Butcher Block under all the equipment.. exotic wood pen blanks!

S Clark · « **Reply #60 on:** 11 Sep 2019, 01:21 pm »

It's a shame. Elizabeth is a member that has a lot to offer. Her history of tweaks and willingness to share adds value here.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #61 on:** 11 Sep 2019, 01:22 pm »

Quote from: Rusty Jefferson on 11 Sep 2019, 11:59 am

What's the point of someone removing all their posts? What am I missing?

Elizabeth does this all the time. JohnR made a rule about it regarding trashing threads by removing all your posts. It seems as though she has a unique view on any thread she starts. I think the thread may continue on just fine without her.

Quote from: S Clark on 11 Sep 2019, 01:21 pm

It's a shame. Elizabeth is a member that has a lot to offer. Her history of tweaks and willingness to share adds value here.

I agree completely, I always read her posts with interest.

bacobits1 · « **Reply #62 on:** 11 Sep 2019, 09:00 pm »

I don't!

timind · « **Reply #63 on:** 11 Sep 2019, 09:09 pm »

Her profile says she's on line right now so she's not completely gone...yet.

mresseguie · « **Reply #64 on:** 11 Sep 2019, 10:08 pm »

I think this is a good thread. It's informative, and multiple folks have tried it and found improvements in sound. That's great!

Thank you, Elizabeth, for starting this thread. I'd high five you if we were face to face.

However, any thread I start is not 'my' thread. It's public. This means anyone can join in to offer ideas or criticize. Ideally, the criticism is thoughtful and not hurtful. [We have Admins hanging around to make sure sand doesn't get tossed in people's eyes.] Personally, I love all the back and forth here. I hope you'll reconsider your hurt and stick around for future discussions. I've made mistakes here over the years, and I've apologized when necessary, and tried hard to avoid crossing that line again.

Someone I know has a shirt that reads something like: "I trip. I fall. Then, I get up and dance again." Life is like this. We occasionally trip and fall. Then, we take a few breaths; reconsider the situation, and try again. Our interactions on this forum are no different. Let's keep trying.

Regards,

Michael

Wig · « **Reply #65 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 11:17 pm »

Hey,

Looking for some guidance on the type of wood to use under my full-range speakers; Currently using Gaia II Isolators with carpet spikes under my speakers but my carpet is so thick that I can't get them perfectly leveled and toed-in ( I'm a perfectionist). I'm thinking about eliminating the carpet discs and placing the Gaia directly on top of the wood platform and this should make my set-up much easier...

Thanks,
Wig

Elizabeth · « **Reply #66 on:** 20 Sep 2019, 12:29 am »

TYpe of wood.. Well I would suggest hard maple. Since you can buy ready made butcher blocks in lots of sizes, and can get them custom made. to any size you want. The issue to me would be the board having the same probles of staying level on a thick carpet. You would need some sort of points or at least something (even wood skids? V shaped attached to the boards to get between the carpet down to the carpet base easily.) I do not think just a board alone can solve the settling or angling from bad settling. My speakers settle INTO the carpet, and then if I move them, they get askew from the flattened are vs the plush new area the speaker is on. Maybe if you had a relatively larger board than the base? (then you could move the speaker, and even is askew on the base... Once you have the right spot, Then move the base to be just rigntin relation to the base? Right now I am using pen blanks under the base of my speakers.. they are settling into the carpet too....
Butcher Block Acoustics makes many sizes of ready made butcher blocks, and custom too. I have though if getting custom size 29" by 15" (or to be larger 30" by 16"?) for my Magnepan 20.7

If I could actually get ANY wood, I would go for Rosewood family (Dalbergia) wood. Bolivian Rosewood. (E. Indian Rosewood is way more available, but is lighter weight) Cocobolo is also more readily available and a good choice, but getting expensive. With perhaps 2 slats made of African Blackwood. There are plenty of custom made butcher blocks on sites like Etsy.. Someone there might like to make something to order in exotic woods. PS there are MANY restrictions on Rosewood family of wood as far as international shipment of the wood and even more so the finished products. So read up a restrictions on Dalbergia if you want to persue it as a choice.

timind · « **Reply #67 on:** 20 Sep 2019, 01:33 am »

Quote from: Wig on 19 Sep 2019, 11:17 pm

Hey,

Looking for some guidance on the type of wood to use under my full-range speakers; Currently using Gaia II Isolators with carpet spikes under my speakers but my carpet is so thick that I can't get them perfectly leveled and toed-in ( I'm a perfectionist). I'm thinking about eliminating the carpet discs and placing the Gaia directly on top of the wood platform and this should make my set-up much easier...

Thanks,
Wig

I had some 1 inch thick MDF shelving that I didn't need and didn't want to throw out so I built a couple speaker plinths instead. I cut 4 equal size pieces and liquid nailed them together to make a couple 2 inch thick pieces. I then bought 2 sets of these: https://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-speaker-cabinet-1-2-super-toe-spike-set-4-pcs--240-730 and mounted them. Painted them gloss black and use them for speaker plinths or amp stands or whatever.

Cheap, easy, and very effective.

rollo · « **Reply #68 on:** 20 Sep 2019, 01:50 pm »

You need longer spikes to penetrate the carpet. If you desire to decouple speakers with a plinth you will still Then after spiked plinth for best results the speakers would need to be decoulped from plinth.
One must be careful raising the speakers too much. The tweeter should be at ear level. Not an issue for Planars. Look at Mapleshade for ideas. Expensive solutions there.
The type of wood matters as Elizabeth points out. They sound different and experimentation is time consuming and costly. One size does not fit all.
For now may I suggest just longer spikes first. Then after listening try something else. BTW does not the Gaia isolators come with a longer spike ?

charles

Wig · « **Reply #69 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 03:39 am »

All,

Thanks for your responses and advice, much appreciated!

My Gaia II carpet spikes are about 1/2"long and the idea of a wood platform seems like the best solution. My speakers are 8.0 Cu Ft measuring 19" W x 21" D and the bases plus Gaia would raise the speakers up a few more inches which is fine being that they are much lower than ear level.

Butcher Blocks looks to be very reasonably priced and may be the way to go unless I can find something cheaper that would do the job. Maybe I'll check with Lowes or other hardware stores to see if they have any scrap butcher blocks.

Thanks,
Wig

mresseguie · « **Reply #70 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 05:23 am »

Wig,

I haven't tried them, but Ikea sells jumbo sized bamboo cutting boards which are about an inch thick. I do not know their dimensions, but they are inexpensive when compared to butcher blocks.

Michael

P.S. I love my SW1X DAC III STD!

Elizabeth · « **Reply #71 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 03:06 pm »

I am thinking to buy one more Butcher Block Acoustics.
Go to Amazon and discover the prices have gone up.. . So a 19" by 16" by 1 3/4" Maple I paid $72.84 free shipping just two months ago, is now $88 free shipping..
This always happens.. Any audiophile company success is guaranteed to cause higher prices..
Maybe they expect to be able to eat... ??

I guess I AM lucky I went crazy and bought 20 of them before the price increases... (I 'saved' something like $500. Don't ask what I actually spent to save $500)

JakeJ · « **Reply #72 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 03:37 pm »

Ya gotta spend money to save money, everybody knows that!

WGH · « **Reply #73 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 04:07 pm »

Woodcraft has 24" x 60" maple butcher block counter tops for $219.99, bigger sizes are available.
https://www.woodcraft.com/search?q=counter+top&button=search

Many cities have a Woodcraft store to save on shipping. AZ Sash and Door used to sell maple butcher block countertops for $25/foot, check your local kitchen/counter top stores, lumber yard, Home Depot.
Cut the tops to size yourself using a circular saw, a neighbor, a handyman, or a local cabinet shop.

S Clark · « **Reply #74 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 05:01 pm »

Home Depot 8'x2'x1.5" butcher block maple for $324-- would make a whole bunch of bases.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-ft-L-x-2-ft-1-D-in-x-1-5-in-T-Butcher-Block-Countertop-in-Unfinished-Maple-BF-8/301001250

But, I'd bet on Wood Craft quality over Home Depot

Don_S · « **Reply #75 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 05:29 pm »

Here is a source for butcher block in several wood species including maple and walnut. They offer standard pre-cut sizes as well as custom sizes for those who do not have the tools or skill set to cut down large pieces. Maple is a bear to cut. I know, I have tried.

http://www.perfectplank.com/index.html

mhconley · « **Reply #76 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 05:45 pm »

Quote from: Don_S on 21 Sep 2019, 05:29 pm

Here is a source for butcher block in several wood species including maple and walnut. They offer standard pre-cut sizes as well as custom sizes for those who do not have the tools or skill set to cut down large pieces. Maple is a bear to cut. I know, I have tried.

http://www.perfectplank.com/index.html

I built my racks using butcher blocks purchased from Perfect Plank years ago. Great company with very good prices.

Martin

rollo · « **Reply #77 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 06:13 pm »

I tell ya people lots of good info here. Very neighborly of y'all.

charles

Rusty Jefferson · « **Reply #78 on:** 21 Sep 2019, 06:27 pm »

More important than the platforms imo are the footers. You want that platform solidly lock to the flooring below your carpet, and the speakers solidly locked to the platform. No movement.

Charles is right that Mapleshade has great products for this application as do others. They'll set you back a few hundred dollars but can transform a system. Thick carpet footers under the platform, low/regular footers under the speakers.

https://www.mapleshadestore.com/brassfooters.php

Early B. · « **Reply #79 on:** 22 Sep 2019, 03:05 am »

OK, WTF just happened....????!!!

A couple of weeks ago, I reported on the positive benefits of using cocobolo pen blanks underneath my preamp. Tonight, I tried Texas mesquite wood pucks cut straight from the branch. I simply removed the cocobolo squares from beneath my preamp and placed the mesquite pucks under the feet. Frankly, I was shocked by the difference in sound. There's no question that even the most ardent audio naysayer would have heard the difference. The sound became sweeter. I don't know how else to describe it. Definitely better, and not by a small margin. To make sure I wasn't losing my mind, I placed the cocobolo squares back in, played my favorite track, and then put the mesquite back in. Wow!

Wait! It gets better!!! I placed the cocobolo squares underneath my DAC and there was a slight improvement. The mesquite/cocobolo combo worked out well for me. Of course, Elizabeth would encourage us to experiment with a variety wood types, but I'm good right here. I removed tube gear from my system because I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole.

Anyway, for very, very cheap, you can tweak the sound of your system with wood. I can't explain it, so don't ask me to. Just try it. Hell, some of you can go in your backyard, cut some pieces from a fallen branch and see what happens. You might be surprised at the outcome.

So what did we learn today, boys and girls? That's right -- wood is good.