Santa arrived a couple weeks early for me this year delivering a set of four Stillpoints Ultra Minis. What a wonderful gift. From all that has been said on the forum about the different Stillpoints models I was anxious to put them in service and discover for myself if all the hoopla is fact or fiction.
The four Stillpoints Ultra Minis came well packaged and properly supported in the box, separated from each other by thick foam that secured their location inside the packaging. Included is a small allen wrench, the purpose of which is to adjust the height to a maximum of 1/8th inch. This provision allows the Ultra Minis to accommodate small variations in support platforms and shelves. They are properly set at the factory for a level surface and most applications will probably not find a need for adjustment.
Stillpoints isolation feet were primarily designed to support and isolate speakers. This is Stillpoints recommended starting point when applying their products to your sound system. One would begin with isolating the speakers, then move to the amplifiers, then isolate the source components. My approach is the reverse. That is, I will begin my Stillpoints adventure by placing the Ultra Minis under my Esoteric K-03 CD/SACD/DAC in the studio system and see where this may lead.
The Ultra Mini isolation feet are taller than the feet on the K-03 so there is no need to attempt to remove the feet from the Esoteric component. It is a bit of a challenge to get the Ultra Minis under the K-03 by yourself, as was my case. The K-03's healthy 64 lbs. is quite heavy for one hand to support while trying to manipulate the Ultra Minis into place under it with the other hand. I found some carpet sliders stacked on each other helped considerably to offset the weight. After all four were located under the K-03 to my satisfaction there was no need to perform any height adjustment. The Esoteric K-03 sat perfectly level with no movement whatsoever.
Prior to the installation of the Stillpoints Ultra Minis I had Symposium Rollerblock Jr's under the K-03. When a component sits on Rollerblock Jr's it will wobble to the touch until the rollerballs settle back into there neutral position. This takes some getting used to when pressing buttons on the front panel. I never fully embraced the motion generated by the Rollerblock Jr's when operating a component's controls, although there is no denying the sonic benefits of their use. Naturally, I was wondering if I would be able to notice any sonic improvement with the Stillpoints Ultra Minis over the improvement the Rollerblock Jr's brought to the table.
Once the Stillpoints Ultra Minis were installed it was time to put them to the test. My first CD selection was Lee Ritenour -
Smoke "N" Mirrors, the title track. As I pressed the Play button on the K-03 it was nice not to have the component move. It was firmly secure. I like that. Second, I had a fleeting thought about perhaps not hearing any difference over what I was previously using. That thought vaporized immediately when the first musical notes began emanating from the Sonus faber Amati Anniversario speakers. I am not joking in the slightest when I say the Stillpoint Ultra Minis produced an instant increase in the sensation of space around instruments. In addition the sound stage grew wider. There were drum and other percussion instrument sounds now coming from well outside the physical location of the speakers that I had not heard before. Bass energy became more articulate, more accurately defined so that the low frequency energy felt stronger, sounding clearer with greater separation from other sounds. The midrange captured the exact same separation of instruments into a more clearly defined space. Lee's electric guitar became totally holographic in the middle of a well formed three dimensional sound field. The overall improvement in the presentation and resolution wasn't subtle to my ears. It happened from the first moment the music flowed and left me pondering how in the world this new found resolution could appear with the simple installation of four little isolation footers. It is unmistakable.
Quite frankly, I don't understand the engineering and science behind how Stillpoints do what they do. I have read that the design transfers vertical vibration to horizontal motion thus converting that energy to heat. The dissimilar materials of ceramic and stainless steel must certainly play into the end results. Whatever the underlying technology, the Stillpoints Ultra Minis have stunned me with their positive impact on the sound coming from the studio system. I was not prepared for what I am hearing. My first look at these four small stainless steel footers left me wonder how they could possibly improve an already fabulous sounding system. That's the skeptic in me, the very same skeptic that was thoroughly trounced upon once the music began.
I moved to listening to Shannon Whitworth and Barrett Smith -
Bring It On Home. Playing "Moonglow" was a hypnotic experience. The duet had a perfect blend of their two voices yet still managed to improve my ability to focus individually on Shannon's voice or Barrett's voice without any mental strain. The muted trumpet floated in the right channel behind their voices and the guitar was equally separated in its well defined space. It is not that I wasn't already experiencing wonderful playback performance from the Esoteric K-03 and Rollerblock Jr's, but the Stillpoints Ultra Minis absolutely raised that performance bar to a new and higher level. There is no other way to describe it. CD's, SACD's, and Hi-Res files all delivered a fresh performance that has been enhanced by the installation of the Ultra Minis. It is thrilling and equally perplexing to hear how the resolution of all the sounds are improved by this superior isolation. Truly astonishing.
I now have a new found appreciation for the many positive comments and reviews of the Stillpoints products. Placing the four Ultra Minis under a single source component has made me a believer in what Stillpoints products are capable of doing. I am positive the deeper into the Stillpoints product line one travels the greater the benefits will be displayed. True, Stillpoints are not inexpensive but quality rarely is. With all the isolation products available to choose from I believe it is safe to say by choosing Stillpoints from the beginning you will discover yourself at the head of the class. I have a feeling I am not done with my Stillpoints adventure.