Monitor Isolation Pads

What Are Monitor Isolation Pads?

Music producers and sound engineers use various devices to decouple the monitors from the surface. Accordingly, the most widespread are monitor isolation pads made of dense acoustic foam and metal spikes on which the speakers rest. Monitor decouplers function in two main ways. First, they isolate the monitor from the stand (desk), ensuring that the speaker operates independently, with no back-vibrations from the stand interfering with the monitor operation. Second, they prevent the transmission of vibrations onto the stand, which can generate unwanted resonance.  

The Structure

You can easily demonstrate the resonance of the hollow metal stand if you clap your hand next to it. Such stands are designed to be filled with sand, which increases their mass and minimizes resonance. Also, sound generally travels faster through solid matter. Sound can travel through the stand and floor and reach our body before the sound that traveling through the air does, possibly confusing our perception of lower frequencies. Both foam and spike decouplers are relatively cheap, but they positively affect the monitor performance. Mostly, they yield a tighter, more focused bass response.  

Important Studio Improvement

Adding a set of monitor isolation pads can be one of the studio's most effective and vital improvements. Like the shock absorbers in the car, monitor isolation pads sit under your monitors, absorbing vibrations that would otherwise transfer into your desk or floor. The vibration generates false low frequencies, making it impossible to judge the mix accurately. Some companies develop high-quality monitor isolation pads that let you position your studio monitors at the exact angle you need, allowing you to define your central mix position better. Also, they usually come in two pieces, each with a 4-degree angle. That will enable you to tilt your monitor at one of five angles: flat, +/-4 degrees, or +/-8 degrees. So whether you need to angle the monitors on your desk up or tilt your stand-mounted monitors down, MoPADs make it easy.