Vibrations

[dh46374]

Hi Everyone,

We all know that audiophiles hate vibrations. We often go to great lengths to protect our gear from vibrations. But, when I rest my hand on the airframe of one of my Ethos, every time a bass is plucked or a drum is whacked the airframe vibrates like a tuning fork. This can't be good.

My home is built on a concrete slab and my Ethos are coupled to it through the carpeting using the ML supplied spikes. How do others deal with the vibrations created by the bass cabinets?

TIA,

DH

 

[roberto]

Hola DH. That's not right!. The airframe is totally dead and does not sing with the music. Something is loose, perhaps. Try to find the exact part from where it is that vibration, and ask to ML service dept this issue. The good thing of the airframe, is that it is an anti-resonant frame. When ML used wood, the voices, specially from females, resonate a certain frequencies, producing a little glare to the the voice. Some instruments had the same thing, like the upper mid-range of the piano, and lower notes of the violin... But was not too dramatic as the boxy speakers (most cones) have it. Is it when you play loud a heavy bass? It happens with all kind of music? Your Ethos should be free of this problem. Happy listening!

 

[dh46374]

Hi Roberto,

Thanks for the reply but I think I caused a misunderstanding with my choice of words, the words tuning fork to be exact. The airframe doesn't make a sound or cause a distortion that I can hear, but I think that the way it vibrates must have a detrimental effect on the sound.

I would like to tie the airframes down tightly with wires, like a radio tower, but that's not really practical. So I was wondering if anyone else has found a way to keep the airframes from vibrating or if this is really a problem at all.

DH

 

[roberto]

Mmmmm. Please be more specific of that vibration problem. Do you hear it? What is the problem with the sound. Please tell us more info. Also, do you hear this vibration with all type of music? Can you tell us the recording and the song with the problem? Or, is this vibration is ruining the mid-range, highs? What is exactly the problem?... Tuning fork? That is what I use for tuning my guitar...but the air frame is totally free of resonance. It is totally dead. It does not resonates along with the music. Here is a little words from ML regarding the air frame...". At the same time, an AirFrame provides electrical and acoustical isolation, minimizing intermodulated distortion caused by vibration and resonance while enhancing imaging, low-level sonic detail, accuracy, and efficiency."... On what pitch are you getting this odd resonance from your Ethos?

 

[Tosh]

It's inherent in the design of all these one-piece hybrid ESLs that the bass excites the ESL panel. It has gotten better with the use of better frames and the use of active cross-overs.

 

[dh46374]

Thanks Tosh and Roberto. Roberto, I don't hear a specific problem with my Ethos. They sound very good in fact. But when I put my hand on the airframe and feel it vibrating as it plays music, I think that those vibrations can't be good for the music coming off the panels, and that if I could find a way to decrease or eliminate those vibrations it should improve the sound of the Ethos.

It makes sense that a long panel attached to a bass module would vibrate and the only way to eliminate the vibrations would be to separate the two. I thought that somebody might have had the same thought and come up with a way to dampen some of the vibrations.

DH

 

[roberto]

Hola. I assure you that ML has taken all the possibilities concerning that. If you want to listen if that vibration is causing any problem, disconnect the bias red wire that goes to the panel, and play just the woofer, and listen carefully if there is any sound coming from the frame. A tune fork is for only one frequency resonance, and it should be very evident. Please do it, and tell us your findings. I am with you, vibration is not a good thing, but you can not avoid it, unless, you have the woofer box detached from the panel. You might do that. But, there are hours of work from ML engineers in designing that frame that your Ethos have, and it is anti-resonance. That is what a good speaker design is. With the vibration from the woofer, the frame does not sing. And does not sing along too with the vibration from the panel. It is totally dead. Happy listening!

 

[dh46374]

OK. Thanks Roberto. I will not worry about it and I will post here if I do any experiments with vibrations, but I don't have any plans for any right now.

DH