Updated to Ver.2 - Ver. 2.1 coming soon @Infidel with hairspray can caps

Ver. 1

Would two billiard ball trays facing each other filled with either tennis, racket or squash balls work?
The trays are $5 a piece and tennis balls are $1 each.

Add something flat that adds some weight. Or just a mouse pad for the monitor to sit on.
Could be under $60 total.

24hrs later-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A single billiard ball tray per side is perfect. Dimensions are 10" x 10" once the speaker is placed, no movement. The maximum number of tennis balls per tray is 8 without encroachment. It feels like the speaker is now sitting on a very strong coil/spring or magnet.

The trays are $4.50 on ebay but the local guys had it for $8.
Total investment $16 since my daughter happened to have 12 slightly used tennis balls. Could this be a cheaper and more effective method than Mopads?

I bet it would work for turntable and CD player isolation too.
Combo or 2x12" cab isolation? A couple of these might even hold a 4x12" cab.

Dec. 31st 2017edit----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found 2" PVC pipe extenders for 90 cents each.
Version 2.0 allows use with any size speaker.
Version 2.1 @Infidel suggests hairspray can lids.
Version 2.2 any lid ?

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2018

$35 a pair

If your heart is set on making your own, do a search for "DIY monitor isolation pads." Some of my favorites are: old flip flops, pink erasers and yoga blocks. Although I have no idea whether they work or not.

 

Last edited: Jul 14, 2017

apparently foam is the least effective. hence the price. Most isolation methods have a solid surface for the monitor.

Tennis balls are used to isolate electronic drums from an apartment floor. The constant kick would drive anyone mad.

 

I was using diy pads I made from packing material a printer came in. It helped, but I went ahead and ordered a set of Auralux pads (like @flyingsleeves posted) and it really improved it. Reduced some problem resonances and really tightened the bottom end. My take is that the denser foam works much better.

 

You know how it is. We want better performance but always for cheaper.
I was intrigued by a master engineer going thru the different methods of isolation. He didn't have a product to endorse.
His favorite was a magnetic system for $600. His take was, foam is an improvement but there are better.

 

Depends on how handy you are, the tools and expertise you already have.

Making you own stand is going to give you the best return on your investment if you have the space to set them up, the tools to make them and the minimum level of expertise required to do it right. There are many systems that you DIY, PVC, Black Iron Pipe, Square Steel, You can fill them with silica sand, or a mix of lead and sand, and rock wool..... etc....

If you must have your monitors on a resonant surface like a desk or a console, Isolation bushing and Pins is going to be the the most complex system you can DIY, Tennis Balls might work, since you are just re-purposing them as urethane bushings covered in hair, only thing I would be worried about is movement, a few pieces of MDF, a hole saw, would secure everything and you would end up with you own homemade version of bushing on pins. I would probably use something smaller than tennis balls, handball or something that size (though purpose built urethane bushing and rubber pins would probably end up costing about the same.


For about 120 you can buy purpose made brass cones and a solid urethane glider with brass cone insert and have a purpose built system that you can put into place and will perform as well or better (depending on how well you can build stuff) and save all the time you would invest into the project yourself.

I guess it really depends on what is your time worth to you and if you just want results or an adventure. Myself, I love little adventures and projects and I have the tools, but I usually end up buying a purpose built system either before or after and the DIY stuff is for fun mostly. You never really save any money in the process... your time is worth something and results can be hit or miss even if you have the tools, the space and the general know-how.

All just depends on how hand you are and how much your loudspeaker weights, I am assuming not much if they are on your desk. A more purpose built system would also reduce the footprint to the minimum required size.

 

Last edited: Jul 14, 2017

Ask Willtheweirdo... He'll try to sell you a Slate product

 

How is your $60 tennis ball idea cheaper than $35 Mopads??? Nevermind, I don't care anymore.

 

The billiard ball holders, the square ones with sixteen 4 x 4 spots was my lazy idea.
I might not need to fill every spot. Maybe the outer perimeter 12 is all I need.
A certain amount of weight is probably necessary. Some piece of wood maybe.

@flyingsleeves Thanks for your contribution. Now I would like to quote you:

Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.

 

You can try finding some kind of wooden/metal containers and fill them with cat litter (I'm serious), place the isolation pads on top of the containers and then place the monitors on them or you can simply fill the tubes of the monitor stands with it

 

Magico Ultimate III

The result of “founder Alon Wolf’s unrestrained attempt to create the finest loudspeaker on the planet,” the Magico Ultimate III is an 8ft, 800lb loudspeaker with four horns, $600,000 pair.



Gorrilla Glue 'em to yer floor.

 

That's too much work.
Filling the stand's tubes doesn't de-couple from the floor?

If a single tennis balls can withstand my weight, maybe I only need 4 tennis balls and one billiard ball holder per side? I could certainly start there. As @mozee pointed out though, if movement is still an issue I could glue the balls to the plastic.

Under $20 for an experiment I can invest.

 

There is a PROFOND confusion in audio world about "coupling" "decoupling".

I will try to be short :

"Coupling" is using things like under-speakers spikes. Because those spikes, on the floor or on a desk, will "anchor" and couple the speaker to the floor or desk, making them a SINGLE element.
Positive : more "virtual" weight Negative : you get more surface generating sound and resonances (exemple : your desk will "vibrate")
That's why coupling is used on the floor only. Or a VERY heavy and dense desk.

"Decoupling" is the opposite. Isolating the speakers from the surface. Foam is a good thing, if it is thick and dense enough.
Positive : less surface vibrations Negative : speaker weight only (now you understand why cheap monitors have troubles with dynamic impulsion)

It is time to use the words "coupling" and "decoupling" the right way

Rigid stands will couple, until they have isolation. Tennis balls and foam will decouple.
On a regular desk, decoupling is better, to avoid desk's parasite vibrations.

On the cheap ? a pile of useless books (because there is no vibration and no empty space) and a foam mouse pad between speaker and books

 

The billiard ball tray is perfect. Dimensions are 10" x 10" once the speaker is placed, no movement. The maximum number of tennis balls per tray is 8 without encroachment. It feels like the speaker is now sitting on a very strong coil/spring or magnet.

The trays are $4.50 on ebay but the local guys had it for $8.
Total investment $16 since my daughter happened to have 12 slightly used. Could this be a cheaper and more effective method than Mopads?

I bet it would work for turntable and CD player isolation too.
Combo or 2x12" cab isolation? It might even hold a 4x12".

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 15, 2017

How did it help the sound? Better separation, more defined lows?

 

Now that my cheap Ikea desk isn't vibrating along it sounds so different. Definitely separation.
It is quite apparent even at moderate volumes.

 

WHY?
I mean, occasionally when I have time to play racing games, it's really enjoyable to *feel* car engine revving hard :D

 

OK this is working. Just did a quick mix it's the first song here.

https://audiosex.pro/threads/dragonhill-is-looking-for-collabortors.30931/

The old mix was brittle with no lowend.
I deleted almost everything pre tennis balls from Soundcloud.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 19, 2017

Just updated the first post with this video:

 

Isolation pads are the least of a problem in advanced mixing, not saying it doesnt solve several problems, but imo if your room isnt treated well for the acoustics you might as well get some quality headphones and get a better job done via that way.