I had the opportunity to test the Sorbothane Sound Insulator (SSI-001) while also taking pictures, so I checked out the product.
This is a high-performance insulator developed for audio by Sanshin Kosan Co., Ltd., the developer of Sorbothane material.
Click here for product page
https://www.exclusive-audio.jp/shop/products/detail.php?product_id=273
It has a 3-layer structure design with a base made of a combination of gold-plated brass and ebony and supported by Sorbothane, a rubber material. Sorbothane is a material that is used in various fields for purposes such as vibration isolation, damping, noise reduction, and soundproofing due to its shock absorption and pressure dispersion properties.
The appearance of the insulator "SSI-001" is a combination of ebony and gold-plated metal parts that gives it a luxurious feel. The price is 49,800 yen. . Although it feels a little small, it can also be said to be a convenient size.
It can also be used for amplifiers and players, but since it is an audio base that improves the sound quality mainly for speakers, I decided to use 3 of them. a pair(Set of 4 is also available as an option). Therefore, if you use speakers, you will need two sets. .
The material, brass, is non-magnetic, has the appropriate weight of a metal, has a good resonance that is used in brass instruments, and does not have any unpleasant resonance. Ebony is a very hard and resonant wood, and is also a high-quality wood used for musical instruments such as oboes and clarinets.
The screw-type height adjustment is very effective for players such as turntables. What cannot be overlooked is that the thin threaded part that connects to the ebony base creates a pinpoint base effect. The ebony receiver material moderately prevents the resonance noise peculiar to metals, and the 8mm thick anti-vibration material Sorbothane absorbs and disperses the overall vibrations from the equipment it is mounted on.
In order to verify the effect that can be obtained, this time I tried listening to it using a turntable and speakers.
First up is the turntable. Installed at three well-balanced points on the hard bottom. Since it does not use magnets, there is no need to worry about magnetism at the installation location.
Should I say that the vibration-damping effect eliminated any wobble and that the pinpoint effect cleared up any muddiness in the sound, making it clearer, with the sound contours becoming more distinct? The vibration-damping effect of Sorbothane seems to provide substantial stability for delicate operations such as cartridge tracking and CD reading. However, with the Sony PS-X70 tested this time, since the cartridge was a robust MM type, the change was mild. The effect might be much greater for cartridges that are delicate MC types with low impedance or cartridges without dampers.
The effect of the insulators was even more noticeable on the speakers. The focal point became sharply defined, and even slight wobble disappeared. The sound contours became clearer, the texture extended clearly to the depths of the bass, and the tone was free from muddiness. Transparent and clear, with a gentle extension toward the high frequencies, no harshness or cloudiness, and the resonance was completely different. Well-organized, with excellent sound transmission, it is very comfortable to listen to.
The Sorbothane insulators 'SSI-001', which eliminate the negative aspects of speakers and maximize their strengths, truly demonstrate their value on speakers, and it can be said that their worth fully justifies the price.
For those who want to fully bring out the performance of their speakers, this is an item they definitely should try.
Here is the product page.
https://www.exclusive-audio.jp/shop/products/detail.php?product_id=273
