Tweakers' Asylum Tweaks for systems, rooms and Do It Yourself (DIY) help. FAQ.

---

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Tweakers' Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

Levitator Answers

Posted by Danny (M) on April 3, 2002 at 11:48:53

In Reply to: New GR Research magnetic platform posted by Sordidman on April 2, 2002 at 17:36:34:

The Levitator is produced by Dodd Audio. GR Research did have some participation in development and is currently involved in distribution and marketing.

Initially a version was made that used attracting magnets for centering and opposing magnets to keep them apart. This did actually levitate the top plate with nothing physically touching it. But if you were to bump it hard enough it would make a very quick 45 degree turn and snap together with finger breaking force.

For liability reasons it was decided not to pursue this method.

This method also allowed large magnetic fields created by the attracting magnets. With the current system the opposing magnets effectively cancel the magnetic field.

The first versions, using the pins for centering, did use linear bearings in the top plate to allow smooth up and down gliding.

It was later decided (by designer Gary Dodd) that the bearings were not necessary. A hole through the Acrylic with a few thousandths clearance allowed just as smooth and frictionless movement.

Wedging the top plate between multiple pins and using a roller bearing system actually locks the top plate to the bottom one. This does not isolate it from vibrations in the horizontal plane. It only dampens it in the vertical plane (up and down).

By allowing some clearance in the aligning holes in the top plate the top plate has a thousandth of an inch or so of play horizontally. It barely touches the pins. So it not only floats up and down but also has a some of float side to side. This effectively isolates it from the bottom plate and vibrations in the vertical and horizontal plane.

Vibrations are not transferred through the magnetic field any more than they are transferred through the air. The only vibrations that will be received by the top plate (and/or whatever is on it) is what hits it directly, and even those vibrations will have a minimal effect because the top plate is not rigidly mounted but floating.

Also the resonance frequency of the 1/2 thick Acrylic, while it has not been actually measured yet, should be down in the single digit range. So, there should be no problems of the platform itself causing resonance problems.

Does it work?

Listeners seam to unquestionable believe it does.

A Levitator was recently audition in a Dallas store. The owner, a tech, and Gary Dodd simultaneously noticed a difference when the Levitator was inserted under the CD player. The music was cleaner. It has a quieter noise floor, and better detail. Gary described it as having darker Blacks.

And yes, a levitating platform does have a high "cool" factor as one poster said. But, it gets even cooler. An optional lighting kit is in the works too. A small LED light is inserted into the back of the Acrylic to light up the whole platform. Any color can be used too. I was not all that jazzed over the idea until I saw one that had a blue LED light in it that was turned down kind of dim. It looked real good.

Considering the price of other isolation devices I think the price to be pretty good especially considering the high price of Neodymium magnets. Also considering the effectiveness I think these to be a real bargain.

For you die hard DIY'ers that never buy anything that you think you can make yourself.... I think this post just gave you guys a few really good ideas.

Further questions can be sent to Gary Dodd at Dodd Audio gldodd@attbi.com or to me here at GR info@gr-research.com

Danny Richie

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Sonic Craft

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---