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Carbide Audio introduces small footer editions: Carbide Base Micro and Nano.

 

Carbide Base Micro is a smaller version of our award-winning Carbide Base footer. It shares the same novel approach to utilizing low shape factor viscoelastics for superior bass performance. The primary difference is 3 smaller Micro ViscoRings™ are used rather than the single large ViscoRing™ from the Carbide Base footer.

 

The color-coded Micro ViscoRings™ are replaceable depending on the intended supporting weight. Horizontal isolation is augmented by zirconia ball bearings rolling between hardened steel bearing raceways – yielding a truly multi-axis isolation device.

 

While the Carbide Base footer is still the best in terms of damping capacity, Carbide Base Mico performs similarly but is more compact at 81 mm diameter by 40 mm tall.

Carbide Base Micro

Nano

Even smaller is our new Nano footer with an all-stainless steel housing measuring just 38 mm diameter by 30 mm tall. A single zirconia ball bearing rolls between PVD coated hardened steel bearing raceways borrowed from the Sapphire version of our Carbide Base footers. Nano Diamond is the ultimate version of the footer which utilizes our PVD Diamond coated ceramic bearing races along with a top pad machined from our TwinDamp™ high-damping alloy.

 

Nano excels in locations where space is limited such as under components sitting between shelves on a rack or directly under bookshelf speakers sitting on a stand. Similar to both Carbide Base footers, Nano can also be optionally bolted to equipment and loudspeakers in place of stock footers or spikes.

Introducing Carbide Base Sapphire – a continuation of our research into ball bearing vibration isolators for audio. The new Sapphire version sits between the standard and Diamond versions of the Carbide Base audio footer in the product lineup.

 

The Sapphire version of the Carbide Base footer differs from the standard version by the addition of the Sapphire Insert in the top center of the footer. The Sapphire Insert is a ball bearing vibration isolator which provides additional filtering of low-level and low-frequency noise.

The Sapphire Insert functions similar to the Diamond Insert used on Carbide Base Diamond. The difference is that the Sapphire Insert does not utilize our TwinDamp™ material and that the bearing raceways are made from a different material.

 

The raceways used in the Sapphire Insert are formed from a high-carbon steel which is hardened through heat treatment. After a rigorous 8 stages of polishing, the raceways are then coated with a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) PVD coating combined with a special alloy. The raceways are then cryogenically tempered to relieve internal stresses and improve toughness.

 

The result is an exceptionally hard, smooth, and low friction bearing rolling surface which is surpassed only by the PVD Diamond coated ceramic raceways in the Diamond version.

Diamond raceways shown on left
Sapphire raceways shown on right