Nitrile rubber sheet for Isolation of speakers/equipment/rack

[panditji]

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Would like to know the negatives of using the above product as isolation/decoupling of heavy speakers or the wooden audio rack or audio equipment. I plan to use them as a sheet under the Tannoys as well as the heavy wooden audio rack (or place them under the laptop and amplifier sitting on the rack) ..

It seems to be perfect for such use but since I am not an engineer, I like like to know what could go wrong in using the above product for the above mentioned equipment...

Thanks in advance...

 

[rajeshmehendiratta]

I doubt this material can be used for such applications. These material are generally used for Air conditioning insulation and as a sound barrier for internals of ducts so that noise does not travel to air condition area.

I have used such material for many years for many of my projects. Nitrile rubber is not the right product to be used as it will tear off easily.

Still I will investigate more and provide you my update.

 

[panditji]

I doubt this material can be used for such applications. These material are generally used for Air conditioning insulation and as a sound barrier for internals of ducts so that noise does not travel to air condition area.

I have used such material for many years for many of my projects. Nitrile rubber is not the right product to be used as it will tear off easily.

Still I will investigate more and provide you my update.

Thank you sir for your feedback.. Just to add, I have a wooden tile flooring over a layer of cement done 8 years ago and simply want to isolate the speakers to the best of my abilities.. Currently have the speakers on a granite slab but confused f I should place them on this Nitrile rubber sheet or a thick 25 mm cork sheet or a sandwich of cork+rubber or put the rubber sheet under the granite slab....

Feel free to suggest what you think best...

 

[rajeshmehendiratta]

Thank you sir for your feedback.. Just to add, I have a wooden tile flooring over a layer of cement done 8 years ago and simply want to isolate the speakers to the best of my abilities.. Currently have the speakers on a granite slab but confused f I should place them on this Nitrile rubber sheet or a thick 25 mm cork sheet or a sandwich of cork+rubber or put the rubber sheet under the granite slab....

Feel free to suggest what you think best...

Rubber is of no use. Cork/wood best options.

 

[skumar]

Feel free to suggest what you think best...

Gym tile or Rubber tile under a granite/marble slab can be tried out.

 

[prem]

If you want to isolate, you need something that will isolate upto 2 hz. Those solutions are expensive. So you can choose something like this which will isolate to around 7-8 hz

EVP Equipment Vibration Protectors | A/V RoomService, Ltd.

EVPs – the most effective, easiest and least expensive means of controlling unwanted vibrations.

avroomservice.com

Wood, rubber, cork are all pretty useless for proper isolation.

 

[rajeshmehendiratta]

Can check for Teflon but not sure. Will investigate.

 

[prem]

Teflon won’t isolate. You need stuff which can isolate upto at least 7-8 hz such that it’s resonant frequency is around 3-4 times that. So here resonant frequency will be around 25-30 hz which might be ok for most systems. Lower the isolation frequency, better it is. Ideally you want the resonant frequency below 20 hz. None of the standard materials will do that. These isolation devices are scientifically made. They come with lab reports to show what they do.

 

[panditji]

If you want to isolate, you need something that will isolate upto 2 hz. Those solutions are expensive. So you can choose something like this which will isolate to around 7-8 hz

EVP Equipment Vibration Protectors | A/V RoomService, Ltd.

EVPs – the most effective, easiest and least expensive means of controlling unwanted vibrations.

avroomservice.com

Wood, rubber, cork are all pretty useless for proper isolation.

Have seen these and many other cork+rubber sandwich products for use in isolation of heavy machinery/car damping etc etc. Hence thought of trying a nitrile rubber + cork sandwich on my own.. For about 8k, I can get a 3x2 feet 25 mm cork sheet as well as the Nitrile rubber sheet of 1m x 1m... Hence I decided to ask if others had tried similar products and their feedback...

Howabout a 10mm rubber + 25mm Cork + 10mm rubber as a platform for both the speakers as well as the audio rack? Won't that dissipate all the vibration into heat and the rubber makes it grip the wooden tiled surface?

 

[prem]

Nope. It won’t work. It will damp the sound. You don’t want that. You want isolation not damping. You can try heavy steel bases like what Sound Anchor makes. You can have them manufactured locally.

 

[panditji]

Teflon won’t isolate. You need stuff which can isolate upto at least 7-8 hz such that it’s resonant frequency is around 3-4 times that. So here resonant frequency will be around 25-30 hz which might be ok for most systems. Lower the isolation frequency, better it is. Ideally you want the resonant frequency below 20 hz. None of the standard materials will do that. These isolation devices are scientifically made. They come with lab reports to show what they do.

Prem, 99% of us have no clue what those lab reports mean and because we don't understand them, we think they are fancy and must be scientifically produced...

 

[panditji]

Nope. It won’t work. It will damp the sound. You don’t want that. You want isolation not damping.

Won't that cut down the bass boom a bit and soften the extra bass floating around?

 

[prem]

Prem, 99% of us have no clue what those lab reports mean and because we don't understand them, we think they are fancy and must be scientifically produced...

This is a scientific product. It works

 

[prem]

Bass boom needs to be addressed with speaker placement and room treatment. Rubber, wood, etc introduce damping. The frequency that gets damped depends on the material used. So you may or may not like it. But it definitely doesn’t provide isolation.

 

[prem]

Try and see if a simple sand filled box under the speaker works for you. It’s easy to get one made.

 

[RRR]

I have used a combination of cork and rubber for vibration/isolation.
Works very well on light equipment upto 10kg.
Have not tried it on heavy equipment and speakers.

 

[panditji]

This is a scientific product. It works

And yet there are enough number of people including this forum who don't believe in scientific measurements of amplifiers, DACs and speakers because of the lack of emotion in those numbers...Amir of ASR has enough haters...

 

[prem]

When it comes to isolation it’s science. There is nothing subjective about it. Space stuff, highly sensitive medical equipment all specify what is the level of isolation they want. And accordingly the product is developed.

When it comes to audio and if you want true isolation then technically the resonant frequency has to be below 20 hz. Whether this will result in sound you like is again highly subjective like all things in audio. But at least there’s a science by which you can bring isolation down to 4-5 hz.

When it comes to damping, some may like rubber, some may prefer wood. Each one hears differently. Damping becomes scientific if you can define the frequency that needs to be damped. Then the product can be developed accordingly.

And when it comes to equipment there is no defined technical parameters which will tell you what improves tone, what improves imaging etc, etc. Audio is sensory. You can’t have clearly defined technical parameters here. It’s like cooking. Ingredients to make something will be the same. But the amount you add can vary a wee bit.

So comparing isolation measurements is not akin to comparing ASR measurements.

 

[bloredude]

Buy Nankarrow IsoMat-HD™ High Density Impact & Airborne Sound Barrier in India direct from manufacturer, high quality, best price, fast delivery, 5 Year Warranty

Buy Nankarrow IsoMat-HD™ High Density Impact & Airborne Sound Barrier in India from manufacturer at the lowest & best price. Aural Exchange offers high quality products, same day shipping via Fedex and Delhivery , 5 Year Warranty on all products. Buy India's largest range of Elastomeric Sound...

www.auralexchange.com

Would like to know the negatives of using the above product as isolation/decoupling of heavy speakers or the wooden audio rack or audio equipment. I plan to use them as a sheet under the Tannoys as well as the heavy wooden audio rack (or place them under the laptop and amplifier sitting on the rack) ..

It seems to be perfect for such use but since I am not an engineer, I like like to know what could go wrong in using the above product for the above mentioned equipment...

Thanks in advance...

The proof lies in eating. Why not do an inexpensive experiment?

Try making a few square shaped pieces, 7x7 cm (if your speakers are big and heavy), 5x5 cm (for usual sized speakers) of the sheet and stack them. Let's say 3 pieces stacked and for four corners. That means a total of 24 pieces.

Place them underneath an see how it goes.

Stacking is important. More the number of pieces in the stack, the better the damping.

 

[panditji]

In that case, will come back with my review after eating the pudding..