Stillpoints under the Mcintosh MC501 amplifiers

[rnrmf1971]

I decided to try Stillpoints Ultra SS on my Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Concert Grand speakers. I have hardwood floors throughout my room, and getting a pleasing balance of music has proven a challenge over time. The floors themselves are highly reflective, but are also uneven, and suffer from obvious vibrations when music is playing.

But before I installed them on my speakers I decided to try them under my Mcintosh MC501 amps.
My MC501’s sit on 4 inch black lacquered, maple platforms from Mapleshade, which themselves are on Mapleshade isoblocks. They look great and it appears to isolate the amps from floor vibrations that my speakers release into the floor.

I played a SACD through my Oppo BDP 95 (the new MFSL Pretenders SACD of the first album) to gauge the effect of the Stillpoints. My initial listens to this disc, last week, weren’t entirely positive, and I felt the soundstage was too one dimensional, and that overall, the SACD sounded kind of fatiguing. I found sibilants to be accentuated, as well.
With the Stillpoints installed in the point up configuration, I was really surprised what happened. The sense of REFINEMENT, better sound staging, and relaxing presentation of the music was fairly obvious, but I still had to triple check what I heard. I removed the Stillpoints a few times and, each time I did, the fatiguing, element came back. The sound was just more “in my face,” and one dimensional.
I also tried reversing the Stillpoints, to the point down configuration, but wasn’t thrilled with the sound. I perceived a loss of low frequency energy and just less bass, overall.

I have a feeling there may be more Stillpoints in my future….
I don’t think they are coming out from under the amps…

[John49]

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971

I decided to try Stillpoints Ultra SS on my Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Concert Grand speakers. I have hardwood floors throughout my room, and getting a pleasing balance of music has proven a challenge over time. The floors themselves are highly reflective, but are also uneven, and suffer from obvious vibrations when music is playing. But before I installed them on my speakers I decided to try them under my Mcintosh MC501 amps. My MC501’s sit on 4 inch black lacquered, maple platforms from Mapleshade, which themselves are on Mapleshade isoblocks. They look great and it appears to isolate the amps from floor vibrations that my speakers release into the floor. I played a SACD through my Oppo BDP 95 (the new MFSL Pretenders SACD of the first album) to gauge the effect of the Stillpoints. My initial listens to this disc, last week, weren’t entirely positive, and I felt the soundstage was too one dimensional, and that overall, the SACD sounded kind of fatiguing. I found sibilants to be accentuated, as well. With the Stillpoints installed in the point up configuration, I was really surprised what happened. The sense of REFINEMENT, better sound staging, and relaxing presentation of the music was fairly obvious, but I still had to triple check what I heard. I removed the Stillpoints a few times and, each time I did, the fatiguing, element came back. The sound was just more “in my face,” and one dimensional. I also tried reversing the Stillpoints, to the point down configuration, but wasn’t thrilled with the sound. I perceived a loss of low frequency energy and just less bass, overall. I have a feeling there may be more Stillpoints in my future…. I don’t think they are coming out from under the amps…

Ah, that oh so familiar story. Another slave marching to the tune of world domination. I thought we fought (trade) wars to stop this kind of thing...

Seriously though, mrmf1971, I am glad that they work for you. Get an additional job, so that you buy more, quicker!

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by John49

Ah, that oh so familiar story. Another slave marching to the tune of world domination. I thought we fought (trade) wars to stop this kind of thing...

Seriously though, mrmf1971, I am glad that they work for you. Get an additional job, so that you buy more, quicker!

They certainly do work. The "pro reviews" aren't hyperbole. Additional ease of musical presentation and resolution are built into the Ultra SS, without question. Nothing gets "brighter," either. Just "clearer." I feel like if someone feels that their system is missing a certain "something," Stillpoints may well be that "something."

8 more are on the way to me, along with spikes, for my speakers. I really looking forward to what these can do on my speakers.

[Yamaki]

Christian...Thanks for this information!

I've wondered how the Stillpoints would work under a pair of MC501's.

[Siglo vi]

Pics of the amps with stillpoints? Considering the same under my 501's!

[rnrmf1971]

]

Originally Posted by Siglo vi

Pics of the amps with stillpoints? Considering the same under my 501's!

Just saw this post....
So here you go. Front and side view. The amp just sits on the high hat part of the Stillpoint SS. The high hat isn't completely tight against the body, as Stillpoints recommends.

[TLi]

Stillpoints is like drug. Once you have tried it, you get addicted to it. More and more stillpoints are added.

I now have 14 pieces of Ultra 5, 8 pieces of Ultra SS and 8 pieces of Ultra mini under my system. More is on its way.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by TLi

Stillpoints is like drug. Once you have tried it, you get addicted to it. More and more stillpoints are added.

I now have 14 pieces of Ultra 5, 8 pieces of Ultra SS and 8 pieces of Ultra mini under my system. More is on its way.

I completely lost count how many I'm using.

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by TLi

Stillpoints is like drug. Once you have tried it, you get addicted to it. More and more stillpoints are added.

I now have 14 pieces of Ultra 5, 8 pieces of Ultra SS and 8 pieces of Ultra mini under my system. More is on its way.

I just installed them on my speakers, tonight. I installed Ultra SS's with the spikes.
It's difficult to exactly say what they're doing here, because quickly A-B'ing is impossible. But after about 4 cd's, I'd say there is NO negative, versus my factory spikes. I may be getting more detail, but, if not that, the soundstage may have opened up to make the instruments easier to differentiate between.

I was a bit skeptical while installing these on the speakers as I didn't think I'd be able to get the speakers as stable and spiked to the floor as I had with the factory spikes. It took some trial and error but I got them stable and I like what I hear. I just can't specifically say what effect they had which is something I was able to do with the amps where I could switch the Stillpoints out every 30 seconds or so.

[soundslikemusic]

sir, is that granite slab under the Mc amps ? those are definitely not my cup of tea. The sound of equipment placed under granite, marble, glass makes it in my opinion hard and brittle. The stillpoints in between the Mc and granite would be a definite help as you have experienced.
Good luck with your experiments but stillpoints are great.