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Hi,Awhile back, I followed some advice I read here of placing zip lock bags of sands on top and beneath my CD player. I ended up using kitty litter in zip lock bags. I also tried it with other components. The tweaks worked, but my wife is tired of looking at zip lock bags of kitty litter. Can you recommend alternatives that look better? Is there anything that you use that is all black, such as black zip lock bags or black sand?
Thanks,
Follow Ups:
peas
...VPI Bricks?They were a big must-have tweak in the 1980s.
I have about 10 of these elegant, wood enclosed steel weights and use them on all my components.
They damp resonances and may even attract stray electro-magnetic energy from component transformers.
You can probably find them on AudioGon.
More expensive than sand in a baggie, but also more elegant.
Wow! Thanks for all of the great recommendations. I am sure one of the recommendations will work, although I am afraid she will pick DeKay's recommendation. So, I think I will keep that one to myself.
I have never seen black zip lock bags, but black sand is available, and would be just fine.I suppose yo could experiment with painting the zip lock bags black, by turning them inside out, and using spray paint, and letting them fdry thoroughly before returning them to normal and filling halfway with sand.
As for other alternative, be wary of reducing the effects of the damping by adding too much in betwwen the damping material, and the component. Using a cloth bag should be OK, as well as covering the zip lock bag with a cloth cover, as long as neither are too thick and stiff. Oviously, using just cloth means having a dense weave, and using larger sized sand, bordering on very small aquarium gravel, so that sand 'dust' does not leak through the cloth. Allowing this sand dust to get on most audio components would NOT be a good idea, hence the original use of zip lock bags.
Colored sand or gravel may be had from pet supply stores. Specifically the sand and gavel are used in fish aquariums. The range of available colors should be able to complement any wife's choice of colors.
DaveT
OK, I'll bite.1) Ask your wife what she'd like to look at (that Hermes bag is a great gag, but you never know, do you?). She might suggest something that could be filled with sand (lined with plastic if needed) that appeals to her more than bags. Teddy bear, old sock in her favorite color, throw pillow, handbag - god only knows what, but if she likes it, then you're in a good place.
2) A wooden or heavy card box (take your pick of design and color)can be filled with sand to weight/damp the top. So the box that's heavy cardboard from a bottle of Dom Perignon, for example, can be sand filled and your friends will think you're cellaring champagne for them. Some people like to finish or refinish cigar boxes. Be creative and have some fun.I suspect that a softer surround will work better than a harder one at damping the top if filled with sand, but I'm not 100% sure of that.
The problem with the commercial sandbags listed below is that they are rather heavy. You need to titrate your sand load on top in less than half pound increments to determine the best amount for each different component.
Underneath it would not matter in terms of weight.
FYI, I'm finding that the gel filled "pillows" that are used in computer keyboard/mouse ergonomic (so=called) devices work very well underneath some lighter components. If you look at what Gutwire is marketing, I'll bet it's little more than that, but maybe with the addition of carbon fiber or some minerals to add with electrical field damping as well.
Think Hermes makes them.
tucked under the edges of the bags might do it.
Googled "black sand bag" and found this site.Costs a little, but you get the idea. Lots of choices on weight & material.
Never knew gaffers & studio techs used this stuff!
'Course you could make your own too with black nylon bags and I've seen soft ankle weights that would work the same.
U could place a piece of paper inside the bag against the
inner wall of the Ziploc, only on the side that faces you. this paper could be any color.that way you're not changing the substrate..
OR, take old Crown Royal bags and cut the bottom out, and slide the opened bag over top of the Ziplocs.
"OR, take old Crown Royal bags and cut the bottom out, and slide the opened bag over top of the Ziplocs."U beat me to it Matt.
I use Crown Royal bags that came with the pint bottles and filled them with #6 lead shot. They have quite the heft to them, deaden anything their placed on and can conform to just about any shape.
I just used the drawstrings on the top to close the bags but added a small tye-wrap around the neck to ensure no shot could spill out.
The lead might cause some people with kids pause though.
Cheers,
when the 'quick fix' is needed! the velvet bags with shot in them is a good idea...
Most hobby places carry colored sand. Just google for it.
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