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In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: Macondo’s Midbass Project – the grown up time.

Post Subject: Straps and shocksPosted by scooter on: 9/14/2010

The straps seem like a good first step given limited space, weight and access to several beams. Unfortunately they can eliminate some vibration but will transmit through other points in the house frame. Hanging horns by straps will do little to restrict upwards movement and some resulting bouncing. Of course you could strap from three dimensions around the horns but that gets a bit difficult and likely directly transmits more house frame vibrations (there will be certain points of strapping that may not vibrate at certain frequencies but I don't know it that matters from a practical perspective given complexity of horns and music).

I would think about incorporating some bicycle shock absorbers typically used in the frame of mountain bikes (not the forks at the front wheel). These shock absorbers may incorporate a spring and oil based dampening system and provide varying levels of adjustment. Some you can adjust remotely. You could mount (four) shocks on the sides of each horn as feet bolted to a floor beam. Alternatively, you could run straps to suspend the front and back of each horn using four shocks to connect the strap ends to the shocks and each shock to a beam (in compression mode); lack of rigidity of the straps could cause some odd vibration issues here but the shocks may dampen that.

I think these shocks start at about $150 (wheelworks in belmont is huge shop with knowledge) but you might be able to contact a local distributor (allied cycle in waltham I think) for a volume discount if you can convince them to sell to you. Lousy $250 bikes come with unadjustable shock absorbers so cost has to be below $10 to manufacture lousy shocks.

Here is a picture of a more expensive
http://www.gearbuyer.com/products/fox_racing_shox_van_rc_coil_rear_shock.html

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