Review of Butcher Block Acoustics brand Audio Platforms. What is under your components?*

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by marka, Feb 23, 2020.

  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Try it under your integrated. You might be surprised..
     
  2. Xarkkon

    Xarkkon Would you like a Custom Title?

    Location:
    Asia
    I'm curious to know the rationale behind wooden blocks for amplifiers. Would the wooden rack I'm placing the amp on work in the same manner?

    Good to know though that it doesn't specifically need to be those from Butcher Block (though they sure do look pretty!). Will keep an eye out for a cheap wooden block to experiment with!
     
  3. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Thanks to @marka's inspirational review and follow up comments by @Steve Hoffman I went down to my storage after recalling I do have a 30 year old Butcher block. It turns out it's 24"x 18"x 1¾" and Maple. I thought I'd give it a try underneath my amp that had footers on an old Oak hardwood floor. I did remove the footers.

    Immediately I noticed how everything had tightened up with better definition in the separation of everything. The sense of realism presence increased considerably and the Treble seems more settled along with the better more accurate definition. The Mid-range is just beautiful and the Bass just didn't seem as flabby as it formerly was. A definite improvement.

    The first album I tried was Dire Straits S/T Japan Target CD. I started with Down To The Waterline and the subtleties of the right side intro was quite astonishing as I'm not even certain I was able to focus on it prior to this listen. Next I tried the legendary Japan Black triangle CD of Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon. On an off note here, I had felt lately that something wasn't quite right about the way it had recently sound as opposed to previous years since a few things had been moved around in the listening space. Little did I know the magic would be back with simply putting a Butcher block underneath the amp.

    Color me impressed, grateful and a believer. Next I think I'm going to get another and try it under the SCD-1. I can't wait to get in some more listening time on all of my CD's. Thanks guys.
     
    jonwoody, rednedtugent, marka and 3 others like this.
  4. MTB Vince

    MTB Vince Forum Resident

    Custom stainless steel, carbon fiber, and Corian "sandbox" rack. Each component sits on a Corian plate which in turn "floats" on a bed of fine sand.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. jfeldt

    jfeldt Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF, CA, USA
    Great thread everyone. I've experimented with different materials and placement a lot and it was time well-spent as I was able to tune in my sound more to my liking. Even moving a cone's position under a component was audible, and different cones and the orientation of the cones up or down changed the sound. changing to not-cones or different materials made an even larger difference. My advice to anyone is to try lots of things around the house and get an idea for how they change the sound, then spend money if you want to chasing the directions you liked, or buy a lot of things with generous return policies and experiment a lot with pre-made items.

    Right now I have mostly Black Diamond Racing cones along with Black Diamond Racing carbon fiber shelves for my pre-amp, digital lens, and Squeezebox Transporter, along with their pucks and things. I also have plexiglass and cork on my pre-amp, a mini butcher block on my amp, and various brass weights and cork yoga blocks on the tops of things. My Shunyata V-Ray II has a custom Sound Anchors stand. The digital gear is on a DIY Flexy rack which then has all the aforementioned Black Diamind Racing gear on the various shelves. The amp is on my hardwood floor. The Transporter is on DH cones, and I have other sets of DH cones and other cones I'll swap in sometimes.
     
  6. I use one of these : Borroughs Adjustable Height Solid Hardwood Top Workbench, 72"W x 30"D

    And nestled underneath, a solid hickory coffee table, 2 shelves, from Amazon seller Niangua out of Missouri.

    My Mc30 amps go on the smaller, supported by SS Ultra Mini StillPoints....bottom shelf supports my SS 2255 amp when I just gotta have big blue meters.

    My Sacd (w/ outboard power supply)/BluRay/ Preamp/55"OLED sits on the larger and also supported by SS Ultra Mini Stillpoints(except TV)

    Kallux Bookshelves X4, horizontally oriented, as a room divider with TT supported by 6.5" of a "real", very vintage, hardwood butcher block, used as intended from the appearance.
    The TT is technically "out of the room", facing North when all the other gear faces South. Albums very handy, also facing North.

    One table stands 18" and has 2" solid hickory shelves, the other stands 32" with 1.75" butcher block top.

    A 7.5" riser supports the TV to give the height necessary to see all the screen.


    Having a very solid base is key, but the SS Stillpoints made a huge difference once placed.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
    mreeter likes this.
  7. DigMyGroove

    DigMyGroove Forum Resident

    I was using the Tall Tenderfeet and found them effective. When a member put some Isopods up for sale here at a good price I thought I’d give it a try. The Isopods sounded better, Muir what I was expecting at all. I wound up buying several additional sets, highly recommended!
     
    mreeter and Kray like this.
  8. Acapella48

    Acapella48 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Elk Grove, CA.
    Good point. Types of Wood for Making a Violin

    I wonder why some use a stone such as granite or marble. I would think that granite and marble would ring.

    Speaking of stone: On a different note (pun intended) has anyone tried soapstone?
     
  9. caracallac

    caracallac Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ireland
    Of all the platforms I've tried Maple or Slate really seem to hit the sweet spot with most equipment.
     
  10. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    What the heck, I'll give it a shot.

    Like I mentioned, my Fisher is sitting on a marble cutting board, bit it's not especially thick (although it does have some heft). I'll try it with a maple board.

    A thick, high-mass block of maple, perched on vibration absorbing footers of some sort (sand, sorbothane, etc.), decouples the component from the rack. Lay your hand flat on your wooden rack while music is playing, and you will probably feel it vibrating. The idea is to isolate the component from those vibrations.
     
  11. bever70

    bever70 Let No-one Live Rent Free in Your Head!

    Location:
    Belgium
    I am willing to experiment more with platforms under my gear. At the moment I use 2 sheets of birch multiply wood glued together with a layer of cork/rubber sandwiched between them under most of my gear.

    My big question is, do I use the original feet of my amp/preamp/... on these platforms or is it better to replace these with spikes? My wood platforms are further isolated from the audio rack with rubber 'no rumble' isolation pads...
    I have some spikes to experiment with, is it more important to have them direct under your equipment, resting on a wood platform, or more important to have them under the wood platform and leaving my equipment on its' original feet......or have them both :help: ?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
  12. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    Spikes - which rigidly couple a component to a surface - make sense for floor speakers or speaker stands ; you want the cabinets to remain rigidly in place so that the drivers can move without any opposing force.

    I am not a physics expert, but I do not see any benefit from coupling electronic components to a surface, which will only serve to transfer vibrations, not drain or isolate vibrational energy.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
    bever70 likes this.
  13. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    I used used slate for a while. Slate is very close to soapstone from what I understand. Not going to say what it did for the system's sound, but the stuff is extremely dense.
     
  14. Xarkkon

    Xarkkon Would you like a Custom Title?

    Location:
    Asia
    Thanks for the explanation! I've had some success decoupling my bookshelves with isoacoustics. Time to look out for a solution for my components. Can't say it instinctively makes sense to me, but a cheap enough experiment worth testing out.
     
    action pact likes this.
  15. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    I've got a Mapleshade Block under my TT, but nothing under my other components. I am starting to research isolation and have no doubt it makes a difference. I have a rather expensive Adona stand that has shelves made with granite tips attached to wood base.

    Here is an interesting video showing a clear demonstration of the sound difference between isolation pucks vs. spikes.
     
    808_state and mreeter like this.
  16. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    I think I agree with everything you say and in particular a concrete floor.

    I've been evangelical about this subject for a few years now and whilst I realised isolation was important since 1987, using the DIY approach, has convinced me that effective isolation can be revelation.

    I'm using:

    • Bamboo chopping board, rather than a Butcher Block, supported by a inner tube with a cost of £9.
    • Soundproofing mas loaded vinyl

    I'd also say isolating your speaker from your floor is just as important, otherwise that energy is going in to your equipment.

    To gain this type of improvement, at the time I purchased my system, it would have cost around £7,000 with inflation added.
     
    Bill Why Man and Helom like this.
  17. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    In my experience power supplies seem important, in particular my Hi-cap and 250 power amp, show the most obvious improvement , with a CDP improvements were not as great
     
  18. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    My understanding is it is preferable for speakers to be coupled to - not isolated from - the floor.
     
  19. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    Why it doesn't make any sense
     
  20. TubeMon

    TubeMon Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Monterey, CA
    Another important principle is mass loading of your components.
    I have heavy lead weights on top of everything (except my TT)...
     
    Pastafarian likes this.
  21. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    Presuming the material used is similar it should, however it's amazing even with a very good rack how much further improvement can be achieved, the ability of energy to get through is very impressive.
     
  22. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    I'm reasonably confident that the amount of energy coming via my rack is negligible yet damping still give a marginal improvement, of course this is combating airborne transfer.
     
  23. Bolster

    Bolster If it ain't broke try harder..

    Location:
    UK
    Have been thinking about doing this for my Yamaha CD-N301 to reduce resonance in the case. Possibly using a cheap granite chopping board isolated with some foam.
     
  24. Ecjjr

    Ecjjr Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Chicago area
    I have a Critical Mass Soto Voce rack and am very pleased.
     
  25. emenel

    emenel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    The only components where isolation has ever made a difference in my system are speakers and turntable. I even tested with my amp adding and removing different types of feet and platforms while it is playing, hearing absolutely no change form one to the next or the stock feet.

    I also can’t think of any reason, or find any science, to indicate why a component with no mechanical or acoustic parts would change sound based on isolation unless something is not working properly or you have major stability/vibration issues from other sources. I’ve never felt any sort of vibration that I can sense in a component case, nor can I hear anything in the speakers when touching or moving them.

    Based on my own real-world tests, and research, I don’t see the need for anything but a stable and solid stand that you also enjoy as furniture in your home.

    Now for mechanical/acoustic devices, like a turntable, it can make a big difference... but that’s because it’s literally amplifying vibrations through the stereo as part of its function.
     

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