Speakers: Massive support vs. Acoustic isolation

[fractile]

I have seen speakers mounted on thick concrete pads and also on acoustic isolation pads. What are the tradeoffs between these two alternatives?

 

[bpape]

It would depend on the type of speaker and the desired goal.

Some people believe that tightly coupling a speaker to it's support to minimize movement provides the best performance.

Others believe that using something that allows movement to absorb any transmission provides isolation from the structure is more important.

Bryan

 

[fractile]

Ok, tightly coupling a speaker box to a massive base would help prevent energy being lost in the "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". Combining this with a rigid acoustical isolation would prevent transmission of acoustical vibration into the structure.

A highly rigid speaker box would help there, leaving only the bulk mass against speaker cone motion, I'm thinking. I think I got it. Thanks.