DIY Amp Platforms

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john1970

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DIY Amp Platforms
« on: 10 Jul 2006, 12:44 am »
To all Audiocircle members,

This may seem obvious, but here is a simple means to build your own Amp platforms:

1) Purchase 24" x 48" MDF at Home Depot and have it cut into 24" square pieces (easier for one person to handle).  Glue up two pieces of 3/4" MDF using Titebond II adhesive.  Wait ~6 hours and cut using a table saw to the desired size.  In my case I cut each square to a 18" x 20" rectangle.     

2) Prime both the top and the bottom with two coats of latex primer.

3) Coat the top with two coats of latex high-gloss paint and coat the bottom with one coat (optional, since you will NEVER see the bottom). 

4) For edging use 2" red oak veneer (or other veneer to match your furniture), apply as directed (usually with an iron) and stain using your choice of stains.  I am using MinWax Polyshades Classic Oak Gloss (two coats).

5) Apply feet of your choice.  I am probably going to use some high-density rubber feet from Ace hardware.  However, I am open for suggestions for types of feet to use?? 

I am still in the middle of construction and I will let you know how they turn out.  Each platform (I'm building two) is 1.5" thick and should work well for dampening.  The total cost of supplies is <$75 and IMO they will look as good as some "audiophile" components that retail for much more money. 

Let me know if you have any questions,

John

kfr01

Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #1 on: 10 Jul 2006, 02:31 am »

john1970

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #2 on: 10 Jul 2006, 03:02 am »
To whom it may concern,

I did look at the feet from partsexpress, but I'm not sure I want to go with the pointed metal type.  I would prefer something smaller that would not add as much to the height.  The two platforms will be used ontop of an endtable to hold a Bryston amp.

Thanks,

John

kfr01

Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #3 on: 10 Jul 2006, 03:43 am »
John:  It was just an idea.. I've used them on my speakers and like them...

Hey, why don't you take some pics of your work in progress?

JLM

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #4 on: 10 Jul 2006, 09:57 am »
John,

Is your intent to improve the sound or is it for appearance sake?

Why not have the lumberyard/home improvement store make the final cuts for you?  (They have excellent tools and often the first couple of cuts are free.  And if they somehow screw up they bought it.)

Convention says for best sound to use soft feet if the floor is soft (framed with wood) and hard points if the floor is hard (like poured concrete slab on grade).  Vibrapod sells both for very reasonable (in audiophile terms) prices.

Do you have any basis for believing that these stands will help improve the sound?

I'm too "old school" to be much of a tweaker.  Have tried specially designed sobothane feet at $20/set, but could hear no difference.  Some spend thousands on stands.

Carlman

Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #5 on: 10 Jul 2006, 01:46 pm »
I was thinking of doing something similar to this but I was going to build a box, fill it with sand, and then put the MDF on top of the sand....

rbrb

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #6 on: 10 Jul 2006, 03:50 pm »
I have built isolation platforms very much like you suggested except instead of using glue I put a layer of Dynamat in between the 2 layers of MDF.  One side of the Dynamat is self adhesive the other side I applied contact cement.  On the bottom I installed 3 1/4-20 threaded inserts also from Home Depot and fastened BDR cones with nylon 1/4-20 threaded rods  (actually nylon bolts with the heads sawed off).

rbrb

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #7 on: 10 Jul 2006, 03:54 pm »
These E-A-R feet also work quite well and they are cheap cheap cheap....
http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/isolationfeet_dampeningmaterials.html

john1970

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #8 on: 11 Jul 2006, 01:28 am »
To everyone that has given advice thank you very much.  The platforms are being built to isolate an amp from a nearby subwoofer.  The two platforms will sit on top of an endtable that will be directly above a SVS PB10 subwoofer.  The subwoofer is used ONLY for movies and is never used for 2-channel audio. 

The dynamat idea is a very good one too bad it is too late to apply know.  I guess I could place the dynamat on the bottom and no one would probably ever notice. 

Thank you again,

John

mcgsxr

Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #9 on: 11 Jul 2006, 02:28 am »
I recommend playing around with barely inflated inner tubes under those platforms too, before spending anything on feet - rubber or otherwise.  I had good results with $1.49 tubes from Walmart, intended for children's bikes... under my cd player, Monarchy DIP, and outboard DAC.  Subsequent shift to modded SB3 has made that setup irrelevant...

Just enough air to float the platform and the amp - give you some cheap insight into what a good set of soft feet will bring you, and guaranteed to add barely a 1/4 inch at most, in terms of height.

lonewolfny42

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #10 on: 11 Jul 2006, 02:37 am »
For DIY'ers....here's a platform......and ....other tweeks from Audio Tweeks...... :thumb:

rockadanny

Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #11 on: 11 Jul 2006, 11:37 am »
Try these out for isolation feet, "Unhappy Balls". Amazing vibration dampeners. You can cut them in half, or however is needed. I cut two "Unhappy Balls" in half to use as feet for my subwoofer.

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3039129&bhcd2=1152617443

Unfortunately you also get "Happy Balls", which act opposite of the desired "Unhappy" ones. Give the "Happy" ones away to kids.

mfsoa

Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #12 on: 11 Jul 2006, 12:16 pm »
Arbor Scientific has the happy/unhappy balls for $3.50 pr or $32.50/10 pr.

I haven't done too much critical listening w/ them, but did make some neat isolation feet:
Using a 1" flat drill bit w/ a pointy tip (don't know the official name) I drilled down ~ 1/4" into a hockey puck. The unhappy ball sits in the small drilled-out cone left by the pointy tip, and the 1" drilled out cylinder offers some roll-off protection.  Total cost is < $4.50 per footer.
When something sits on a set of these footers, it feels like it is damped by some super hightech visco-elastic fluid, especially the side-to-side feel is really something. It really feels like it is immersed in a viscous fluid, if you can imagine.

JLM

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Re: DIY Amp Platforms
« Reply #13 on: 12 Jul 2006, 10:41 am »
Are you noticing a microphonic feedback?  (Why do you believe isolation would help?)

Under heavy low bass anything (and perhaps everything) in the room could be resonating.  Removing objects would reveal if this is what you're hearing. 

Turning the da*m volume down (your old man talking  :lol:) would help too.

Is the vibrations from the sub coming via a flexible floor (probably) or the air?  I say "probably" because vibrations travel much more efficiently via solids than gases.

In either case adding mass to the amp (and source) would be helpful.

Adding dampening materials to the amp (and source) cabinets would be helpful in either case, but especially if the vibration transmission is air borne.

Some have reported success cutting racketballs or tennis balls in half and using them as isolation feet.  Obviously these trial and error guesses are dependent on many factors (mostly component mass and the frequency(ies) involved).

The retail platforms are designed essentially try to act as frequency filters by using one or more materials/masses that are designed to absorb vibrations.  If the component is coupled (use of spikes) to the platform the added mass also helps.

But just building a wooden platform with stiff rubber feet to sit the amp on probably won't help.

Note that wooden floors over crawl spaces can create some of the nastiest bass resonantors on the planet.

Mass and stiffness are your friends as they lower the resonant frequency and therefore increase the energy needed to start resonance.  The soft feet and specially designed platforms shoot for filtering various frequencies.  Sand beds and air bladders are primarily only frequency isolators.