/me to can't see how padding is supposed to help the audio quality.

I can see how padding is supposed to help the audio quality, but I can't see how it does.

The argument for the padding goes something like this:

Once upon a time, audiophiles listened to everything on vinyl LPs. These had a very sensitive method for extracting the analog data from the groove, and acoustic and vibration isolation was important. Isolating the turntable could improve the sound in subtle ways. Companies made money by selling these things. All was well.

Then CDs came out and turntables became useless practically overnight.

So the companies said to themselves, "Well, CDs are a lot like turntables, except they use a laser instead of a needle. So what's good for the goose must logically be good for the gander, and we'll re-mark our products for CD-player owners."

That's the argument anyway. I'll leave it to the rest of you to figure out what the companies really said to themselves...

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Tony Fabris