Electrical impulses are sent to the brain, and there interpreted into meaningful, recognizable sound. In the same way that the modulation of the air causes our eardrums to move in sympathy, so to they produce motion in all objects they encounter. If the amplitude of these motions is sufficient, and vibration within the component occurs, audible degradation results. Therein lies the rub. Two major types of vibration will occupy our discussions.
Structure borne vibrations enter through the shelf or platform upon which the component rests.
Airborne vibrations are the results of fluctuating air currents produced by the loudspeakers, which vibrate the enclosure of the component. The two types of vibration differ considerably in terms of the methods necessary to control them. First, let us examine air borne vibration, it is created, and how we can deal with it. These vibrations induce various distortions in the signal, causing a masking or veiling of the music to occur. Audiophiles have long been aware of the sensitive nature of tubes and tubed electronics to vibration.