Insulating cabs

[jeffbrown]

Just saw something like this in another thread - -

Does anyone else use some sort of material to insulate your cabs from the floor and/or each other? I've been using a square of sound-insulation (sort of a felt-like stuff) about 3/4" thick to put my combo (Fender M80) on at practice, because I was getting unwanted buzzes on some notes; the floor is tile. I then tried putting another square between the combo and my extension cab (Fender BXR115B) when I stack them, and have found no downside to this.

I haven't tried it on the Peavey rig yet, but that is staying at home for now because I'm still getting used to it.

TIA!

[BurningSkies]

You wish to isolate, rather than insulate...unless your cabs are cold that is...

[jnewmark]

May also want to tighten all your screws, especially if you have spring loaded handles. A buzzing was driving me nuts for weeks in my old 215 cab, until I discovered it was my spring loaded handle cup with one loose screw vibrating.

[will33]

Yes, it'll help with rattles on uneven tile etc. but not because it's soundproofing...just because it's cushiony. An old scrap piece of carpet or a rug/folded blanket will do the same thing.

[jeffbrown]

Initially, I was trying to stop the buzz (which included checking the grilles, handles, etc.) but I then extrapolated that into isolating (not insulating ) the cabs so that their notes would sound unaffected by other, outside vibrations.

I assumed, erroneously, perhaps (help from acoustic engineer-type persons, here?), that such isolation would be a Good Thing. Or, does the physics of two cabs vibrating together ("Two hearts beat as one...") equal more than two apart?

Am I getting too wound up in minutiae? For what its, worth, my relatively uneducated ear really can't tell the difference as yet. Is that my answer?

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by jeffbrown

Am I getting too wound up in minutiae?

Probably. Well designed and built cabs don't have vibration issues, unless as noted hardware needs tightening. Cabs that have vibration issues can benefit from isolation, but they benefit a lot more from being properly braced to eliminate vibration, because that will tighten up tone and increase output.