Seismic sink Lite (or heavy...)

As some of you may or may not be aware, I am in process of building my own hifi rack, with 30mm granite shelves. Whilst waiting for the rack frame to be built, I decided to experiment.

I bought some 16" bike inner tubes (ready for when the rack frame is completed), so I decided to set my system up on one of the pieces of granite on an inner tube just to see how much difference it made.

It sounded extraordinarily like the Seismic sink did in Dino's system at the bake-off, although I think I need to lower the pressure in the tube further (it's very low already, but can be lower and might benefit). Difference being that the Seismic sink costs £150-£250 or so (depending on the deal you get), whilst this cost me a £2.99 inner tube and one of the three pieces of granite I obtained for £15 the lot.

Whether it's better or not I don't know (I won't claim it is, but it cost a lot less), but the effect on the sound was very similar, with improved dynamics, clarity and separation. As these constructions (inner tube + granite) are to be implemented as each shelf of the rack, I'm pleased with the result.

 

I have to say, on extended listening, this has made a serious difference, and it has made my system much more enjoyable. I look forward to having the full rack!

I will also say that even if you can't afford a seismic sink, spend less than a tenner on a piece of MDF or granite offcuts or whatever and an inner tube! It's a MUCH better VFM mod than a new interconnect for the most part! If you can't afford the real deal, this is a good substitute until you can!

 

wot tyre presure's are you running?

 

presta or schraeder valve?

 

Extremely low - enough that they don't register on my guage, so around 0.25 psi or so. That's when the tube isn't loaded of course. When the mass is put on it, the pressure increases.

Schraeder valves, but I use prestas on my mountain bike. Which sounds better I couldn't tell you...

 

Always worth experimenting, with pressures, I run very low ones, almost touching the plates, It give me more dynamics and viscrial impact, more air tends to improve stage and openiness with more depth to music, Iassc try a layer of cork ontop of the granite, see what it throws in the mix

 

I will do, although it's nowhere near as easy to play with it in this setup as it is with the real seismic sink, since I have to retrive the inner tube from under 30kg or so of granite and components. I think the SS probably uses a much larger contact area bladder (rather than just a round tube), so that the pressure once loaded is lower.

However, I'm very happy with the results given the cost, and I think it bodes well for the full rack system. I might experiment with using a series of concentric inner tubes (eg 6", 10", 14" or something like that) to give a greater area and thus lower pressure, but matching pressures between the tubes could be very hard.

 

sounds good

Did you do it under the whole system or just under one component at a time?

 

Glad its worked for you Isaac.

I found that the inner tube job that I rigged up was not nearly as good as a sink, but it was a damn fine (and cheap) interim solution in my system.

 

MO - at the moment it's one under the system, but once the rack frame is built then each shelf will be suspended this way.

Robbo - Doesn't surprise me, but the sheer, massive VFM of this is undeniable. It will be interesting to see what happens with the whole rack frame. Of course, you'll have to bring your sink so we see how much difference it makes

 

Well, I've now taken it to sillier levels. From the desk upwards it now goes:

Inner Tube, Granite, Inner tube, CD player, Inner tube, Amp

Further improvements in anti-resonance will require damping on the casings (it will come).

 

Ok, scratch that. It started sounding rather muddy. I think the mass of the granite is required to keep things under control with plain inner tubes.