A Brief Survey of Isolation Devices

Page Three - descriptions and photos 
      

Aurios - Media Isolation Bearings. Maker Vistek has wide-ranging expertise in solving vibration induced problems on an industrial and architectural scale. Since 1994, technologies developed by Vistek and its affiliates have been utilized in structures as varied as bridges, towers and clean rooms. Scaled down to meet the needs of audio, Vistek make use of their knowledge in the design of the Media Isolation Bearings. The Aurios contains three ball bearings in dimples or raceways inside the device. The bearings separate the top and bottom halves of the "sandwich," for a very low friction interface. The balls and the raceways are highly hardened and smoothened alloy, stainless, metal-glass or ceramic parts. Two products are offered,  Pro Max and Classic. Optional decouplers (shown in photo above) are available that further enhance performance. Recent price decreases have added to the value of these devices.

Character: Exceptionally fast, open quality with excellent dynamics.
Pros: Relatively small, allowing their use under most components. Almost limitless weight bearing capacity.
Cons: Price. Rack should be level for optimum performance. The enhanced level of detail may prove overly analytical in some systems.
Dimensions: 2.0 - 5/8"H x 2"D   1.1 - 1.5”H x 1.5”D (not pictured)   Pro – 1.75”H x 3”D (Not pictured)
Price: Classis - $189, set of 3, Pro Max - $279, set of 3, Decouplers - $55, set of three

Classic (Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

  Pro Max (Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Decouplers (Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Black Diamond Racing – Carbon fiber cones. Materials science has found its way into the world of audio vibration devices. A good example is the BDR cones, made from carbon fiber, a very strong and very lightweight material. The company’s offerings include cones, platforms, pucks and a record weight. We’ll confine our survey to the cones. BDR offers two versions; Mark III and Mark IV.

Character: The Mk III is a bit warmer, the Mk IV more extended.
Pros: Inexpensive. Short stature allows them to be use in a wide range of applications. Low cost.
Cons: Short stature may not raise components high enough to bypass existing feet.
Dimensions: .5” H x 1.5” D
Price: About $60, set of 3

Bright Star Audio: Bright Star was the first to use sand as an isolation material for audio equipment. Since then they’ve added pneumatic isolation and constrained-layer bases to their line. The company offers a wide range of products, in an array of sizes, depending on the application.
        Sand can effectively store and dissipate vibrational energy. It has been used in other industries where damping vibration is needed.
        Bright Star believes that mass loading components (adding weight) improves performance. Their Little Rock products are heavy, damped pods designed to be placed on top of components to damp the enclosure.
        Pneumatic isolation platforms can effective in some systems, but their idiosyncrasies can be problematic. Leveling components with unevenly distributed weight can be difficult to impossible with single bladder designs. Multi bladder systems can compensate, but as the bladders loose air the problems returns. And all the designs I’ve tried air loose air pressure over time. Pneumatic bladder designs require regular checks for correct pressure
Character: Can smooth peaks in a bright or edgy system though some feel the sound is over damped.
Pros: Extra weight can help load the equipment stand.
Cons: Size may preclude their use if space is limited. When filled, the sand boxes can be very heavy and will spill if tipped.
Dimensions: Many sizes available
Price: About $200 to $500     

Clear Audio - Magix – Magnetic Isolation Pods. Such an interesting concept, that of magnetic levitation and one that has been tried many times over the years. The goal is to float a component on nothing but a magnetic field. Clearaudio Magix isolation pods have come as close as any to achieving the goal.
          What does a component sound like floating on air? I’ve found the Magix enhance ambience, space and smoothness. I note a reduction in grain and grit resulting in a very refined and easy, almost soft quality. That said, some might miss the attack, speed or detail found in hard coupling feet, roller bearing designs or cones.

Character: Velvety smooth, airy.
Pros: Extreme decoupling.
Cons: Expensive. Tall, preventing their use in many applications. Expansive but somewhat diffused soundstage.
Notes: Each unit supports approximately 12 pounds. Divide the weight of your component by twelve to determine the number needed.
Dimensions: 4-1/4”Diameter x 3.3/4”H
Price: $200 each - SPECIAL ORDER ONLY

(Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Daruma IIIi – Ball bearing isolators. Final Labs from Japan were the first to offer an inexpensive ball bearing device. The Daruma IIIi works well in many systems and as a result have enjoyed widespread popularity.
         A stainless steel ball bearing separates top and bottom pucks made of aluminum. The aluminum is rather soft (in comparison to the stainless ball) and will gall under heavy loads. We do not recommend you not load the Daruma IIIi with components over 20 pounds.

Character: Expect most of the speed, focus and detail found in similar ball bearing devices.
Pros: Inexpensive. Lacking the last ounce of clarity and resolution found in more expensive ball bearing devices.
Cons: Limited weight bearing capacity. Somewhat tedious set up.
Dimensions: 1 – 3/4” Diameter x 2”H
Price: $99 set of 3 (Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

DH Labs – Ceramic Cones. The material used in a coupling or decoupling device affects the "sound." Some designers feel cones should be made of the hardest material available. Following that belief,  DH Labs has chosen ceramic - the hardest material available (next to diamond).
         We've had generally good luck with the DH Labs cones. Their slightly blunted tips are not likely to mark most equipment shelves expect under very heavy loads.

Character: Enhanced leading edge transient definition.
Pros: Lacks excessive brightness or stridency.
Cons: No major concerns.
Dimensions: Large – 1”H x 1.25”D, Jumbo – 1-3/8”H x 1-9/16”D, Super – 1.5”H x 1.5”D
Price: Large, $60 set of 3, Jumbo $90, set of 3, Super $120, set of 3 

  Jumbo (Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

  Super (Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Eraudio - Space Harmonizer – Not really an isolation base in the strictest sense, we should probably refer to the Eraudio as an equipment platform. The manufacturer states: “Harmonizer doesn’t absorb vibration, but redistributes its spectra towards higher naturalness and harmony for human ear”.
           The Space Harmonizer is constructed using  "tuned" resonant bars of Siberian Cedar assembled into (a rather lightweight) platform. It’s of laminated construction, similar to the way a cutting board is made.
            The manufacturer recommends that four viscoelastic feet or steel cones (preferably their own design) be used beneath the platform, one located at each corner. Best results, according to Eraudio, are obtained when using the Space Harmonizer under speakers. In all fairness to the manufacturer, I was not able to test them effectively in that scenario. For me, the additional height of the platform and cones beneath the speaker changed the tonal balance of the speaker and made the results hard to interpret. My listening tests employed source components and electronics only.
            I really did not find any significant effect when using the Space Harmonizer. The platform did add a subtle glow to the music, but it was indeed slight. The bases are rather attractive, and most gear did look nice perched atop a Space Harmonizer.
            To be fair, the manufacturer does suggest that speakers benefit most, but as mentioned previously, they simply weren’t an option for me.

Character: Very subtle sense of added warmth.
Pros: Attractive.
Cons: Low perceived effect. The overall height is likely to become an issue when the requisite cones are added. Sizes are inappropriate for many U.S. components.
Dimensions: Small – 18.5”W x 11.5D x 1.5”H. Large – 24”W x 15”D x 1.5”H
Price:  $249 - $349

Currently unavailable

First Impression Music - Isolation Platform and Isolation Stand. First Impression Music is respected for their superb CDs and SACDs. Proprietor Winston Ma is a recording engineer of great renown and a very dedicated audiophile. In assembling his own system, he found himself dissatisfied with much of the available offerings. This led him to design several products on his own; interconnects and speaker cables, an (outstanding) AC outlet and now three isolation products.
            Many designers feel wood (particularly Maple) offers a certain richness that enhancers harmonic structure. It has become a popular material. Winston Ma felt that while Maple (Ebony was his first choice, but far too expensive) was a good basic material for a platform, on its own it did not fully address the issue of vibration and resonance control. His experiments led him to marry the richness of Maple with the speed of roller ball technology.
            His roller bearing design is unique in regards to the choice of materials. The load bearing pucks are brass, coated with hardened white steel. A stainless steel or tungsten carbide bearing is employed. The pucks are recessed into the wood for intimate contact.
            The Platform consists of a 1.75” selected hard rock Maple platform resting on three roller ball isolators and a lower MDF platform. It can be used under virtually any component and has a weight bearing capacity of 100 pounds.
            The platforms have worked exceptionally well here. In fact, I’d have to say they are one of the best platforms I’ve tried. They offer the speed, attack and detail we’ve come to expect from roller bearing technology, but without the hard or metallic character some associate with this technology. Maple alone can, in many systems, tend to take things too far in the direction of warmth; roller bearing devices may move too far the opposite direction. The marriage of the two seems to be synergistic.

Character: Doesn’t seem to affect tonality to any great degree, perhaps a touch of additional warmth in the mids.
Pros: Balance of qualities – enhanced leading-edge transients, improved resolution of low level detail.
Cons: May be too tall for some applications.
Dimensions: Platform - 19” W x 15” D x 2.75”H. Stand - 19” W x 15” D x 5.75”H.
Price: $298 - $438

First Impression Music Iso bearings – The Iso Bearings were not originally intended to be used alone, but rather offered as a kit for those who want to build their own platforms. However, our experimentation shows they can be used alone with excellent results. Clearly balanced toward a fast articulate quality, when compared with the FIM platforms, they offer similar performance characteristics to other roller bearing devices at a very reasonable price.  

Character: Detail, speed, focus.
Pros: Inexpensive
Cons: Mechanical resistance from cables should be addressed.
Dimensions: 1-5/8” diameter x 7/8” H
Price: $99, set of 3

(Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Finite Elemente: The latest addition to the ceramic isolation devices is the Ceraball Universal. This all new design is a much improved version of its predecessor, offering a larger surface area for better contact with the component for improved performance.
         Aluminum is used for the housing, the ball bearing is ceramic.
         The Ceraball Universal, as its name suggests, can be used in a wide range of applications from source components all the way through the signal chain to the loudspeakers. With speakers in mind, Finite Element includes threaded studs (6mm and 8mm) for coupling to the spike inserts on the bottom of your speakers. A set of 3 Ceraball Universal isolators can handle up to 300 pounds, for pucks support 350.
          Also available are Cerapuc and Cerabase. These offer better performance through the use of stainless steel and further design enhancements. Cerapuc and Cerabase also offer higher weight bearing capacities for very heavy speakers and racks.

Character: Detail, speed, focus.
Pros: Work with many different components. Very high weight bearing capacity.
Cons: Can be expensive
Dimensions: 1.4” diameter x 1.2” H
Price: $175, set of 3. Four pack $229

Gingko - In the Gingko designs, isolation from structure-borne vibration is accomplished through the use of viscoelastic balls sandwiched between two pieces of Plexiglas. Each ball supports up to a maximum of 12 pounds, and one chooses the number required for the application.
            We've found the Gingko platforms to be effective in a number of applications using a wide range of equipment. They have proven particularly effective under turntables as well as CD players and tube gear. Our experiments here using the VPI Scout and Scoutmaster returned impressive results by dramatically lowering the noise floor.
            We believe the most successful designs for use under turntables will be those with the ability to provide low frequency isolation (SAP Relaxa and Magix share this category with Gingko).

Character: Neutral to softening or warming
Pros: Adaptable to a broad range of equipment
Cons: Add a few inches of height to the component so be sure you have enough space above
Dimensions: A number of sizes are offered. The Model 10 pictures measures 18"W x 14"D x 2.5"H. Custom sizes are available; call for pricing
Price: $299 and up

(Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Marigo – Marigo was one of the first companies to move away from metal cones (which are often bright and hard). They offer a large cone and a small cone. The small cones include support discs (shown here). Eight times out of ten I find the smaller cones outperform the larger, except for very specific applications. The Marigo cones are very well received and easily compete with anything in the price range.

Character: Variable depending on model
Pros: Small – Inexpensive. Large – Reasonably priced.
Cons: Small – Height may become an issue. Large w/bases – Strong character (often very bright) makes them very system specific.
Dimensions: Small - 1.5"H x 1.25"D  Large – 2”H x 1.75”D
Price: Small - $99, set of 3, Large - $239 - Call for special pricing

Polycrystal products are no longer available.
We suggest you upgrade to DH Labs.

Polycrystal Isolators– The modest cost and worthwhile improvements make the Polycrystal Isolators a good value but inconsistent  availability have made DH Labs cones (and to some extent the Marigo offerings) more popular. Polycrystal Isolators generally do not change tonality in most systems.
             Two sizes are available, Standard and Reference. The Reference may be better in some systems, but on balance, I feel the Standard size is the better value.

Character: Enhanced leading edge transient definition.
Pros: Inexpensive. Balanced performance. Works well in most systems.
Cons: No major concerns.
Dimensions: Standard - 1”H x 1.25”H, Reference – 1-3/8”H x 1.5”D
Price: $65, set of 3, Reference $150

Polycrystal products are no longer available.
We suggest you upgrade to DH Labs.

SAP: Relaxa Isolation Base – The Relaxa employs magnetic levitation (see Clear Audio Magix) to isolate the top platform from the base below.  A tempered glass top plate floats on three magnetic pistons (adjustable for leveling).
        The Relaxa is an excellent performer in most applications.
        Weight bearing capacity about 50 pounds, though a fifth piston assembly can be added to increase carrying ability to approximately 65 pounds. Sensitivity to unevenly weighted components should be noted.

Character: Doesn’t seem to affect tonality to any great degree. Airy, liquid, refined.
Pros: Balanced performance. Works well in most systems. Stylish.
Cons: Price. Fixed weight bearing capacity. May require off center placement of components with uneven weight distribution. Overall height may be an issue in some systems with limited space above the component to be isolated.
Dimensions: Small – 17”W x 15”D x 1-3/4”H. Medium - 19”W x 16”D x 1-3/4”H. Large – 23”W x 23”D x 1 – ¾”H
Price:  $795

(Click Purchase Now to see special pricing)

Silent Running TremorLess – Isolation Base. Proprietor Kevin Tellekamp leads a dual life. Part of the time he works on exotic military applications including work on silencing nuclear submarines. The term used for an operationally quiet stealthy sub is "silent running," and has become the moniker for the company.  The half of his life as an audiophile revolves around making isolation products for audio gear.
            Kevin has also been a consultant to several high end audio companies to address chassis vibration and resonance.

Character: Doesn’t seem to affect tonality to any great degree.
Pros: Balanced performance. Works well in most systems.
Cons: Pointed feet require shelf protectors.
Dimensions: Small – 17”W x 15”D x 1-3/4”H. Medium - 19”W x 16”D x 1-3/4”H.
Price: Small - $300 -  Medium $325

TremorLess Bases are currently unavailable

Stillpoints – Developed in concert a former Wadia employee and the previous distributor of the Aurios bearings, the Stillpoints are a totally unique and unusual design.
        The cone shaped device features a ceramic ball at the apex, working together with four more ceramic balls inside. The internal grouping is held within a flower like arrangement the manufacturer refers to as the calyx (outer floral envelope of a flower or bud). The individual petals of this calyx act as shock absorbers, damping energy transferred through the ceramic balls. The base of the Stillpoints is flat and covered with Lexan® to prevent surface marring and damp its metal bottom. The center of the base is tapped and threaded to allow attachment via a threaded rod (not included) to a component, loudspeaker or the (optional) Stillpoints Riser base.

Character: Tonal character lies somewhere between the extremely fast qualities of ball bearing devices and the warmer flavor of the composite and ceramic cones.
Pros: Relatively small. Can be used with a threaded stud insert for rigid coupling.
Cons: Expensive when you consider you can get an entire base from FIM or Gingko for the same amount.
Dimensions: 1” H x 1.5” diameter
Price:  $299, set of 3

Symposium - Roller Blocks – The original purveyor of ball bearing technology this company have offered products employing ball bearing isolation methods since 1997. A In the design, a concave dish has been mounted in block of special isolating material. A ball bearing (stainless or tungsten) rests in the dish and the component on top of the bearing.
        In addition to Roller Blocks, Symposium offers a range of isolation bases (using constrained-layer techniques) which will not be covered here.

Character: Expect the speed, focus and detail found in similar ball bearing devices
Pros: Relatively small size.
Cons: All with all ball bearing designs, optimum results when the equipment rack is level and stresses exerted by connecting cables have been relieved.
Dimensions: Roller Block – 2” W x 1” W x 1.25” H 
Price: $350, set of 3                           

Townshend Audio: Max Townsend of Britain popularized the use of pneumatic isolation bases for audio applications. His line of Seismic Sinks use an inflatable internal bladder (or multiple bladders) separating a top and bottom plate of damped metal. A valve permits inflation with a bicycle pump. Very low pressure is maintained in the bladder, just enough to separate the top and bottom panels; the less pressure, the lower the resonant frequency.
         Pneumatic isolation platforms can effective in some systems, but their idiosyncrasies can be problematic. Leveling components with unevenly distributed weight can be difficult to impossible with single bladder designs. Multi bladder systems can compensate, but as the bladders loose air the problems returns. And all the designs I’ve tried air loose air pressure over time. Pneumatic bladder designs require regular checks for correct pressure.                           

Character: Reduced background haze, may subtly shift tonal balance to the warm side.
Pros: Isolates in both horizontal and vertical planes.
Cons: Somewhat costly, the height of the platforms may preclude their use where space is limited.
Dimensions: 17”W x 13”D to 27”W x 14”D
Prices: $300 +  

Van Slyke Engineering Tri-Orb – Unique and rather complex devices using a multifaceted combination of cones, roller-balls, sling suspenders, decoupled spring-mass absorber blocks, cork & gray felt layers, and Neoprene O-ring sling suspension.
            Our brief experience found set up to be exceptionally involved and I'm not sure we ever realized the full potential of the devices. They may be good performers, but the cost and extreme difficulty of setup reduce their appeal to all but the most committed audiophiles.

Character: Varies depending on system. They were a bit bright here.
Pros: Tune-able
Cons: Expensive, tedious setup, height.
Dimensions: Depends on model
Price: $995 - $1595, set of 3

Vibrapods:  Most of the soft damping feet are a simple chunk of viscoelastic material. Vibrapod molds a vinyl-based damping material into a unique shape, said to be more effective at reducing vibration than simpler designs.
            Five versions are available, each with different weight bearing capacities. Choose based on the amount of weight you need to support.
            The Vibrapod’s have been well accepted by our clients with modest systems. They also seem to perform well under most video gear. As the resolution of the system improves the value of the product diminishes. High resolution systems will likely experience some blurring of images, softening of focus and dulling of the tonal balance. 

Character: tonal balance, somewhat diffused sound field.
Pros: Very inexpensive. Short height allows their use in most any situation.
Cons: Leaves oily residue that may be impossible to remove (we recommend a circle of plastic wrap or wax paper be used above and below each Vibrapod). Will likely flatten over time (especially if loaded to maximum weight).
Notes: Always use a circle of plastic wrap above and below each foot.
Dimensions: 9/16”H x 2.5”D
Price: $6 each

Vibracones – The same viscoelastic material found in Vibrapods fashioned into a cone shape with a stainless steel ball bearing inserted at the tip. Weight bearing capacity between 6 and 10 pounds. Use the number needed to support the weight of your component. Vibracones can be stacked on Vibrapods for additional isolation.

Character: Similar to Vibrapods but with increased focus.
Pros: Very inexpensive.
Cons: Leaves oily residue that may be impossible to remove (we recommend a circle of plastic wrap of wax paper be used above each Vibracone).
Dimensions: 1"H x 1-5/8"D
Price:  $8 each

 Notes: This is an ongoing survey. It will updated on an irregular basis with new information, changes to existing products and the addition of new offerings. Be sure to check back on occasion.

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