# DIY monitor isolation mounts



## monkeyzoid (Oct 11, 2007)

Hi there, this is my first post so hopefully you guys can help. 

Firstly this is not for a home theatre but a studio for mixing and mastering. 

I have recently purchased a lovely pair of PMC TB2S-AII monitors and already have some NS10s. I have these on a shelf I have built (out of 18mm MDF) to go on a desk/table and what I wish to do is construct some fairly inexpensive isolation mounts to help get the highest accuracy out of my system. 

Do you think I could get away with just using large sheets of neoprene (3mm or 6mm thick) or should I construct something more like a recoil stabilizer (foam/steel/neoprene)?

Now I do have some experience with designing inertia bases for industrial equipment (such as pumps etc.) where the theory would be to use a base roughly twice the weight of the equipment on top where the base is then supported on springs under about 20% compression to effectively isolate the vibrations from the ground beneath. 

Should this same theory be applied to monitor isolation?

I have been to a local builders merchants and here are some materials I found there:

Polystyrene sheets (25mm and 50mm thick)
Porcelain tiles (300mm x 600mm, roughly 5kg each)
Slate tiles (600mm x 600mm, roughy 28kg each) 

Also seen panels of model foam on eBay, would these be any use as a base?

Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to waste time and money on inferior "solutions". 

Thanks


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## SAC (Dec 3, 2009)

Use Sorbothane.

Their website has much good (and advanced) design resources and you can source sheets of the material sufficient to solve the mounting issues (using 3 pieces per speaker) for your speakers for ~$20 at Amazon.com

Source the 1/4-3/8 inch sheets or stack a few and you will be good to go. Just beware that any internal resonances of stands or less than inert mechanical mounting surfaces will not necessarily be 'cured' of potential secondary influences by this.

All it will do is substantially reduce the transmission of _mechanically _coupled energy to the surface below the speaker.


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## monkeyzoid (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks for that, I've not come across Sorbothane before but it looks like the exact material I've been looking for. With regards to dampening resonances in the MDF panel supporting the speakers I was thinking of maybe using some of that green glue stuff with another (possibly thinner) piece of MDF or plywood. Does that seem reasonable? Ta


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Blu Tack is another one used for that purpose availble through Audio Advisor as well as many other places i'm sure.:T


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## localhost127 (Jan 2, 2011)

http://www.scientificsonline.com/sorbothane-sheets.html


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## dannut (Oct 20, 2011)

monkeyzoid said:


> Hi there, this is my first post so hopefully you guys can help.
> 
> Firstly this is not for a home theatre but a studio for mixing and mastering.
> 
> ...


Seeing that you want highest accuracy, to help you make mixing/mastering decisions that translate well, the biggest ROI would be reevaluate your desk/table/speaker mounting situation. Due to the design of our hearing mechanism, we hear lots of spatial and tonal distortions from very-early reflections (VER). So please don't let this rub you the wrong way, but where you mount your speakers and how you orient your desk is a bigger issue then how you isolate your speakers. There are many neat tricks to avoid some pitfalls early on. If you could post a picture and floorplan of your setup maybe we could help you further, if you are interested.


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## localhost127 (Jan 2, 2011)

dannut said:


> Seeing that you want highest accuracy, to help you make mixing/mastering decisions that translate well, the biggest ROI would be reevaluate your desk/table/speaker mounting situation. Due to the design of our hearing mechanism, we hear lots of spatial and tonal distortions from very-early reflections (VER). So please don't let this rub you the wrong way, but where you mount your speakers and how you orient your desk is a bigger issue then how you isolate your speakers. There are many neat tricks to avoid some pitfalls early on. If you could post a picture and floorplan of your setup maybe we could help you further, if you are interested.


+1


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## monkeyzoid (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks for the advice. I have bought a sheet of Sorbothane and cut it up into small squares which I have stacked 4 high to make feet for the speakers. This seems to have significantly tightened the low end. As for early reflections here is a photo of the current setup (with mic to show head position).









I can see the desk/table may cause an issue for early reflections but on a plus side the shelf the speakers are on is not fixed to the desk/table so can be easily moved towards the edge of the table. I also intend on covering the surrounding walls and reflection points with high density rockwool.


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