⌈ An anti-vibration platform is an elevated flat surface (structure) used to minimize vibrations. The devices that are placed on the given platform are to be protected against vibration. There are many design strategies that offer different sound results. In recent years, however, products in which the ball bearing is an intermediate element between two surfaces seem to be particularly popular. One of the youngest companies that uses this type of solution is AUDIO STABILITY run by Mr. GRZEGORZ ŁABA. ⌋

think we all started this way – we placed under a CD player, or a turntable, some chipboard left after our kitchen furniture was built, and maybe in some more lucky cases it was a MDF board. The next level of initiation were granite or marble slabs used under speakers. And to all that we added spikes wherever they fit. This is how we shaped our sensitivity related to vibration reduction. As suggested by the latest research from audio manufacturers and - beware! - cable experts, they (vibrations) are now the enemy number one of a good sound. After mastering jitter in digital sources and better understanding of problems related to signal amplification, a large part of audio devices are resolving enough to show changes in sound without hesitation caused by uncontrolled vibrations.

The neophyte pursuit of decoupling everything that can be decoupled in any way, with time turns into methodical attempts to determine not WHETHER to decouple, but HOW to do it. Decoupling doesn't always yield the same results and even a slight correction of the damping characteristics translate into significant changes in the sound. Therefore, after fascination with various materials and spikes, the time comes for more sophisticated solutions. Such as ball bearings and multi-layer anti-vibration platforms (more in the FINE-TUNNING |2|, or it's time for electronic devices).

| SPIDER

‘decouple’ - separate, break up, disassociate, disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, dissociate, disunite.

The word 'decoupling' is highlighted by the Microsoft World text dictionary with a red, serpentine underline. This distinction means that the word is spelled incorrectly. Meanwhile, it is a commonly used term, above all in technology, but also known in physics and mathematics. In audio, it is one of the keywords. Audio Stability seems to share this view, because the opposite of vibration is included in its name.

GRZEGORZ ŁABA
Owner, designer

WOJCIECH PACUŁA: The feet are called The One…
GRZEGORZ ŁABA: The One, because they came first. The next product was the platform, SPIDER.

How did you come up with an idea of making this type of products?
The idea arose spontaneously, from a current need to deal with the problem and my professional inquisitiveness. I am a structural engineer by profession - I design and research bridges and viaducts. I also worked on the production of bridge bearings, but - generally - my company deals with various types of engineering measurements. We measure displacements, vibrations, accelerations - all the factors that are necessary to determine whether a given structure is properly designed and whether it will be safe for the user. We carry out trial loads of engineering objects.

Moving on to issues related to vibrations in audio technology was not difficult. As far as I know, I am not the only construction engineer or related engineer who deals with similar audio problems - I know there are more of us there.

It is puzzling, however, that in this case there is such a significant "translation" of general knowledge in the field of mechanics into detailed knowledge, i.e. the suppression of vibrations in audio.
This is true. It only seems that these are different areas. In fact, there are many common elements, and the vibration damping in audio practically does not differ from the vibration dampening in general. The only difference is the effect of scale and converting the effects of damping and vibration reduction to sound performance. Such an attempt in my case was a result of professional curiosity and desire to satisfy it. For me, the goal was never really the feet or anti-vibration platforms themselves.

Once, when I changed my stereo, I bought also an audio rack. It was a kind of bargain, because I also got bamboo shelves and granite slabs. It started to upset me quickly because its featured three legs, and the back one - the middle one - was exactly there, where I had to connect cables. It truly frustrated me and required a lot of gymnastics. At that time, I returned to reading specialist magazines and read about something called: "anti-vibration rack".

It sounded serious, but looking at and analyzing the solutions used there I could not understand it - where does this anti-vibration effect come from? A piece of metal, some spacers – that didn't, in my mind. Add to any anti-vibration effect. It bothered me professionally and I thought that it would not be a problem to develop such a decoupling. The question was, of course, would it work and how exactly would it translate into sound performance.

The concept of the solution was ready from the very beginning, it only required refinement. It was not that complicated - we have platforms for microscopes and other precision meters and devices, and I specialized in it to some extent. Of course, the novelty was the problem of translating the obtained results into the tone of the sound. It is very easy to cut out some part of the band and worsen the performance using one or another material.

The scale of vibration also proved to be a problem, as it had to be measured for me to being able to effectively reduce it later. We do not notice any spectacular vibrations in audio, their are all micro-scale ones. It is only by analyzing the whole phenomenon and its components that I realized that this was not a simple task and that it would not be quick, easy or cheap to solve.

The idea of establishing a company came from a fact that when I wanted to buy a dedicated audio rack I realized how expensive they were. A simple consequence of that discovery was the decision to make my own. It seemed to me that the best way of decoupling is by using a ball bearing, which could be embedded in rack's design. The decision to use the ball resulted from previous experience in bridge engineering and analysis of currently used solutions on the market. In this way the first prototype was created.

At some point I had to check the results of my work to make sure that the results are in line with expectations. So first I developed feet for electronic devices (The One) and for the speakers (X-Disc), because it is the simplest element in which I could have applied the designed solution and see if it really works. Then a platform and finally a rack were developed.

So this is a key element of your solution?
Yes, although I am fully aware that we are not discovering anything new. We simply use existing solutions and knowledge in a more targeted and precise way. The idea is based on a use of a ball as a bearing element. It is a precise ceramic ball made with class G5 accuracy, meaning descriptively "very precise" (tolerance of sphericity and diameter is at the level of 0.13 μm). Its surface looks like it was covered with oil. For comparison, the ROLLERBLOCK solution from Symposium Acoustics uses a standard ball with the class G10 accuracy, so ours is one class "higher". In addition to the ball itself, of course, we use other elements made with similar precision.

In the case of the platform, in its basic version we use also a slab of natural stone - sandstone. It is also not an accident, but a conscious use of this material, supported by numerical analysis and observation. This slab is responsible for the first effect of vibration reduction in audio components. Sandstone slab (sedimentary rock) has its own characteristics and differs from the granites that are very popular among audiophiles. Differences between materials can be found in the relevant professional literature, and conclusions can be drawn from the analysis of simple MES computer models.

Since I designed bridge bearings, the main idea behind our solution is similar to solutions found in engineering, in particular when it comes to transferring loads and limiting or ensuring freedom of movement. Of course, the values we deal with here are radically different from those found in construction. In our anti-vibration bearing solution, we have an upper and lower bowl and a ball between them as a connecting and transferring element. We've modified the way elements are free to move and displacement is reduced, but the idea is the same. In audio we do not have large displacements, these are very small values. I think that we were able to "catch" them and by properly directing them being effective in reducing them. By combining both elements, i.e. the bearing and the slab, we created the platform base.

What are the „bowls” made of?
This is a selected and properly processed plastic with graphite additions.

And the ball?
It's silicon nitride. It is also possible to use tungsten carbide balls.

So these are hybrid solutions?
Actually, you can say it's a kind of hybrid. We have really small displacements and vibrations that need to be eliminated, because their impact on the sound is not indifferent. I come from a group of skeptics, once I had no idea that it can be so important for the quality of sound. I had to convince myself, listening to it and then, further educating myself, that all this is of great importance. Audio is beautiful because we have infinitely many possibilities to influence the final sound we get from a system, and every change introduced to it, even the most inconspicuous one, can result in a surprising effect.

When was your company founded?
When you look at the entrepreneurs' records, you will see two names. The first is the Pracownia Projektowo-Badawcza SYSTEM, which has been operating on the engineering market since 2009. As I mentioned at the beginning, we design and study bridge structures throughout Poland. For example, here in Krakow, we were involved in a quite large and cool project - we carried out acceptance tests, including estacades over the Victims of Katyn roundabout and several other projects.

Audio Stability, in turn, was formally established last year. This is my stepping stone and a place to "catch a break" from the main occupation, but also a place to meet new challenges and goals. I thought it was time to do something on a smaller scale, which would bring me real pleasure.

Did it work?
We'll see about it :) But, so far, it's been very good, although the list of problems I had to overcome is quite long. In my case, it has a motivating effect and drives my further development. I hope that the verification of our activities in time will be beneficial and we will not disappear from the market faster than we appeared on it, after all it is a young company. Business risk is always there but I'm optimistic.

⁜

Although it was established only a year ago, it offers four products (the premiere of racks is planned for November) - two platforms (Spider and Mono) and two types of anti-vibration feet (feet) (The One and X Disc); For the test I chose the SPIDER platform, because we find in it all the basic techniques that the company has developed: suspension featuring a ball bearing and natural stone which constitutes the main board (mass) of the decoupling system. Seemingly, it is a fairly simple structure: on a steel base, cut out to reduce its weight and improve the appearance, a not very thick, having a smaller footprint, sandstone slab was hung. The base stands on four steel legs with screw-in brass cones. And that's it.

However, to prepare such a design one needs a lot of knowledge, tens of hours spent on listening and hard as... not to quit before the results come, when a man collides with Polish reality, in which many things are "impossible" and when the are "possible", what actually is possible simply "sucks”. At least unless you want to order a thousand pieces, then – no problem, everything is possible. As a result of this approach, Polish audio companies usually use foreign sub-contractors. Mr. Grzegorz Łaba, the owner of the company, managed to find suppliers in Poland, although it took a lot of time and effort, and it's still not a sure thing - today they are available but tomorrow they may have more important jobs to do.

Perhaps, if it wasn't so precisely, so well made product, it would be easier. There are fantastically finished steel legs with precisely adjustable height - brass cones featuring a micro thread. Holes have been drilled in them, into which a mandrel can be inserted (an allen key is supplied) so that the platform does not have to be lifted during adjustment.

In a plastic envelope, along with the cotton gloves, the mentioned allen and a very nice certificate, we also find a small spirit level similar to those used to set up turntables. It's worth using it, but - beware - let's put it on the top, not the bottom board, because they are not perfectly parallel. This is a result of choosing a not very hard stone, in which it is impossible to drill holes perfectly for ball bearings. The feet are placed on steel plates, which are part of the platform, which is in direct contact with the ground.

Ball bearing | That's right - a ball bearing. It's a decoupling method that gets more and more popular. And not by accident. It offers a way of mechanical separation that offers benefits not found elsewhere. It is not elastic, and yet it does not bind two planes "rigidly".

The pioneer in their application, or at least the company that propagated this solution, was the German Finite Elemente, a similar solution was proposed by the American company Symposium Acoustics, and in Poland by Franc Audio Accessories, Pro Audio Bono, Avatar Audio and Stacore .

Design | The Audio Stability's idea is a further development of the idea presented by Finite Elemente. The bed is mounted in a rigid base. The second, same bed, is mounted in the upper element (i.e. decoupled one), and a ball is placed between them. Here the bottom surface is made of structural steel and the top is a sandstone slab. The One feet are made of stainless steel.

As Mr. Łaba says, the appearance of the platform can be tailored to the buyer's requirements. The base can therefore be made of another type of steel, for example stainless steel or even aluminum. Its colors can also be different – one can choose from the RAL palette. You can also choose another type of top board - it can be made of granite, plywood, wood or MDF. However, keep in mind that any such modification will result in changes to the sound - larger or smaller ones, but there always be some. So the following test applies to this particular unit made of these particular materials, that was delivered to me by the owner of the company.

| HOW WE LISTENED TO IT

The test was performed with the Ayon Audio CD-35 HF SACD player (№ 1/50). The Spider platform was compared to the top shelf of the Finite Elemente Pagode Edition rack and to the Acoustic Review RAF-48H pneumatic platform. The player was moved from one surface to another. So it was an A / B / A comparison with the A and B known. The musical samples were two minutes long.

The influence of the tested platform on the sound is unambiguous and clear. I didn't have to super-focus during listening to realize what it did to the sound - and it resulted either in a slight balance shift, or in (almost imperceptible) modification of the sound attack. This is a classic example of good engineering supported by long listening sessions. And as a result, of a really good sound.

The thing that caught my attention first of all was not even the differences between the Spider platform and my reference one, the Acoustic Revive RAF-48H pneumatic platform, but the fact that I immediately knew that I was dealing with the same CLASS of performance. The modifications introduced by both platforms to the sound are clear, unambiguous, but both do it in an equally sophisticated and attractive way - at least for me, a man who has already heard a lot of various platforms in my life.

The first CD I tried with them was the digital version, on the Master CD-R, of the Oleś brothers duo album, which had not yet been released, titled Alone Together. I've been listening to it quite often lately, because I like the music, and besides, it's great for evaluating audio products. And I listened to it at home with Marcin Oles, which adds a personal dimension to it for me.

After moving the player several times - to one or the other platform, it was clear to me that it resulted in a slightly different sound. It falls within the same "canon" of sound, but it is not the same. And this is because the Polish platform defines sounds better (I am talking about modifications it makes, but for simplicity I will write that it "does" something). Marcin's double bass gained a bit of clarity, the sound structure was better.

The tonal balance slightly, but really slightly, shifted up, and yet - it was quite a surprise - it did not brighten the treble, nor “sterilize” the upper midrange. The impression of a balance shift resulted, I think, from the sound with Spider being clearer and - again - better articulated. The decay within the instrument was longer, better indicated against a slightly darker background.

But also the low bass shortened slightly and did not have as much weight as with the Acoustic Revive. In this case, however, this was not a disadvantage. My system has been tuned in such a way that it plays a full and low bass, because I like it that way. But this is not the only possibility that I would be happy with at home and the Spider platform showed nicely what other choices could be made here.

Intrigued, I reached for another album, which I used to listen to some time ago and which I like, i.e. the Super by Pet Shop Boys. This is a highly compressed sound, without low bass, with an emphasized upper midrange. On a well-tuned system, however, you can forget about it - of course, if you like this music. Anyway, with the Polish platform I heard better differentiated details in the upper midrange, the tone differences between the individual synthesizer tracks were nicely shown.

But also the vocals stepped back a bit into the mix and the midrange opened a bit. No brightening, that's not the point. But the impression was just as if the sound was better lit . Already with the double bass I heard that the Audio Stability platform focused my attention on the instruments' bodies, slightly shortening the reverb. At Super it didn't matter much, but this property was manifested in such a way that the foreground was closer to the listening position. It did not come out in front of the loudspeakers, but the mass of sound, its volume, were placed half a meter closer to me than with the Japanese platform.

It also came out great with the Talk Talk's Laughing Stock, which is the album that started the band's problems with EMI, its previous label. The opening cymbals in the Accession Day and guitar were with Acoustic Revive placed further away and had a narrower perspective. After placing the player on the Audio Stability, the foreground came closer, the depth was slightly shortened, but at the same time the stereo base widened. I heard the same thing with the Pet Shop Boys, but now it was more evident.

Beautifully, everything I talked about above was shown by Mel Tormé and Billy May's album entitled Olé Tormé. According to the title, this music is strongly inspired by the culture of the southern neighbor of the United States, and the recording is typical for this period, i.e. the late 1960s - the vocals are placed in the middle, and on the sides there are a groups of instruments, combined in vertical plane only by reverberation.

The Japanese platform presented this album in a more romantic way. It lightly patinized the sound attack, emphasized the low midrange and withdrew Tormé's vocals. The Polish competitor presented more details, differentiated the attack better, making the rhythm of the sound simply better. I lacked a bit of the fluidity of the pneumatic platform in all of this. On the other hand, more clearly than ever before, maybe except for the Stacore platform, compared to the tested platform, the "own sound" of my Acoustic Revive platform was easy to point out. Now it was easier to indicate what only it was doing.

| SUMMARY

The platform we are looking at is a professional work at its best. The fit&finish is fantastic and the sound refined. This is a similar level to the Acoustic Revive RAF-48H - and this statement did not come easy for me. They meet all the basic conditions that are put to high-end products designed to reduce vibrations from the loudspeakers and the device itself. However, they are so different that it will be easy to match them to your expectations.

If I were to recall a comparison, while the Japanese platform would be an equivalent of XRCD format, the Polish would sound more like the UHQCD. The sound with it is clearer, more expressive, has a better definition. But it does not have such a saturated midrange as with the RAF-48H, nor is it forgiving for lesser quality recordings. Therefore, the choice depends on you, your preferences and your system. But this is one of the few anti-vibration platforms that enters into a dialogue with the best designs of this type in the world and has something new to say. Hence: RED Fingerprint! ■