Hunk o' granite

[timm]

Hi all -- I have this hunk of granite from a sink cutout...It is probably about
30" X 24" and is a bit over 1" thick... Any recommendations of what might be the best application with this audio wise? I have odyssey/descent ... sunfire amp/w cary slp98p and denon 5900 universal is my source.... thanks.. tim

 

[Cherian]

I have my monoliths on 2" thick granite slabs. I think it helped with the bass a little. More then that it got them off the ground and looks great. My Speakers are in the basement so i'm always worried about water getting in.

 

[kach22i]

Please provide a link to your Member's System and or photographs of your system setup.

 

[Brian Walsh]

Hi all -- I have this hunk of granite from a sink cutout...It is probably about
30" X 24" and is a bit over 1" thick... Any recommendations of what might be the best application with this audio wise? I have odyssey/descent ... sunfire amp/w cary slp98p and denon 5900 universal is my source.... thanks.. tim

By itself the granite will ring. Get some sheet linoleum and stick it to the bottom, which should take care of that, then set the whole thing on proper cones such as aluminum or stainless depending on floor construction. Ringing is less of an issue with 2" thickness such as Cherian uses but still I recommend the linoleum...a sheet of EAR material (the tacky blue rubbery stuff) works, too, such as used between the 2" granite plinths on my Rockport 'table.

 

[timm]

By itself the granite will ring. Get some sheet linoleum and stick it to the bottom, which should take care of that, then set the whole thing on proper cones such as aluminum or stainless depending on floor construction. Ringing is less of an issue with 2" thickness such as Cherian uses but still I recommend the linoleum...a sheet of EAR material (the tacky blue rubbery stuff) works, too, such as used between the 2" granite plinths on my Rockport 'table.

So, you are recommending under the speakers?...Do you put the spikes on the granite? - or do you have something there that holds the spike? Or do you take the spikes off of your speakers and attach to the granite? My floor is berber over cement... Have thought about doing something with an audio rack of some kind as well with it..

Sorry Kach -- Have yet to do that re: the pic of system...

 

[Brian Walsh]

So, you are recommending under the speakers?...Do you put the spikes on the granite? - or do you have something there that holds the spike? Or do you take the spikes off of your speakers and attach to the granite? My floor is berber over cement... Have thought about doing something with an audio rack of some kind as well with it..

I would try aluminum cones to go through the carpet to the slab. As for cones between the speakers and granite, you might try them but I think they might be too much as in hard and glary, so you might also try some wood blocks between the cones and granite to add a touch of warmth, or perhaps the ball bearing style (Aurios, etc.) approach which might work well. Several things to try but you'll know when you get there...good luck and keep us posted.

 

[kach22i]

I would try aluminum cones.....

Why aluminum instead of brass or steel?

Timm, I have no suggestions where "best" would be without more information. However dampening the ringing mass tone as Brian Walsh has suggested is useful in any application.

FYI: I have a several natural stone (marble/granite) squares I weigh the lower shelf cross-bracing of my turntable stand with. Self adhesive rubber/foam strips prevent any direct metal to stone contact.

Considering it is halloween, I suggest using it as a mock headstone for tonight's decorations.

 

[asindc]

Timm,

I am currently using two granite slabs under my two cheap temp racks until I get real racks. I glued MDF to the bottom of the slabs after drilling holes in the MDF so that I could screw in the stock spikes from my Vantages. I glued the MDF to the slabs using gorilla glue. The stands are on footers and each indvidual shelf has been decoupled from the rack frame. Just a makeshift setup for now, but the granite/MDF combination is working for me. By the way, Adona racks use a granite/MDF combination for their shelves, with a "mystery" composite layer in between.

 

[Brian Walsh]

Why aluminum instead of brass or steel?

They sound different, which is easily demonstrated by dropping similar size pieces of these materials onto a concrete floor.

FYI: I have a several natural stone (marble/granite) squares I weigh the lower shelf cross-bracing of my turntable stand with. Self adhesive rubber/foam strips prevent any direct metal to stone contact

Granite is preferable over marble, which rings more.

 

[spectral]

Hi all -- I have this hunk of granite from a sink cutout...It is probably about
30" X 24" and is a bit over 1" thick... Any recommendations of what might be the best application with this audio wise? I have odyssey/descent ... sunfire amp/w cary slp98p and denon 5900 universal is my source.... thanks.. tim

I use one under my turntable. The top end HRS racks also use black granite for the same purpose as well. Since my VPI is suspenion-less and dissipates noise by shear mass, this adds another 50 lbs to the overall mass of the analog rig.

 

[timm]

I'm going to have to go out and look at these racks w/ granite... I'm going to have to get an exact measurement - see what I have exactly...unfortunately, my time is limited right now because I am taking a house and getting it ready for sale/rent.....

 

[Statman]

I'm confused?

They sound different, which is easily demonstrated by dropping similar size pieces of these materials onto a concrete floor.


Granite is preferable over marble, which rings more.

But they (the cones) aren't going to being used that way, by dropping them onto the floor? Can you please explain how Granite rings? Are you saying it has a resonant frequency even when compressed with weight on top of it? What frequency does that occurr at?

 

[Brian Walsh]

But they (the cones) aren't going to being used that way, by dropping them onto the floor? Can you please explain how Granite rings? Are you saying it has a resonant frequency even when compressed with weight on top of it? What frequency does that occurr at?

I did a web search on granite resonance and found this article and this review, for instance, which may answer some questions. There's a lot more to explore. As for cones, it's probably infinitely easier to try different ones than to research the topic.

 

[kach22i]

this article..this review

Nice links, I will be reading them several times to soak it all in.

 

[slowGEEZR]

Timm,

I am currently using two granite slabs under my two cheap temp racks until I get real racks. I glued MDF to the bottom of the slabs after drilling holes in the MDF so that I could screw in the stock spikes from my Vantages. I glued the MDF to the slabs using gorilla glue. The stands are on footers and each indvidual shelf has been decoupled from the rack frame. Just a makeshift setup for now, but the granite/MDF combination is working for me. By the way, Adona racks use a granite/MDF combination for their shelves, with a "mystery" composite layer in between.

I currently use the Adona racks and they absolutely rock.:rocker:

 

[timm]

Hi all - so I have been looking online and I figure I will only have enough granite for 1 or 2 shelves. If you had 1 -- would you put it at the bottom - or top? Do you think the granite would be best suited for a tubed pre, a solid state amp, cd/sacd player? The other shelves would have to be made of wood -- and I have seen some decent maple cutting boards online.... Do you think the ones made with 1" strips of wood glued together would be good - at least for something that was not that heavy? Some some maple ones with different exotics in between. They are 1.5" thick. The plan would be to use the threaded rod technique. Could possibly buy some vibrapods for isolation between the rods and the nuts that tie down the shelves...

What do you guys think? thanks for the input again....

 

[Jimna]

does it really have to be granite or marble? i have a unlimited supply of flagstone and red rock slabs. wouldnt they do the trick?

 

[timm]

In my case - it does... I have a hunk of it... if I want - or can use it... Can anyone respond on the use of the 1.5" thick maple cutting boards (see my note above)... using the threaded rod technique to tie it all together...