fishball79 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 (edited) Fishball's Cheap & Dirty Balls-Of-Steel To get more comments on this design, i decided to post it here. Buy 3 of the largest flattest spoons u can find or tiny sauce plates or wasabi plate. Experiement with different materials, ceramic, melamine, steel... ~$5-10 for 3 3 1/2" stainless steel ball bearings ~$5-10 each A pack of blu tack ~$2 1) Blu tack the spoons on the shelf in a triangular position. Best to place 2 spoons along the side where the cd player is heavier. Make sure spoons are relatively flat 2) Place bearings in spoon and cd player on top. Make sure bearings aren't pressing against any uneven surface of the cd player chassis Isolate the cd player! I've tried this on marble shelving before. It improves details, soundstaging and had really good low bass. One caveat was everything sounded slightly harsher and vocals more sibilant. As this was the nature of my equipment, the isolation revealed it. So givit a go with different sorts of saucers for the bearings to tweak the sound. I believe ceramic ones give the most pleasing sound. Here are some concept art: http://www.geocities.com/fishball1979/balls_of_steel/ Please let me know of a good host that will allow posting of pictures here. This is my original idea, its based on some threads in Echoloft some time back. That said, the pics are mine. Edited June 10, 2003 by fishball79 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 oh.. I kinda get it so you put the thingy as extra support/isolation? so total you have about.. hm.. 8 legs? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fishball79 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 No, the cd player feet are no longer supporting the cd player chassis, only the 3 bearings Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sipher 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 how does this improve sound quality?? it works by reducing surface area contact between CDP n the supporting surface(table)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matbon0013 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 Nice job Fishball! Maybe you can make Sipher and me a mini to mini cable So how? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 I am also kinda puzzled.. how dramatic is the improvement? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sipher 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 yes fishball please!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fishball79 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 Sipher & Mat, Well I'd like to test the cable first to see if it'll sound good. PM me with the length and termination you need (mini to mini, mini to rca or rca to rca) so i'll have a record of who wants what. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 I guess it's cheaper than getting the proper cones. Any reason for the spoon/plate, why not blu tac & ball bearing only? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fishball79 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2003 n@z, Freeplay of balls *hehe* is very important in this design... will elaborate more tonight Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted June 11, 2003 I await with great anticipation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted June 11, 2003 Fishball, I also like to tap your experience on this tweak as I've yet to try it myself....waiting for it dude! In the meantime, let me throw some light on the importance of isolation of equipment. There are 2 functions of footer tweaks. One being coupling and the other isolation. What's the difference and which to select? Here goes: A. Isolation - this includes balls of blue tac, Fishball's bearings on this thread, sorbothane feet/balls (squishy thingey), half-cut tennis balls etc. This option is preferred if U have vibration in the room (air movement from speakers) and on the shelve/rack/platform contributed by other gears. Proper isolation will subject the equipment to lesser mechanical feedback or vibrating energy and thus maintains an optimal condition for the isolated gear to perform at its best. B. Coupling - although isolation and coupling is drawn by a fine line, there's a difference. This process is chosen if U wish to transfer vibration out of the equipment in concern and reduce mechanical feedback. Basically, U are seeking a ground for this inherent energy. Cones and spikes belong to this category. However, tips up/down positioning perform different tasks. Example, all transformers vibrate and so do mechnical parts of cdps. To transfer this energy out of the gears, apply cones/spikes with the tips down for better transfer to ground. Conversely, tips up will perform the task of isolation as outside vibration is limited to the cones' point of contact with the gear. My chosen rule of thumb is to apply isolation methods for sources and coupling methods for amps and speakers. An amp with large transformers will benefit more with coupling methods as vibrating is stronger and best for it to be transferred out of the equipment. Disclaimer: this is just some of my personal findings and at the end of the day, let the sound decide which method and tweaks to apply. For instance, ebony wood, carbon fibre and steel cones give different sonic signatures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted June 11, 2003 So theoretically using ball bearings would decouple both ways? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted June 11, 2003 ball bearing is a coupler but the spoon and blu tac is an isolator in combo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted June 11, 2003 But if in the first place the equipment is not on proper stands wouldn't that defeat the purpose? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites