AudioFile Magazine 

Hitting the right nodes - Bright Star Audio IsoNode isolation feet

The audiophile’s quest for excellent sonic reproduction is a truly arduous task. It may seem that all he does is listen to music, but nothing could be further from the truth.  In reality, the audiophile is constantly striving to improve his system, inching its performance ever so closer to his perception of the ideal sound. While upgrading equipment is a sure-fire way of achieving this, another avenue would be to optimize it, so it performs at its peak capability, or to put it simply – tweaking.

While there are many aspects to tweaking, one area that has the most credibility is the premise is that vibration – be it air or structurally borne – will adversely affect the sound. How component isolation is achieved, is as almost varied as the music that the enthusiast listens to, and there is a profusion of methods and devices available to the adventurous audiophile. Some work well, and some don’t quite achieve what they claim, but rest assured that the Bright Star IsoNode isolation feet fall into the former category.

Bottoming Out

And just what do the IsoNodes do to the sound? Well, there was definite improvement with the IsoNodes under source components – CD players, DVD players and even turntables.

With CD players, I found there to be a increase in resolution and detail – it’s almost as if a layer of grunge that you didn’t know existed but have been hearing through all this time was wiped from the sound This is, perhaps, attributable to the quieter noise floor.  With turntables there was enhancement in low-level resolution, as well as an increase in extension of the bass frequencies.  DVD players shared similar sonic benefits as CD players, but there was an added visual factor too, in the form of cleaner picture quality, a slight increase in color accuracy and overall better depth perception.

Amplifiers too, benefited from the use of IsoNodes, though to a lower extent. There was some lowering of the noise floor, but notably, the amplifier appeared to have a slightly more dynamic nature than before!

Take A Node, Please

Isolation of components work, period, and there is no disputing the issue. As to the degree of improvement, there is an overall increase to every aspect of the performance, and not just the ones described.  I even found the IsoNodes to work when combined with other devices

If you aren’t using any isolation devices currently, then you must go and get a few sets of the Bright Star Audio IsoNode isolation feet now – and at its asking price, you don’t have a valid excuse to say no….

One of the cheapest and most effective isolation devices available.

Joseph Loh – Audiophile Magazine, December 2004  

 

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MUSIC MATTERS magazine 

Bright Star IsoNode anti-vibration feet       October 2004

When Leslie offered me two sets of IsoNodes from Bright Star for review, I quickly snatch up the opportunity! 
 
I do not have to strain myself to realize the real forte of these little wonders. Many isolation feet improve imaging and definition, so what? These little wonders bring organic qualities to the music, bringing forth the essence of emotions rather than merely sound qualities.
 
Music came from a darker and quieter space. Not as in noise floor, but rather, cutting the music from fake airiness! You would not notice this before putting in the IsoNodes, but it is obviously noticeable without them. This enables the instruments to take on a more substantial body.
 
Indeed, these little wonders have got the perfect formula to sing with the harmonic nature of music making. The highs of the cymbals and hi-hats have got this lucid quality that cuts away the unwanted splash, and yet retaining the decay of the vibrating steel. Bass tightens up and was presented with tautness and solid textures.
 
All of this is only half which has me awed. Damn, could I have enough of these little wonders? No! With my Sony XA5ES, vocals were solidly placed, making them easier to locate. That is not all, the graininess was gone and the mids were smooth and harmonically rich! Reverb and ambience were rendered in great palpability and music came from a more cohesive canvas rather than individual space.
 
With Le Mon’s sexy and sassy vocal, it is a sin to not appreciate what the IsoNodes could do! One could easily discern the minute change in intensity of her seductive voice - even the faintest sigh was captured with realism! In fact, the IsoNodes give her voice more subtle dynamic touches and they do bring the music presentation much closer.
 
I am having such good time with the IsoNodes that I am not giving them back. Sorry Leslie, they are mine!
 
Associated equipment: Source - Sony XA5ES;  Power amplifier - Audio Research Classic 60; Pre-amplifier - Audio Research LS8; Speakers – Proac Reference 8; Speaker cable - AudioQuest Mont Blanc DBS; Interconnect - AudioQuest Panther DBS
 
Contributed by: Lil' KC
 

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TNT-Audio magazine
IsoNode anti-vibration feet

The best option is IsoNode feet beneath the CD player.  The biggest improvement will be inserting IsoNodes between it and the shelf.  This was the best sound so far.  Even skeptical Heather rated them really highly, noting that she was surprised at how cleanly and clearly the triangle and temple bells could be heard on the Chesky Sara K album "Closer Than They Appear". The IsoNodes were tried, excelling once again with vocals and treble.  The noise floor seemed lower.  Midrange was clearer, sweeter and more natural.  In every other parameter a veil lifted deeply understates the reaction of the listening panel.  

The Bright Star Audio IsoNodes do the best job of ameliorating the problems of structurally born vibration and acoustically induced resonant vibration in the player. They also make a whole range of much more advanced products, beginning with the IsoRock and progressing through various ranges, some tailored to specific products (VPI turntables, Cary & Jadis amps, etc.). 

The IsoNode anti-vibration feet were the winners with the Quad.  The IsoNodes lifted several veils of noise and opacity right across the audible spectrum from bass depth to shimmering cymbals.  Voices, particularly, sounded more evenly balanced with the IsoNodes creating a more natural, less congested mental image.

The soft flexible polymer IsoNode anti-vibration feet consistently made most difference to poor chassis.  Almost every commercial non-suspended product sounded better on the IsoNodes. Generally, the Bright Star IsoNode feet majored on lowering the noise floor, improving treble purity and clarity, and especially rendering voices more realistic and natural.  This applies under amplification and CD players and analogue tuners. You should install one set of them directly under the casework of any steel or aluminum cased audio component.  Purely electronic components (tuner, pre-amp, power amp) in clangy cases benefited most from IsoNodes, preferably two sets, one each above and below the component. Readers who buy a couple of sets will spend a few happy evenings experimenting and then enjoy results that are more cost effective than replacing all their cables. I suspect they will then buy more until the whole system is treated.   

Reducing the effects of airborne and structure-borne vibration on all the components audio systems really makes a big difference to the musical effect. Vibration control interventions are cumulative.  As more are applied throughout an audio playback system the effects add so that the total is greater than the sum of the individual parts.  There seems to be no limit to the gains possible in ameliorating the problems caused by vibration.  

I would strongly recommend the IsoNode anti-vibration feet.   

Mark Wheeler - TNT-Audio magazine - September 2004

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Enjoy The Music magazine

IsoNode / IsoRock / Little Rock

As an introduction I would like to state that there is a great deal of interesting and valuable information available online at the Bright Star Audio website. While there, visit the various pages listed. I am under the impression that all or almost all was written by Barry Kohan. He ultimately covers more aspects of vibration and its isolation that you might be able to even think of including magnetic repulsion. His thoughts on the magnetic repulsion technique almost exactly paralleled my experience with some prototype models I still have. Barry's results, theories and product developments make an excellent starting point for almost anyone trying to figure out this disarmingly complex subject. Kohan's background arose from his work and experience at the generating end of this problem - loudspeakers.

The Bright Star Audio products that Barry sent are their least expensive as befits the stated parameters of this comparative review. The primary items were their bargain priced IsoNode anti-vibration feet available in two sizes. The large size are $19.99 per set of four, are approximately one and a quarter inch in diameter and three quarters of an inch tall and have a recommended component weight of forty two pounds per set. The smaller models are about half as large, have a have recommended component weight of thirty pounds per set and are just $12.50 for a set of four. They have an adhesive backing used to attach them to the underside of components. Often it works out fine to attach them directly to the stock feet if they are sturdy and solidly attached. Superior results were particularly noticeable on the initial impact of drum whacks and sense of the mallet striking.

Barry Kohan had sent along examples of their other budget priced items that complement or allow their IsoNode feet to perform at their best. The other products sent were their Little Rock 4 pods and a couple of Bright Star Audio's IsoRock 4 platforms.  Think of "Rock" representing solid or inert, "Iso" as meaning isolation and "4" as being a smaller size model. The basic Little Rock 4 is quite inert and was meant to be used on top of the component to reduce and eliminate vibration.

The requirements for use under a component and damping on top are each unique and different. Someone at Bright Star is obviously doing research. The IsoRock is then "bottomed off" by the set of IsoNode feet included in this bargain priced and seemingly very effective design. Bright Star Audio also offers the rather well known Big Rock series, the Gemini isolation twins, Air Mass mounts and The Rack Of Gibraltar, but all are beyond the scope of this review. Communicate with them about their ideas and products to use under loudspeakers and subwoofers. Isolation is not just a sideline product for them. Maybe I will be fortunate enough to get to try some of their premium devices.

Listening to my system using the bargain priced IsoNode feet resulted in the same general sort of improvement. Next I took the Little Rock slab, stuck four IsoNode feet under it and then placed the Heart Player on top. You guessed it, another definite improvement though not quite the equal of using the IsoRock 4.

Next was a combination of Bright Star Audio items winding up as follows: Under the CD player went the IsoRock 4 which has IsoNode isolation feet, the Little Rock was placed on top of the player and IsoNode feet under the tubed preamplifier. The audible end result went beyond a slight but definite improvement to a significant and noticeable improvement that improved more as the volume or gain control was advanced. This setup definitely resulted in the most impact and deepest bass response in the review as well as the cleanest cymbals.

Shootout Results

It was easy to be impressed by the results offered by Barry Kohan's extensive range of products. His Bright Star Audio company has been recognized as a leader, if not the leader, in this field of audio. His Technical Talk writings on the Internet are clear and rather concise, making a surprisingly complicated subject understandable. No wonder when using the IsoNode feet as part of his IsoRock base under the player and then a Little Rock damping pod on top of the player the resultant sound quality was not to be equaled. Other companies simply do not import or offer a comparable range of accessory products.

Karl Lozier - Enjoy The Music - 2003

 

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Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine

Building the Audiophile Recording Studio  

Let’s start with Bright Star Audio’s remarkable contribution. Barry Kohan, the company’s president, explains what this is all about. “As your system plays or records music, the component’s chassis begins to resonate, and these vibrations end up getting transferred to the recording medium. These vibrations then contaminate the sound. Jitter in the digital bit stream increases, and other phenomena wreak havoc with the tonal quality—and it is audible. So in order to preserve maximum sonic fidelity, you’ve got to make sure that these vibrations do not alter the musical signal.” So how does one control unwanted vibration and resonance in your signal path? “By eliminating it,” says Kohan.

Bright Star’s approach to that feat is to isolate each component in the chain. And they do it through high mass, high absorption, and EMI shielding products for each component in your system. Taken together as a total isolation solution, they stiffen the components, drain vibrations from the chassis, and protect them from electro-magnetic interference.

As it turns out, those ubiquitous component racks that occupy virtually every studio are anathema to good sound, as they readily transmit vibrations and resonance right on down the line from component to component, as well as creating a resonant structure within the cabinet walls - directly-coupled to your gear. It gets ugly. Get rid of ‘em.  At minimum, you’ll want to fit shelves into the rack, and then place the components outfitted with the isolation products onto them.

More than a good dose of physics and materials science went into the design of these isolation accessories – and they do work wonders. Placing a small pickup on the component chassis, we measured the chassis vibrations with, and without the Bright Star Isolation System. Not only could we see the difference in the waveforms, we could hear it. No wonder this system was named Accessory of the Year by Stereophile. It really works.  Bright Star also makes IsoNode feet which effectively shunt vibrations from monitor speakers.  Very cool.

Bright Star system results: highs are much more crisp, and the bass gets significantly more punch and you’ll hear surprisingly greater detail across the audio spectrum. And once you hear the effect, you’ll never go back to the rack.

John Schroeder - Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine - January 2005

 

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