I've performed several searches here and I can't find much or anything on these topics:
1.
Vibration Isolation
In the form of (crazy expensive) gear racks and amp racks, , feet, like cones, absorbing pads and mechanical isolation like Stillpoints, even cable lifts (which I've seen a couple of comments about in these threads).
From my own experience with Goldmund cones (that I bought 25 years ago), I never heard anything significant that made me think that the "bass tightened up" (just like I didn't hear anything using CD Stoplight).
Since sound wave vibration isn't just transmitted through the floor, but also in the air, the whole concept of isolation devices isn't making sense to me.
I know that racks that are heavy, help decouple the sound wave transmission coming from the floor.. but what about what's traveling through the air? That's where we're hearing it.
I've also seen comments here with people stating that you would need a freight train to travel next to your house to create a disturbance that would effect playback on a turntable, but nothing else.. which also doesn't make any sense, since many people have sub woofers designed to create just that sort of low pressure sound. And we do crank up the volume.
I own Martin Logan Prodigy speakers and they have both a front and rear sub.
On some recordings, you feel the boom of the low end in your chest and I've rattled things on the shelves in my listening room.
I know that some audiophiles are using
active vibration control systems that are usually found in science and engineering labs for their turntables and other components.
2.
Turntables, Cartridges and esp Tone Arms.
As we all know, there are some unbelievably expensive TT's and tone arms out there..
Do they really make a difference in playback?
I've read how motors make a difference, the power supply, etc.
I'm super curious about the effect that a tone arm can have on playback.
I keep reading all of these reviews about how much better the music sounds with X tone arm, it sound staged better, notes were clearer, bass bottom end was more defined (whatever that means) etc.
Or is it really just down to the cartridge and the phono preamp?
And even then, at what point does the threshold exist (if there is one) where you're just throwing money away?
From what I've seen, the videos (with the exception of several that tackled the cable myth) seem focused more towards home theater AV and less "audiophile" oriented.
You don't need to spend a fortune to have great sound, but.. some of the expensive gear out there are able to reproduce music in a way that other gear can't.
I'm looking for answers.. Which is why I came here.
