What base feet are you guys using? Points, soft rubber, vibropods, wood ???

P

Pfenning

New member
I'm building new bases for my Bottlehead gear, and I'm reviewing my options for feet. I have access to a lathe, so I could make some aluminum feet and I looked at purchasing some low durometer (soft) rubber feet. I even considered making feet out of the same material as the bases (Sapele). What are you guys using, and what if any are the sonic differences? It would seem like the soft rubber would reduce vibration to the chassis and tubes.

Thanks, Pfenning
 
My Paramours have Vibrapods under them.  The Eros is spiked and the Foreplay 2 is the stock feet.  I have no idea if the Vibrapods or spikes made a difference, I just had them and used them.
 
I have a spiked foot fetish! I use the Dayton audio brand you can get at Parts Express. Not sure if there is any difference in sq, but they look good and you can level components with them. I use vibrapods under acrylic slabs for turntable isolation, they work well for that.

Cheers,
Shawn
 
I've used all kinds but always listen to a variety of types before making a permanent decision as it often seems to  me to be dependent to a good degree on what the component is sitting on.

For my maple rack and other hardwood surfaces that themselves are not spiked to the floor, I like the Yamamoto PB-10 ebony bases, though sometimes I also add a Herbie's Grungebuster dot  to the bottom that is almost as big ad the foot itself -- abut 28mm.  The ebony feet are about 11 mm tall and are really meant to be used with the matching pb-9 spike base on top, but a small hole drilled into the  small well for the spike on the base and a thin, longer screw works for mounting and the right screw will not protrude past the bottom plane of the base.

I've also used stacked sections of maple dowel (aaout the same diameter as the Yamamoto bases and with a thin -- 1/32" sheet of EAR isoloss or Grungebuster material between.

But I really encourage experimentation, especially with the piece of gear sitting on what it will mostly be used with.

In general, andd this is very generalized, I find the soft feet to blurr the sound and muddy the bass a bit, but too hard a base can exacerbate microphonics or make thihngs too bright or introduce glare.

It really is worth playing around with though.

HTH,

Jim
 
I used Saunders Bludgeon Arrow Point tips.  I drilled and put brass inserts in base then screwed these in.  http://www.bowhuntingstuff.com/product/BLUDGEON/Saunders-Bludgeon-Arrow-Point.html  They have nubby points on the bottom. not cheap, but I think they're cool.  I had to buy four packs.
Paramonts, Eros, Foreplay.
 
And I'll be the voice of cheap ...  Im using something like these cabinet feet but a little smaller ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Rubber-Feet-Speakers-Cabinets-Amps-More-/350530041264?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519d37f5b0
 
I'll throw in some simple-to-make footers that I've finally arrived at, after many. many other types.  Instructions for making them: get balsa wood at a hobby store, make cubes about 3/4" on a side (could be 1" instead), line one side (the bottom) with soft felt, glue a piece of 3/4" square hardboard to the other side (top), begin to drill a roughly 1/4" hole in the center of that hardboard, but only about 1/8" deep, and finally, epoxy in a 1/4" steel ball bearing.  Obviously, all the dimensions could be changed--this is doubtless the smallest you'd want them.

It's simple enough to make a triple of these and give them a try.  I make no claims for them, but the maker of Neuance Shelves liked a set of them that I sent to him to try.  Not that he raved about them, but he did think they worked pretty well.
 
I wish I could remember which Bottlehead gave me this idea.  Buy some cabinet knobs that have a dished front.  Buy some large steel balls that will fit easily in the dish.  Then place the knobs with the dish up, place a steel ball on each and set your CD player on top.  This is an audio cheapskate Aurio.  I have the knobs and steel balls but didn't use them until recently. 

I'm not sure if it made a difference, but it is as odd looking as my cable lifters.
 
Yeah that is a good idea... they would be like those Final labs Daruma bearings... years back, I bought some Aurios ,they cost me a cool 300 uk pounds ($500)... i used them for the cd player and ended up sending them back because, basically,  i thought they were TOO dang expensive for what they were... They made a difference in the "lightness and airiness" department... but not enough for the cost (and  lightness and airiness is not that important to me)... That and any cd treatment goop i have tried, are the ONLY products I have ever sent back... Otherwise I have ALWAYS been happy with my purchases.... The balsa  footers are also a great idea and should definitely be a contender...I will try and maybe add a layer of rubber in between the felt and wood just for good measure.... Thank you for that
 
I did more or less what Grainger did, with cabinet knobs, only I made two medite panels with three knobs sunk into each in a triangle, and placed one on top of the other, with the steel balls (or marbles) in between.  But I liked my balsa wood-ball bearing creations better.
 
Good to know... I may try BOTH together... one for horizontal/lateral movement (if there is such a thing) and the balsa for vertical forces.... Have you played with both?..  of course i could also add my vibrapods under the whole lot... Ahh, the fun of experimenting on the cheap!.... it really can be fun...
 
I either use EAR isolation feet (EAR-56858 @ Partsconnexion) for 75 cents a pop or black oxide speaker spikes from PartsExpress, which were about 60 cents each but it looks like they're out at the moment (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=249-727). I'd rather put my extra upgrade $$ into caps / resistors and attenuators.

 
This is one of those things that could go on and on, but still I say that I am tempted by the magnetic suspension isolators that I have seen on Ebay. The $66 price tag for 4 keeps me at bay, not to mention that they will only support up to 17.6 lbs.
 
4krow said:
This is one of those things that could go on and on, but still I say that I am tempted by the magnetic suspension isolators that I have seen on Ebay. The $66 price tag for 4 keeps me at bay, not to mention that they will only support up to 17.6 lbs.
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With the weight distribution of Bottlehead equipment being all at the back you would need 3 in back and one in front.  It might fall off of them.
 
And then there are power cords and even ic's, speaker cables.  Hmmmm, maybe a handful of nails
 
sorbothane etc.  Also felt will work.  If you want to try a shelf, you might try high molecular weight polyethylene, as it dampens pretty well.
Hard feet just don't seem to work IME.
 
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