Acoustics First BLOG

DIY Project – Float your Loudspeakers and Monitors

Keep your Amps and Monitors from shaking the house down!

Instrument amplifiers, loudspeakers, and studio monitors all have the potential to cause structural vibrations. These vibrations can have an adverse effect on the listening environments, and can bleed into other microphones and instruments.  Here’s an easy DIY project for floating those noisy guitar and bass cabinets (this project can be scaled up or down – from studio monitors to subwoofers).

Stuff you will need:

• 2 – 2’x2’x3/4” Plywood (whatever size you want)
• 2’x2’ Carpet Underlayment (Same size as Plywood)
• 2”x4”x8’ Lumber for frame (More if scaling larger)
• About 1 cu.ft. Clean Dry Sand (Sandbox Sand)
• 3’x3’ Industrial Carpet (Enough to cover platform)
• Vib-X Pad to cut at least 4 – 2” Squares for feet
• Construction Adhesive

Simple assembly

1. Create Frame and attach to bottom Plywood
2. Attach Vib-X feet to bottom
3. Fill with Sand
4. Attach Plywood top
5. Adhere Carpet Underlayment to top
6. Carpet Box

This plan is for a 2’x2’ platform. You can scale these or use more than one. Scale with caution – the sand makes these extremely heavy. What you are building is a floating platform. Keeping the sound from being transmitted into the floor below effectively decouples the speaker, making it “float”. In essence, the vibrations are being absorbed before getting to a solid surface, allowing for a more transparent listening experience and keeping the vibrations from interfering with other instruments in the area.

This simple DIY project is provided as a way for our customers to learn better ways to use our products and get more value out of the products they buy.  If you are looking for more ways to use the products you have, look to Acoustics First for Ideas.  http://www.acousticsfirst.com

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Acoustics First Corporation supplies acoustical panels and soundproofing materials to control sound and eliminate noise in commercial, residential, government, and institutional applications worldwide.  Products include the patented Art Diffusor®, sound absorbers, noise barriers, acoustical fabrics and accessories. Acoustics First® products are sold for O.E.M applications, direct, and through dealers.  For more information on acoustical materials and their application, please visit www.AcousticsFirst.com or call Toll Free 1-888-765-2900 (US & Canada).