Our Gingko Audio Cloud™ vibration control platform customers often asked: “How long do the balls last and how often should I replace them?” The answer is “it depends.”
The Gingko Audio Cloud™ balls are made of rubber. Rubber does deteriorate over time. It will become harder as the oil in it dries out. A dried out ball will be less resilient and lose its effectiveness in absorbing vibration. Several factors can affect the rate by which the ball loses its efficacy. Heat and sunlight will hasten the process, as is dryness in the environment. So if your Cloud is situated in an area under direct sunlight, near a source of heat, and your room is dry, the balls will harden faster.
Extreme temperature swings will also hasten the process as the rubber expands and contracts repeatedly. The ozone level in the atmosphere also creates micro-cracks in the rubber and renders it useless over time.
One simple test you can do is to hold the ball at a 6’ height, drop it onto a hard surface, and let it bounce up. A new Gingko Audio ball will typically bounce to a height between 4’ 3” and 4’ 6” in normal room temperature of about 70 degrees. In a colder room it may bounce less and in a hotter room it may bounce up more, but a range between 4’ to 4.5’ is acceptable. Lower than that, it’s time to replace the ball.
Older balls may also lose their surface tackiness and their skins become smoother.
Under normal conditions, our balls last for 3 to 5 years. So check the balls after they are in operation for 3 years and if they pass the above test then check each year after that. Should you need replacement balls, you may order them from our Gingko Audio Dealers.
The rubber balls may also be replaced with Cloud22 wool balls. The wool balls bring out the all-important mid-range PRAT (Pace, Rhythm and Timing) quality in the music and can be used to “wake up” a reticent-sounding system. Compare them to the rubber balls to decide which you prefer.