Conquering Unwanted Vibration

Within the Specialty Audio/Video Industry, some of the most commonly used terminology and dialogue referring to resonance, and the control thereof, has very little to do with the true actual functions that lead to the outcome of the applied physics. In our opinion, the Industry really needs to address its overall understanding of this energy termed "detrimental resonance" or "vibration".

This Proving Grounds segment is designed to focus on current definitions and phraseology used to describe and define resonance function as viewed by the Industry. In addition, we offer our insight and understanding as well. The results are interesting and will hopefully add to your knowledge so that you may make a better-informed decision as to which process you wish to include into your music and/or video system.

We now are boldly marching into the audio/videophile arena with swords drawn.

Education provided by leading Industry journalists and audio/video-manufacturing companies states that resonance is an undesirable energy and should be dissipated in order to improve the sound quality of your electronic components and loudspeakers. With this understanding, we do agree.

Listed below we will present our analogy as to function and merit, based on the top three approaches (Isolation, Absorption & Transfer) to controlling the harsh effects caused from "all" types of vibration.

ISOLATION

We completely disagree

When addressing this term and procedure, the audiophile and Industry usually focuses on isolating one’s components from a vibrating shelf, equipment stand and/or flooring. This de-coupling process is generally defined and accepted as a method to achieve a "floating in air concept", thus limiting vibration within and about said component or loudspeaker.

Isolate what and what from? (Sounds like a Yogi Berra cliché)

As defined by Webster, to isolate is to place or keep by itself; separate from others.

Fact: You cannot successfully isolate any component and/or loudspeaker from AIR-BORNE RESONANCE.

When the loudspeaker begins sound reproduction, there is a tremendous amount of resonance that accumulates on and within the speaker enclosure. The loudspeaker also produces a wide range of frequencies, creating huge amounts of resonance that travels through the airspace.

All energy seeks [earth’s] ground via the fastest method it derives.

This is a basic rule of physics.

Air-borne resonance too reacts and travels to conductive materials which may act as a ground. This energy is actually misdirected into what we describe as a false or secondary grounding plane. These secondary planes often consist of equipment racking and shelving, electronic component chassis and/or loudspeakers and their respective enclosures.

Conductive Materials such as steel, aluminum, brass, silver and copper provide both active and passive conduits for which this air-borne resonance along with mechanical and electrical resonance constantly pursues. These conduits attract all resonance like a magnet. The result is additional vibrations are inherited into the system which creates additional inefficiencies throughout all the audio/video signal pathways.

Your electronic components and loudspeakers are largely made up of these conductive materials; thus, air-borne resonance consistently bombards your equipment’s chassis, not just the support platforms.

If you move your electronic components into another room, onto a separate grounding plane, you may think you have isolated them, however loudspeakers cannot isolate from themselves as well as the wire conduits connecting them to your components. Air-borne resonance will always be a part of the performance of your equipment.

We state that:

When analyzing resonance (mechanical, electrical and air-borne), the Air-Borne Resonanceis the greatest detriment during sound, music and video reproduction. Air-borne resonance appears to be the least understood or researched aspect with regard to vibration. Minimal documented research exists concerning this topic.

For this reason alone (Air-Borne Resonance), we at Star Sound Technologies, LLC do not recognize the term "isolation" as a defining factor or valid functional solution to related electronic and/or acoustical problems caused from all types of vibration.

We have always realized that whoever achieves the greater understanding, handling and control of this air-borne factor will have a tremendous advantage to design and would propagate newfound musical and visual qualities through product invention.
 

ABSORPTION

We agree that the absorption method is and always has been a treatment for resonance - yet we disagree to the positive listening values related to the musical performance that one would experience when applying this method to loudspeakers, equipment racking and/or electronic components.

For years we were educated by Industry’s finest that another and possibly a more dominant way to completely control vibration was to absorb the vibrations, damping them, thus destroying the ill effects caused from resonance.

Our initial conversations with audiophiles usually lead to one of our first questions asked, which is "what are you searching for with your system design?"

The replies always point towards "creating the dynamic musical reproduction and soundstage associated with the live-performance" (while positioned in one’s listening room and/or home theater).

Absorptive materials such as sand, lead, rubber and stone will kill vibration.

Absorptive materials also kill or absorb the live dynamics as well.

Maybe you have experienced the terms make the shelf dead or a loudspeaker should have the density of concrete. One undeniable truth about physics is that if you kill or completely dissipate energy, you can never bring it back to existence.

In music, once you loose the live dynamic, within any portion of your systems performance, you may never realize your listening goal of achieving the live-performance.

One step further, you can research the complete history musical instruments. These inventions are vital to the creation of music and the live performance. We ask are there any made of lead, sand, rubber or stone? Makes one wonder how absorption was ever included into the use and study of electronic musical reproduction.

Absorption will change the sound of your system. Most listeners immediately assume this is good for your listening experience. However, we ask you this. When you first apply absorptive materials to your system, did you not have to go to the volume control and turn up the volume to try climb to the same level of excitement prior to absorption’s involvement?

Listen again carefully to the high frequencies and ask yourself are they still present and as brilliant? The human ear in the 10kHz to 16khz ranges can immediately notice live dynamics lost although live dynamics are understood to be host to the human ear’s complete range of frequency.

For many, absorption has always been the answer and the only way to handle detrimental resonance. For us at Star Sound, there had to be a more precise method to controlling the resonance yet maintaining and/or increasing the levels of the live dynamics.


TRANSFER

The Science of Resonance Energy Transfer is a newfound technology that neither isolates nor primarily absorbs resonance.

We have named this newly discovered scientific approach and understanding LIVE-VIBE Technology.         

"The technology is based on the conclusion that unwanted vibration itself, as related to the effects of Coulomb Friction, yields severe inefficiencies on a mechanical and electrical level.

The primary reason for dynamic response reduction and inaccuracy is simply Coulomb friction. This problem manifests itself in almost all industry related applications and causes measurable inefficiencies.

Our research on the affects of Coulomb Friction, with regards to the mechanical and electrical aspects of numerous audio related components, has also been focused on increasing system performance and reduction of dynamic loss without the unnecessary side effects of isolation and absorption techniques. " Todd Zimmer, Star Sound Technologies Mechanical Engineer

Historically, this Industry has always tried to stop, halt or eliminate unwanted vibration.

"Attempting to stop or eliminate a naturally occurring physical effect most definitely will compromise the desired result and prevent said state from being attained. In other words you will always create inefficiencies." David Roberts, Star Sound Technologies Materials Science Engineer

In acoustics and musical reproduction the trade off is an extreme loss of dynamics. In commercial applications, when one tries to reduce vibration or the noise associated with vibration (like large motors and transformers) through isolation and/or absorption techniques, the trade off is the product will become inefficient. The fuel load increases plus the device in now working harder to achieve the same result, thus causing additional and near future problems. 

Both acoustical and commercial categories loose a percentage of performance and create additional inefficiencies within said products.

Our application of physics is to let the vibrations take place. The component will vibrate as the loudspeaker systems generate the moving air and resonance associated with the physical reactions. Why not let it?

Now place a vibrating conductor (made from brass, copper, steel, aluminum) under the vibrating instrument (component, loudspeaker) and add geometrical designs that directs the resonance through the conductive materials to earth’s ground with no back-feeding effects - thus forming high-speed pathways to the earth’s ground plane.

 The Sistrum Platforms and Audio Points® design do just that. They literally are vibrating thousands of times faster than that of the component and/or loudspeaker. The amplitudes of detrimental resonance formed are rapidly transferred to ground or the greater mass– thus the live dynamic remains within the instrument as the critical last movement. The detrimental effects of Coulomb Friction are removed and the musical performance flourishes.

If it vibrates – let it!

Just place a mechanical vibrating conductive plane between earth’s ground and the component. If you physically touch the Audio Points®, steel shelving or main support rods on any Sistrum Platform you will feel the energy moving; moving away from the component to ground.

Immediate Future of Transfer Processes and Product Applications

Star Sound Technologies, LLC has moved forward employing LIVE-VIBE Technology into our Sonoran A/V Wire Designs as well as our Harmonic Precision Electronics packages and Loudspeakers. All of these products employ our newfound inventive process.

Sonoran Wire now includes the Micro-Bearing Steel Shield (Plateau Series), which dissipates air-borne resonance and the internal resonance formed around all dielectric materials. The Sonoran Plateau interconnects provide a tremendous grounding-link between all electronic component chassis. At the same time they reduce the shared resonance factors that link components together. The Lightning Power Chords pass a greater content of voltage with much greater speed from the wall outlets to components. Lastly, the Sonoran speaker cable controls the always attacking air-borne resonance and floor induced vibrations while eliminating the absorption processes caused from foam insulation and carpets rubber backing materials.

Star Sound Technologies’ Harmonic Precision amplifier packages employ a pure Class-A input and driver stage as well as feature transient response optimization which enables this amplifier to perform with instantaneous speed and accuracy. The Harmonic Precision amplifier chassis allows for excellent dissipation of vibration and remains remarkably cool do to several insights into its highly efficient design. Dynamics literally soar without the influences of heat accumulation thanks to a secure geometrical grounding pathway to dissipate the energy.

Speed is of the essence! Our Echelon and Caravel loudspeaker designs boast a true series crossover (no storage).

"Series crossovers are able to maintain the pace of the music and not the detrimental signal delay associated with the typical crossover design. Close attention is paid to component selection. It is extremely crucial that a complete synergy between all crossover components exists. Even the drivers (woofers and tweeters), themselves, act as crossover components. In conventional parallel crossover designs, woofers and tweeters will appear as a load, thus inducing additional uncharacteristic phase relationships. " Brent Riehl, Star Sound Technologies Senior Designer

Our Series crossovers are the product of an intensive research effort which combined a reexamination of traditional crossover theory with the demand for sonic optimization.

Also featured in our loudspeaker design is an internal Brass Matrixsupport bracing, implemented to control resonance and reflections within the enclosure’s internal cavity. All hook-up wires are Sonoran Micro-Bearing shielded cable that not only reduces internal resonance problems, but, in addition, does not let the magnetic field generated disrupt the flow of information to the drivers.

Audio Points® and Sistrum Platforms are proven successful designs, providing an emotional and more musical experience for all listeners. Implementing LIVE-VIBE Technology throughout our Sonoran A/V Wire Designs as well as our Harmonic Precision electronics and loudspeakers, realized