category of where it doesn't make sense. For any speaker reproducing deep bass (below 60Hx, or so), like a subwoofer, decoupling is not necessarily a good thing. In most xx.1 systems, the sub handles the deep bass and the other speakers are all set to "small" in the HT processor with a crossover in the 60Hz to 100hz range. For the sub, hard coupling can be good. For the other speakers not intended to be used for deep bass, the isolation can improve the sound.

For a single fullrange speaker, the improvements in the midrange that tends to come with decoupling (or isolation with foam, or whatever) typically provides greater benefit than the hard coupling does by adding a physical room thump. But most of us do not have just fullrange speakers and no subs. Also, if this is on a concreate floor, it should make a difference.

 

[TKoP]

And the Auralex guys didn't invent this category of mechanical isolation for speakers. They just made it widely available and affordable. Today there are dozens of options.

What actually goes into these pads? Why wouldn't normal foam work? Just not hard enough? Looking on Amazon, big price difference between real Auralex and the generic.

 

[Flint]

Auralex is made from a foam which is assured to be reliable (not breakdown, hold its form, etc.) and not be toxic. They are also extremely user friendly with very accurate shapes and a quality touch & feel. The generics could be 100% as good, but it isn't assured by a global company.

That said, I would probably get the generic if it appears to get the job done.

 

[Towen7]

Ive got a bunch of Auralex and generic pads and they work well. But I almost always keep any foam packaging that I come across for this sort of thing.

 

[malsackj]

I choose to decouple the sub in the great room because the bedroom is on the other side of the wall. I decouple the bedroom also.

 

[Huey]

I choose to decouple the sub in the great room because the bedroom is on the other side of the wall. I decouple the bedroom also.

Reading this it sounds like you and your wife are sleeping in separate bedrooms.

 

[Botch]

BOOMBOOMBOOM Let's go back to my room!

 

[Deerhunter]

Those things really work well, if the wife is angry have her stand on a set. They are able to make her voice much softer too, and less sharp sounding.


This also could be do that once your hit upside the head voices kinda sound that way.

 

[Razz]

I actually once used a towel, folded it just right to give the center speaker a bit of upward tilt and I was certain that sound was clearer when using it.

 

[Botch]

I hope to gosh you used a geniune Martha Stewart™ Home towel, preferably in taupe (or periwinkle if you need just a tad more mid-bass response)!!