Subwoofer Isolation

[WLF1]

Thomas, thank you for your response in the IB forum. I apologize for posting my message there, but I thought that people who have installed IB subs might be able to help.

My real question is whether or not I should build the sub into the entertainment center cabinet or isolate it from everything else?

From what I read in your response, I shouldn't use spikes for a sub if I want isolation. I was thinking they would isolate it and be a way to accurately position the sub in the cabinet space. They would also allow me to slide it in and then jack the enclosure up to give room all around. If spikes won't provide isolation, I'll try accomodate the Auralex unit, but the 3-inch height limits the size of the enclosure some.

The other concern I had with installing the sub enclosure within a cavity in the entertainment center with space all around is possible noise coming from the space around the enclosure. I think I remember Jon Marsh saying this could be a problem with speakers installed in cabinets. Should I worry about this?

What are the negative aspects of installing the sub in the cabinet and not having isloation? This would greatly simplify things, but I don't want to do it if it will cause problems.

Thanks,

Lea

[Dennis H]

Spikes couple the sub to the floor. Foam pads, etc., will isolate it from the floor.

[ThomasW]

What are the negative aspects of installing the sub in the cabinet and not having isolation?

Depends on the amount of vibration. People have had items knocked off shelves from the vibrations of subs. Note that can also be caused by the acoustical energy in the room, not the just sub box itself vibrating. (This of course is a function of pretty high SPL's).

If the weight/mass of the sub is high, there shouldn't be a lot of vibration to begin with, let alone much transferred to the wall unit.

There are stiff (dense) closed cell foams (neoprene) available that won't be 3" thick. I don't have links for any particular suppliers, so a google search is probably in order.

The other concern I had with installing the sub enclosure within a cavity in the entertainment center with space all around is possible noise coming from the space around the enclosure.

Just build the sub big enough so there's a small air gap (approx 1/2") around the box when it's sitting on the foam.

[WLF1]

Thanks for the responses. It's great when knowlegable people are willing to help others.

I'll plan on isolating the sub and will get some closed cell neoprene to sit it on.

[denverdoc]

I have a line on foam if interested--would post the link but a HD crash has left me needing to reconstruct.

Comes in sheets or rolls of various viscoelastic specs--used for isolating heavy machiney, etc.
John

[WLF1]

John

I tried to send you an E-Mail but it may not have gone through. If you have a name for the foam, I would like to get it.

Thanks,

Lea

[denverdoc]

Or quite possibly I missed it, try again with subject--AUDIO!!!!
J

[ThomasW]

Both Sam's Club and Costco sell 4'X6' modular exercise mats for about $20. Although obviously too large these mats are a dense closed cell foam.

The other option is to surf around the massive www.McMaster.com website. The 'Raw Materials and Springs' section has an extensive list of products in the 'Rubber and Foam' subsection.

Another option is your local yellow pages.

[ekkoville]

WLF, I haven't built the sub into the enclosure, but I built the enclosure around my sub. The sub sits on the floor and is covered by the cabinet. I have found no vibration issue, but some calibration needed to be done for good sound. The large open "hole" I have in front for displaying items in the cabinet can cause some big increase in sound level's of the sub. With some tweaking I got to sound great and hidden at the same time.

Erik