[chgolatin2]

I came across an interesting product for vibration damping etc.  Bamboo?  Anyone has any comments or experience with it?  It's cheaper than Maple thats for sure, lol! 

[gooberdude]

its a lot harder than maple, that's for sure.    check out pual hilgerman's Ronin speakers (circle here on AC), they use it for the cabinet material.  he may be able to comment...    and he's a chicago guy.

i've used a 1" thick bamboo cutting board in place of a decent maple plat...it wasn't optimal.  but it was
also made for a cutting board so the surface was hard, and a hard surface is not what you want to damp or absorb vibrations.

i do think bamboo could be used though, just need to find the right size and type of platform maybe??

from what i've experienced, the tone woods do best to absorb vibes in gear, maple sounding the best.  not to say any of the others don't sound bad though...might be an issue of taste really.

[tanchiro58]

I came across an interesting product for vibration damping etc.  Bamboo?  Anyone has any comments or experience with it?  It's cheaper than Maple thats for sure, lol! 

This is an excellent way to control the vibration. I use four cutting bamboo pieces (bought from a japanese superstore) to support my horn speakers JBL LE175 that I put them on top of the cabinet speakers. I can hear more details and separated instruments, vocal has more defined and stronger but not heavier. I am very happy with them.

Cheers

[alwayslearning]

for blacker backgrounds?  Whatcha think?

[TjMV3]

i've used a 1" thick bamboo cutting board in place of a decent maple plat...it wasn't optimal.  but it was
also made for a cutting board so the surface was hard, and a hard surface is not what you want to damp or absorb vibrations.

The Bamboo Cutting Boards/Butcher Blocks work very well. 

But what you don't want to do is lay the hard surface of the Bamboo Cutting board,  on the wood surface of your component rack.  That's were the problem lies (pun not intended).

Take two neoprene/rubber mouse pads (raw surface or cloth surface,  do not buy the ones with a plastic surface on the mouse pads),  place them under the Bamboo Cutting Block;  and you'll be amazed how well this approach isolates your components.

For an even better isolation,  use four of Mapleshades' Isoblocks under the component and resting on the Bamboo Cutting Board.  Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!   You still come out way cheaper than buying those Maple Platforms and in my opinion,  it sounds much better.

Recently,  someone claimed that Bamboo is good for blocking or dispersing RFI/EMI interference.  I'm not sure exactly how that could be.  But has anyone else ever hear that?  Is this a fact or myth?

[Gordy]

Bamboo apparently has various hardness levels, depending on how it has been treated.  The hardest form is natural Bamboo which has a hardness rating of about 1400, compared to Maple's 1450.  On the softer end is pressure/steam treated Bamboo (carbonized) which can be as low as 1100, which is comparable to Black Walnut and Teak at about 1000, the bottom end of the hardwoods.  Oak comes in at about 1300 and Mesquite at 2300!

As fiborous as Bamboo is, it's hard for me to imagine it isn't one of the best materials out there for vibration damping / isolation 

All the above info was stolen from this bamboo flooring site...        Bamboo

[chgolatin2]

I know one thing, maple is good but very very expensive especially if your into the 3 to 4 inch thickness mark.  Bamboo is a cheaper option and performs just as well

[tanchiro58]

i've used a 1" thick bamboo cutting board in place of a decent maple plat...it wasn't optimal.  but it was
also made for a cutting board so the surface was hard, and a hard surface is not what you want to damp or absorb vibrations.

The Bamboo Cutting Boards/Butcher Blocks work very well. 

But what you don't want to do is lay the hard surface of the Bamboo Cutting board,  on the wood surface of your component rack.  That's were the problem lies (pun not intended).

Take two neoprene/rubber mouse pads (raw surface or cloth surface,  do not buy the ones with a plastic surface on the mouse pads),  place them under the Bamboo Cutting Block;  and you'll be amazed how well this approach isolates your components.

For an even better isolation,  use four of Mapleshades' Isoblocks under the component and resting on the Bamboo Cutting Board.  Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!   You still come out way cheaper than buying those Maple Platforms and in my opinion,  it sounds much better.

Recently,  someone claimed that Bamboo is good for blocking or dispersing RFI/EMI interference.  I'm not sure exactly how that could be.  But has anyone else ever hear that?  Is this a fact or myth?

You are absolutely right. I stole my wife's kitchen bamboo cutting block that she bought from Costco and tried under my DAC and over my 3" maple platform and the mouse pad is sandwiched in between. I have to admit my music is sweeeeteeeer since more low noise had been cancelled.

Excellent experience from TjMV3.

[TjMV3]

   Coooooool! 

I'm glad you like the results.  I've had similar improvements.  It's as if this method gets rid of a bunch of noise and you can hear the harmonics.....the notes...the melodies coming through smoothly and sweetly. 

I've experienced a huge improvement in all the components with this method.  I use this method under all my sources,  pre amps and amps.

Take note,  this also makes a significant improvement under DVD players for video.

[SET Man]

Hey!

   alwayslearning, that is a very cool avatar you've there man! First I see what look like a guy standing playing sax or something like that.... second look I see a woman face.

   Or it is just me? I've been seeing things in sometime what most people seem to pass by unnoticed it. 

Take care,
Buddy

[Gordy]

It's that new coffee press of yours Buddy....   

[mjosef]

Yeah, drinking too much of that gooood Kola(Kua?) coffee...
But you are right, I see it too...after looking for it.

[alwayslearning]

Yup a 2-for-one.
I figure while  hi fi is audio illusion, our eyes can enjoy visual illusions.