Speaker Stuffing

[Theophilus Punoval]

I read that modeling clay was a good method of stuffing a speaker to reduce cabinet vibrations and rattle. Would carpet pad do the same thing?

 

[Oerets]

I always figured if the cabinet needed reinforcement then inner supports are the way to go. Clay will vibrate loose be my guess, so would be a poor choice.



Barney

 

[thomo57]

I've been reading a lot about this subject over the last couple of months because lve redesigned a cabinet to be built for me.
I haven't read anything about modelling clay although l have read somewhere in the distant past about it.
As Theopholous said clay would be prone to drying and breaking away.
Most of what I've read involves either internal bracing or some sort of deadening sheets attached to the internals.
There are numerous alternatives and types of material available.

The way l understand it is that the deadening material needs be a fairly heavy soft material and actually stuck/adhered to the panels to reduce the vibration.
Google sound deadener or check on eBay there is plenty to choose from and probably suppliers in your local area that supply similar material under a different name

 

[thomo57]

Not my product but this is one lve come across that seems to fit the bill

 

[PR Audio]

I read that modeling clay was a good method of stuffing a speaker to reduce cabinet vibrations and rattle. Would carpet pad do the same thing?

Because of $ to performance ratio I personally use 3/8" to 1/2" thk. upholstery wool felt, which I believe is not 100% wool, but a mix of wool and cotton. It can be found at upholstery supplies stores and some Walmarts. Another inexpensive product used all the time is Denim insulation, which you can find at hardware stores, interior remodeling stores, and the usual HD and Lowes. I buy my wool felt from American Fabrics stores and it cost about $3.75 per yard, cut from 48" wide rolls.

Another wool felt product that is highly recommended is what is called F3 Wool, which is a 100% wool product, but expensive compared to the previously mentioned materials. Besides F3 there are other grades, like F5, but F3 is the most recommended for audio use.

There are other products, and if you dig around the internet you will find how they are used in speaker building, just do a Google search using the phrase: "Best wool felt for speakers" or "Best material for speaker damping". Here are some useful links:

+ http://www.stereomojo.com/Diffraction Be Gone Review/DIFFRACTIONBEGONEREVIEW.htm
+ http://www.qtasystems.co.uk/loudspeaker-components/damping-materials.htm
+ Excellent guide - http://www.qtasystems.co.uk/articles/how-to-damping.htm
+ Scientific guide - http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/speaker_design_pt3_getstuffed_e.html
+ AK discussion - http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/cabinet-damping-insulation.591108/
+ DIY Audio discussion - http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/mult...iberglass-vs-wool-vs-lined-cabinet-walls.html

I have used Acousta-Stuff from PE, expensive, and have had the same results using inexpensive pillow stuffing polyfill, which I buy at the local upholstery store for about $2.00 per cu.ft. I use this fill for different purpose than felt, I use to tame the highs, to make the enclosure seem "bigger" to the driver, and for TL designs stuffing; though for TL's I use a mix of felt behind the driver(s) and polyfill for the transmission line.

Enjoy the bathroom reading material I just linked...

 

[DavidF]

I read that modeling clay was a good method of stuffing a speaker to reduce cabinet vibrations and rattle. Would carpet pad do the same thing?

I have heard folks using some form of non-hardening clay to damp speaker frames or horn bells but not cabinet walls. Perhaps if modeling clay were part of a constrained layer type configuration, then maybe so but how to deal with it eventually drying out?

Carpet padding does not have much mass so it's difficult to think how this could help damp the cabinet walls. You would not get much in terms of vibration transfer from the hard wood/wood product to the foam.

Do you think you have a vibration issue or just have some tweaks in mind?

 

[Retrovert]

The butylene caulking (butylene plus calcium carbonate as a filler) does not harden, or more accurately, takes decades before it stiffens up. This is what the Mortite branded product is.

Elsewhere I wrote about Mortite:

Frost King Mortite Caulking Cord ( www.frostking.com/mortite-caulking-cord (http://www.frostking.com/mortite-caulking-cord) ) comes to mind as one of the brands that doesn't harden and remains very sticky for years and years. Its formulation, no surprise here, is about two-thirds butylene with a filler (calcium carbonate or titanium dioxide for color), some surfactants to increase adhesion (mostly to metals, as wood is pretty easy to bind to), and some antioxidants to slow the oxidative cross-linking and keep it flexible over time.

 

[Freds.Bands]

Why not use the asphalt-based damping pad material used in autos for reduction of noise transmitted by the drive train to the passenger compartment? Maybe Advance Auto or NAPA has or can get it it. You may need an adhesive for it.

 

[nexus]

i built a small speaker (sealed box) many years ago and used plasticine modeling clay (the cheap kind kids play with) to line the interior. i eventually gave those to my nephew. he is here visiting this week and he just told me he took a woofer out a couple years ago and the clay was fine.

if you can make clay work it is an excellent damping material imo..

 

[DavidF]

i built a small speaker (sealed box) many years ago and used plasticine modeling clay (the cheap kind kids play with) to line the interior. i eventually gave those to my nephew. he is here visiting this week and he just told me he took a woofer out a couple years ago and the clay was fine.

if you can make clay work it is an excellent damping material imo..

Interesting... always learning new things.