Anyone using VibraPod products?

[BTB]

Hi All

Just had a new TV/Hi Fi stand made out of pretty thick MDF. Looks nice, but my equipment sounded better placed on the floor, while I waited for the stand to be delivered. The obvious problem seems to be airborne vibration, giving the TV/Stand a bit of a shake and I'm sure you can imagine the rest...

My plan is to try, as best I can, to isolate the equipment from the stand itself, and I've come across a product called "VibraPod". Has (or does) anyone use these things or any other product that may yeild similar (or even better) results.

As an aside, I might want to place the actual components (a CD player, DVD player & very heavy amp) on a laminate glass sheet which will then stand on the VibraPods. Does it make sense to do this or is "less" actually better in this case?

Any comments will be appreciated.

[sonicbaer]

You are asking this question a couple of weeks too early
for me to comment.

I just bought Vibrpods for all my equipment..but I'm stll
a couple of weeks from finishing the room renovation
where I listen to my music.

Also finishing equipment rack..
sooo. if you are still intersted in my comments in a
couple of weeks..I'd be more than happy to oblige..

Michael

[Kal Rubinson]

It may be that the stand negatively affects the sound because it is not rigid enough. The vibrapods may help if that's the case since they will somewhat isolate the equipment from the shelf. If the problem is truly air-borne, the equipment will still be directly affected.

Kal

[Club1820]

Are vibrapods strictly for use with CD & DVD players? Or do they have some benefit when used with pre/pros and/or amps?

[David Meek]

I've been using Vibrapods for 4-5 years and wouldn't be without them. Some people just use them as replacement feet, but I have glass shelves resting on the 'pods and the component on the shelf. I initially used them under my CD only but after some testing, I have them under my DVD and DAC, too. I haven't purchased enough of them to put them under my 70 lb receiver.

[soundhound]

I like David have everything on glass shelves, and put them under all my gear. They instantly quieted down my preamp when using microphonic mullard tubes. I put them under all my gear, tubed or not, as it certainly can't hurt even with the ss. Probably help with lighter transports as well. The ones I have are sized depending on the weight of the component (my amp is a hog) as they all may be???

[David Meek]

The original 'pods were fairly light capacity ones and you simply figured out how many of them it took to place under the glass to support the component's AND the glass' weight. You can get various capacity ones as of a couple of years ago, which give the ability to use them as the actual footers for components.

[BTB]

Guys...

Thanks very much, this is exactly what I was hoping to hear. I can try them on a full refund 30 day trial basis anyway (from a dealer in another city), I just figured I wouldn't bother if others hadn't had positive experiences already.

David & soundhound, I'm particularly interested in your set ups... you say your kit stands on glass and then you place the glass on the pods? I had a similar idea in mind for myself (using 6-8mm laminate glass), yet the VibraPod website seems to discourage the use of glass... I thought glass (esp. a laminate) would be fairly inert, sonically speaking. Have I got my facts wrong?

[stantheman2]

I have vibrapods under a Denon DVD player, which sits on a glass shelf. I also used the vibrapods under the DVD player when it was sitting on an MDF shelf. In both cases, the vibrapods improved the sound - more distinct, with tighter bass. Great cheap tweak. As another poster noted, they come in three or four different weight classes, so assuming your component has 4 feet, divide the total weight by 4 to get the correct weight per pod. The pods are designed to "compress" about half way with the right weight - too light, and the pods will be too stiff, and too heavy, the pods will crush and you'll get no isolation.

As to the shelf, glass can "ring", so MDF or a thick acrylic plastic should provide a more dead surface, which is what you want.

[David Meek]

I wasn't aware that their site was discouraging the use of glass. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the heads-up.

[RobP]

I wonder how solid Granite would do as a shelf an inch thick or so?

[David Meek]

Hmmm. One-inch granite. Vibrapancakes?

[RobP]

:lol: well, if you put the Vibrapods under the granite, yes......... :W

[BTB]

I wonder how solid Granite would do as a shelf an inch thick or so?

I've been talking with some (audio) friends of mine... this is probably the route I will be going. Apparently a slab (about an inch thick or so) of slate or granite (both acoustically inert from what I've been told) should sort my problems out.

I'll just have to see if my new cabinet is up to the task of supporting this weight of stone. I'll simply put some self adhesive rubber pads under the stone and see what sort of results I get.

[RobP]

I was looking at a rack from Sound Anchors that I really liked, but at the price they wanted with glass shelves I could probably build my own cheaper with thick granite shelves. I can get sink cutouts fairly cheap from a local countertop company, they would work perfectly after they were cut to size.