Quote:
Originally Posted by Masterlu
From my experience... Stillpoints (especially under speakers) improves imaging dramatically. There is such a profound difference, that I would hardly even call these a tweek.
Damping Plates will tighten up all the voices, instruments and air around them. Unquestionably, the single easiest and affordable tweek.
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+1 Shocking really to the level that this simple and very affordable tweak does that. Like many I suspect, I have an older rack system (10+ years old) that does a great job at structural support for heavy components and has rock solid build quality, ability to be packed up and moved over the years without concerns of damage, etc...It is meant (and does) deal with the macro issues of vibration absorption and channeling kinetic energy to transform it to thermal (much the same as the ultra-high dollar stuff today does with very advanced technology...). It is broad spectrum in what it does but does not attack the micro-level. About 7-8 years ago, found a platform that I added under every component that attacked the micro level of vibration absorption and dissipation designed by a bonafide scientist in the aerospace/space industry whose entire body of work, papers and all, was in the field. That all helped when working together with the heavy racks and platforms. There was still something missing on some recordings but I could not put my finger on it so to speak. The 1st-3rd HRS Damping plate showed me what that was in no uncertain terms!
We'd all (or at least I definitely would) love to have the $$$ to put an HRS rack and M3X level platform system in place. That has to take a back seat for now for various reasons (focus on speakers, future componentry, etc...)
or at least stage it by buying into M3X platforms one or two at a time over the years and eventually replace the rack I have with HRS after getting all the platforms allocated. This truly would be a 'component level' upgrade as a full HRS rack system with M3X platforms is nirvana but also weighs in at component-level or component-group pricing for us Esoteric guys. I think a move to Grandioso will have to be first but then.....more Lu-Flu!
In the meantime, what the HRS Plates did for me is exactly what was mentioned by others plus myself and Ivan; everything is so much more tight, accurate and pleasing musically (due tightening up and accuracy of instruments, voices, groups of same, etc...) that it shocked me.
I was 'anti-tweek' in a big way from 2008 forward; I used to have a big investment in many early tweaks from SP, Black Diamond Racing, Vibraplane, etc..swore all that off a number of years ago as the expense just simply did not equal the return. I'm definitely pleased that I listened and tried these plates on everything and judicious application of Stillpoint UltraSS for my clock and Ultra5s will be on my new TAD Reference 1 Mk IIs after they arrive. With the HRS plates, what I got in return is worth much more to me than what I spent which was surprisingly little in relative termsl