Sub on wooden floor- do I need something under it?

[sn7]

I have purchased an outlaw LFM-1 EX sub (downfiring) that I will be placing on wooden floor. Should I be placing something like this under the sub? - GRAMMA Isolation Riser - Acoustic sound isolation products from Auralex Acoustics.

 

[agarwalro]

100% yes. Otherwise the whole floor will before one big inaccurate speaker.

 

[GO-NAD!]

With subwoofers, there isn't much difference between down-firing and side-firing when it comes to vibration, as subwoofer frequencies are omnidirectional. Be aware, isolating low bass frequencies is not easy. Have you installed and tried the subwoofer yet? Do you know if there is a problem to be solved? In other words if the subwoofer causes objects to rattle, try to sort out those objects first. If it causes your floor to audibly vibrate, you could try the gramma, or a subdude, and see if it makes a difference. But don't assume that it will do anything helpful. Try the sub with and without the platform. If it helps, great. If it doesn't, return it. Just don't place it on the platform and assume that it's doing anything for you.

That's just my take on it. Opinions may vary...

 

[Nuance AH]

I would at the very least try a Gramma.

 

[timoteo]

Yes opinions do vary. Ever since i bought my first sub isolation platform about 3yrs ago i wont ever be without one for my subs. I have owned 6 different subs since then & now i just build my own. Id recommend just buying one already built since 1 platform is only about $50ish. I believe they work really well, others, as mentioned, feel different. I cant tell you if it will make a big improvement but i WILL recommend one since its a fairly cheap purchase & because my results have always been good!

 

[sn7]

Thanks - ordered one!

 

[tattoo_Dan]

I have purchased an outlaw LFM-1 EX sub (downfiring) that I will be placing on wooden floor. Should I be placing something like this under the sub? - GRAMMA Isolation Riser - Acoustic sound isolation products from Auralex Acoustics.

what type of home structure & foundation is this going into ?

I live in a modular/mobile home and it has wooden floors and it is 3 feet off the ground.I have 2 Emotiva 12" subs(front firing) and gramma isolators under both and they made a huge difference.

 

[sn7]

It's a townhome with wooden floors and it will be on the 2nd floor.

 

[afterlife2]

Whats a cheaper solution? for aluminum floors.

 

[Compadre]

Agreed!!
Also it does help with rattles of picture frames on walls

 

[j_garcia]

Doesn't matter if the floor is suspended or concrete, the Gramma still helps. If you don't want to spend $50, go find some 2-3" foam (packing foam?) of adequate density to handle your sub's weight and use that. I did that with another sub of mine and it worked great. I've used the Gramma on both suspended wood floor upstairs and a concrete slab, and in both cases it made a very noticeable improvement.

 

[Nuance AH]

Doesn't matter if the floor is suspended or concrete, the Gramma still helps. If you don't want to spend $50, go find some 2-3" foam (packing foam?) of adequate density to handle your sub's weight and use that. I did that with another sub of mine and it worked great. I've used the Gramma on both suspended wood floor upstairs and a concrete slab, and in both cases it made a very noticeable improvement.

What differences did you notice on concrete? Mine doesn't sound or measure any different. Now I'm curious, though, and will have to retry the experiment. You see what this forum can do to you? It makes you do things!

 

[Hocky]

What differences did you notice on concrete? Mine doesn't sound or measure any different. Now I'm curious, though, and will have to retry the experiment. You see what this forum can do to you? It makes you do things!

I haven't tried any isolation yet, but I know that my subwoofer resonates my concrete floor for sure. If I stand barefoot 40' from the sub, I can feel it in my feet. I have to imagine that adding isolation would really help with rattles through the house.

 

[j_garcia]

What differences did you notice on concrete? Mine doesn't sound or measure any different. Now I'm curious, though, and will have to retry the experiment. You see what this forum can do to you? It makes you do things!

I had my former sub (15" Adire Tempest) for a long time and for $50, I figured I'd give it a try, even though I have a concrete slab. I was surprised that it definitely cleaned up the upper ranges. No real difference at the bottom end. No measurements, but having owned that sub for many years in two different houses, I could tell the improvement right away.

In the same room, in the same spot, I tried the Gramma under my Empire, and it made no difference at all. The dual opposed design pretty much prevents all vibration from being transmitted through the cabinet.

 

[afterlife2]

go find some 2-3" foam (packing foam?) of adequate density to handle your sub's weight and use that. I did that with another sub of mine and it worked great.

That's a good idea JG! Thanks. I'll give it a try when I get my audio cable for the M8.

 

[j_garcia]

That's a good idea JG! Thanks. I'll give it a try when I get my audio cable for the M8.

There are a bunch of DIY options out there as well But as long as your sub doesn't crush it, I am sure it will have some benefit.

 

[sn7]

I was surprised that it definitely cleaned up the upper ranges. No real difference at the bottom end. No measurements, but having owned that sub for many years in two different houses, I could tell the improvement right away.

Would this mean that Tower speakers like Kef Q900 would also benefit from this kind of isolation?

 

[Nuance AH]

I had my former sub (15" Adire Tempest) for a long time and for $50, I figured I'd give it a try, even though I have a concrete slab. I was surprised that it definitely cleaned up the upper ranges. No real difference at the bottom end. No measurements, but having owned that sub for many years in two different houses, I could tell the improvement right away.

In the same room, in the same spot, I tried the Gramma under my Empire, and it made no difference at all. The dual opposed design pretty much prevents all vibration from being transmitted through the cabinet.

Hmm...my subs are very inert, so I wonder if that's why I didn't hear or measure a difference. Regardless, you just gave me an excuse to play with REW again this weekend, so I'll re-test for fun.

 

[j_garcia]

Would this mean that Tower speakers like Kef Q900 would also benefit from this kind of isolation?

Hard to say. They appear to come with spikes already, so I'd have to say they are fine as they are. In the case of a sub, I am pretty sure what is happening is that they are able to cause much more sympathetic resonance in the floor than a typical speaker. Decoupling the sub from the floor is really not cleaning up the sub itself, but removing the resonance from the floor that was being directly transmitted. In other words, you are hearing much less of the floor's vibration and more of the sub.

Hmm...my subs are very inert, so I wonder if that's why I didn't hear or measure a difference. Regardless, you just gave me an excuse to play with REW again this weekend, so I'll re-test for fun.

I would imagine them being inert would definitely be a factor. The cabinet on the Empire is quite hefty also.