Vibration and amplifiers

[Twexcom]

Hello. I was hit by hurricane Dean this Sunday by the way. I'm back now, and I have a question.

How much do you think that vibration can affect an amplifier's performance or life?

Especially subwoofer vibration.

Should one take the steps to install vibration dampeners, or is it a waste of time?

Thank you.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

If you have serious vibration passing through your amp, then that same vibration is probably effecting your CD and/or DVD player (assuming it is on the same rack.) This seems like it would cause much bigger issues.

 

[jcPanny]

Vibration

Ask someone from SoCal, they have earthquakes there all of the the time. Any properly designed gear should be fine unless it takes a major impact by falling off the top of your equipment rack.

In California they recommend that you use a strap to secure large furniture items like bookcases to the wall to prevent them from falling over. This would be appropriate for your equipment rack if you are in a hurricane zone.

 

[Twexcom]

Thank you, I only meant vibration from my subwoofers though.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thank you, I only meant vibration from my subwoofers though.

That is a no issue, as it is the air pressures that would cause it any vibration not any phycial direct vibration that would shake the component. Place your hand on the amp when you have loud bass playing. I bet you will not feel it. then place your hand on the sub/speaker itself as a comparison
Powered subs have amps in it, solid state

Forget those isolators as the air would still move your amp the same amount it moves it now, nill

 

[Twexcom]

It affects the CD player too, but thanks anyway.

 

[Seth=L]

Hello Twexcom,

I am out of a personal PC right now, hence I have not been able to get on AIM. I was concerned for you when I heard about Dean, but I couldn't contact you, sorry about that.

CD playback might be affected during playback because the side woofers on the JVC minisystem do vibrate the main unit and cause circumstantial read failures, but only because there is a vibration at that time. My advise would be to move the speakers away from the main unit and try to place them on seperate pieces of furniture if possible. I remember being interested in a similar system and it would make the CD skip if the speakers were sitting on the shelf with the main receiver/cd/tape unit.

I hope your area and home weren't seriously damaged in the storm, I am glad to know you are OK.

 

[davidtwotrees]

I think he was referring to vibrations which cause us to put carpet spikes on speakers, amps on amp stands, and isolation feet on cd players. I am interested in this also. My rack has 1/4" thick tempered glass shelves. In my Audio Refinement (YBA) owners manual, Yves Bernard Andre, the French electronic whiz advises against putting components on glass or other vibratory type materials as it aids in "parasitic vibrations". YBA goes out of it's way dampen "and remove resonant frequencies out of the audio domain." My pre/pro and amp only have three feet which "is an ideal way to drain vibrations." "The transformer in the pre/pro is suspended to reduce the transmission of its vibrations to the rest of the circutry."........ So I have always wondered about concerns for "vibrations" in electronic circutry.
Much of this could be audiophile hooey, but Yves Bernard Andre of YBA is pretty well regarded in certain circles.............I would be interested to hear what the Audioholics talking heads have to say in this regard.

 

[Seth=L]

I think he was referring to vibrations which cause us to put carpet spikes on speakers, amps on amp stands, and isolation feet on cd players. I am interested in this also. My rack has 1/4" thick tempered glass shelves. In my Audio Refinement (YBA) owners manual, Yves Bernard Andre, the French electronic whiz advises against putting components on glass or other vibratory type materials as it aids in "parasitic vibrations". YBA goes out of it's way dampen "and remove resonant frequencies out of the audio domain." My pre/pro and amp only have three feet which "is an ideal way to drain vibrations." "The transformer in the pre/pro is suspended to reduce the transmission of its vibrations to the rest of the circutry."........ So I have always wondered about concerns for "vibrations" in electronic circutry.
Much of this could be audiophile hooey, but Yves Bernard Andre of YBA is pretty well regarded in certain circles.............I would be interested to hear what the Audioholics talking heads have to say in this regard.

For the OP dampening is pretty much a waste of time, IMO.

In your case it is most beneficial for say your record player and possibly the CD player. Solid state amplifiers don't respond much to being vibrated, at least to the degree of loudness from speakers. If you wanted to you could set up one of those earthquake proof audio systems like those audiophiles in Greece.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I think he was referring to vibrations which cause us to put carpet spikes on speakers, amps on amp stands, and isolation feet on cd players. I am interested in this also. My rack has 1/4" thick tempered glass shelves. In my Audio Refinement (YBA) owners manual, Yves Bernard Andre, the French electronic whiz advises against putting components on glass or other vibratory type materials as it aids in "parasitic vibrations". YBA goes out of it's way dampen "and remove resonant frequencies out of the audio domain." My pre/pro and amp only have three feet which "is an ideal way to drain vibrations." "The transformer in the pre/pro is suspended to reduce the transmission of its vibrations to the rest of the circutry."........ So I have always wondered about concerns for "vibrations" in electronic circutry.
Much of this could be audiophile hooey, but Yves Bernard Andre of YBA is pretty well regarded in certain circles.............I would be interested to hear what the Audioholics talking heads have to say in this regard.

If your CD player is not skipping, there is no vibration issues no matter what they said. Some people place sandbags on the CD clock

 

[mtrycrafts]

It affects the CD player too, but thanks anyway.

What is your CD player doing? Don't forget though, it has moving parts that plays an important issue. Amps don't have anything like that so it won't be affected, unless it is a tube amp.

 

[Seth=L]

unless it is a tube amp.

It's not, he has a JVC minisystem (receiver/cd/tape).

 

[Seth=L]

If your CD player is not skipping, there is no vibration issues no matter what they said. Some people place sandbags on the CD clock

He could always put the "spinney" back on it, I am certain that helps.

 

[mtrycrafts]

He could always put the "spinney" back on it, I am certain that helps.

Yes, and no worry that the groove will be scratched and 'there goes another pop.'

 

[mtrycrafts]

It's not, he has a JVC minisystem (receiver/cd/tape).

Thanks. You mean they don't make tube mini systems? Or, not by JVC anymore. LOL

And, I didn't realize that mini system has that much power to make it or the amp misbehave.

 

[Seth=L]

Thanks. You mean they don't make tube mini systems? Or, not by JVC anymore. LOL

And, I didn't realize that mini system has that much power to make it or the amp misbehave.

LOL, yeah, they stopped a few years back.

If the speakers are right next to the unit it has problems tracking. Each speaker has a low frequency woofer that is powered seperate from the main speakers. Basically it has two amplifiers in it, or active (non variable) x-overs inside the receiver unit and the speakers are bi-amped. The bass isn't accurate, but it is loud and shakes the main unit causing tracking problems. Since the CD player is probably pretty budget minded it makes sense it would track poorly when shaken.

 

[mtrycrafts]

LOL, yeah, they stopped a few years back.

If the speakers are right next to the unit it has problems tracking. Each speaker has a low frequency woofer that is powered seperate from the main speakers. Basically it has two amplifiers in it, or active (non variable) x-overs inside the receiver unit and the speakers are bi-amped. The bass isn't accurate, but it is loud and shakes the main unit causing tracking problems. Since the CD player is probably pretty budget minded it makes sense it would track poorly when shaken.

OK, that would make sense why the CD would. But the amp is still not an issue even in such a budget system It survived manufacturing processes and all the shipping trips to final destination.

 

[Twexcom]

Hello Twexcom,

I am out of a personal PC right now, hence I have not been able to get on AIM. I was concerned for you when I heard about Dean, but I couldn't contact you, sorry about that.

CD playback might be affected during playback because the side woofers on the JVC minisystem do vibrate the main unit and cause circumstantial read failures, but only because there is a vibration at that time. My advise would be to move the speakers away from the main unit and try to place them on seperate pieces of furniture if possible. I remember being interested in a similar system and it would make the CD skip if the speakers were sitting on the shelf with the main receiver/cd/tape unit.

I hope your area and home weren't seriously damaged in the storm, I am glad to know you are OK.

Hi. The house suffered minor damage to the roof and windows, but everything is fine.

The cd trays rattle a bit when I turn the volume up to a high level, but the cd's don't skip. I really don't like the fact that they're rattling, it worries me. Which is why I wanted to protect it from too much vibration.

It's ok. I'm glad too.

I'm sorry to hear about your computer, I hope you can set it back up soon.

 

[mtrycrafts]

The cd trays rattle a bit when I turn the volume up to a high level, but the cd's don't skip. I really don't like the fact that they're rattling, it worries me. Which is why I wanted to protect it from too much vibration.
.

Do a test, place some foam sponges you may have in the kitchen or around the house. Or, buy one for $1/$2, cut it up into 4 pieces and place under the player/unit. If the rattling tray stops, you solved it. I bet it most likely will not unless the table top was rattling a lot to cause the tray rattle. Let us know.