Momentum Stereo amp

Originally Posted by MyPal

Bodhi...No doubt he is onto something but I don't like his business practises. His little tweaking secrets are an excuse to deal gray market. Don't know about his copper sheeting claims....Most Faraday cages are made out of copper product.

We can't go blocking all the holes but I think that with selective use of EM sheeting, it could go a long way to improving component performance.

I am going to experiment further with SOtM EM sheeting. Apparently 3M make something similar. It is a 1mm composite sandwich with metallic non conductive properties & an adhesive backing. It looks to have good heat dissipation properties too. This stuff runs about $100 per A4 sheet delivered (I'd like to buy it direct next time). I have started using this on my CAPS 3.0 project (refer to the thread for pics) & would consider applying this to the insides of other components, before & after measuring with an EM meter & coil. I have seen it stuck on noisier ICs too.

Would also like to see what I can do to further improve my FOXTEL IQHD box. A SOtM SATA filter added to this is already a big improvement!

I also think the HRS damping plates are effective chassis accessories & have had success with these.

At the risk of derailing this thread about the D'Agostino Momentum, this is a discussion best suited to the tweaking forum. Hmm I don't know if i'd go as far as saying David Schulte deals in grey market products. He is a factory-authorized Dealer for Oppo products and as such he is able to extend the factory warranty on those products. Otherwise as far as I can tell his business simply offers mods like many other high end modders.

Personally I think the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. I think copper and aluminium shielding can be effective. I just don't think alone they are a magic bullet, but rather one tool in your chest. The goal of reducing noise should influence the design of the amplifier as well. I also agree the HRS damping plates work well, especially on vintage and more modest components. Let us know how you go with the SOtM sheeting. That would make an interesting thread...

[audiot servant]

Shane, did you go with three feet or four on the mom S.

I also was having a discussion today with someone and the essential Stillpoints characteristic of not altering the signature of a component but rather just improving on it in very linear way was the big takeaway for both of us across quite a range of gear.

Other isolation devices may do nice things for the sound but often also in some ways alter the balance or key identity of the componrnt but that is not the experience with Stillpoint Ultras as you mention.

I have more Ultra minis, Ultra SS and also Ultra 5s for the speakers arriving in the next day or so and will be able to try a range of combinations with the feet.

Expecting some good things for the soundstage but maybe not so many good things for the bank balance unfortunately.

Will know a bit more about how they go shortly hopefully. Great to hear they are proving good for the mom.

Graham

[turntable]

Hi Graham

I went with 4 for the MomS. Most of the weight is in the front of the MomS, and also the on/off button is just under the front of the amp.

Supposedly sound better with 4.

So what are all your going on?

[audiot servant]

After your comments earlier I thought Stillpoints sounded the way to go so I picked up a couple of sets of Ultra SS from G997 and tried them fairly much under everything. Unfortunately they worked out really well fairly much under everything. 4 feet tends to sound better as you found.

I also tried a handful of different feet with a mix of Carbon, steel, brass, ceramic from about a third the price through to quite similar pricepoints and each time under all components the Stillpoints worked out best in the context of this system.

I found the Ultra SSs under the Shindo preamp really revealing (in a good way... not being at all heretical to the current general wisdom of the green brotherhood about not mucking around with after market upgrades), and also the Maggie 20.7s (the speakers are getting up on some uber good Ultra 5s) and surprisingly almost as much so with the Shunyata Cyclopsss (they'll both be getting sets of Ultra SS).

Next the amp and DAC also stepped up nicely as well so they will also be up on Ultra SS.

Then finally under the mac air and also the linear power supplies for the DAC will get their Ultra minis... cost cutting strategy, will see the difference in performance soon.

Everything will be up on Ultras in one type or another.

[turntable]

Originally Posted by audiot servant

After your comments earlier I thought Stillpoints sounded the way to go so I picked up a couple of sets of Ultra SS from G997 and tried them fairly much under everything. Unfortunately they worked out really well fairly much under everything. 4 feet tends to sound better as you found.

I also tried a handful of different feet with a mix of Carbon, steel, brass, ceramic from about a third the price through to quite similar pricepoints and each time under all components the Stillpoints worked out best in the context of this system.

I found the Ultra SSs under the Shindo preamp really revealing (in a good way... not being at all heretical to the current general wisdom of the green brotherhood about not mucking around with after market upgrades), and also the Maggie 20.7s (the speakers are getting up on some uber good Ultra 5s) and surprisingly almost as much so with the Shunyata Cyclopsss (they'll both be getting sets of Ultra SS).

Next the amp and DAC also stepped up nicely as well so they will also be up on Ultra SS.

Then finally under the mac air and also the linear power supplies for the DAC will get their Ultra minis... cost cutting strategy, will see the difference in performance soon.

Everything will be up on Ultras in one type or another.

My cj GAT and TW Acustik phono stage had the biggest performance upgrade. More than the MomS.

It seems that Stillpoint Ultra's work very well on front end components, especially with tubes.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I love the Momentum meters! I think they are gorgeous and I just had to make a video of them!

Who else makes a meter that is so different, so bold and so jewel like? I can't think of anyone!


Watch this in HD!

D'Agostino Momentum Monoblock Meters - YouTube

That's a nice high quality video but the meter's acceleration characteristic, which appears to "average" the output, are simply wrong but, then, I am biased toward McIntosh's implementation of their peak reading meter.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

That's a nice high quality video but the meter's acceleration characteristic, which appears to "average" the output, are simply wrong but, then, I am biased toward McIntosh's implementation of their peak reading meter.

I would not look at any meter for accuracy. They are purely cosmetic as far as I am concerned and at best can be used as a rough estimate. The jewel like meters on D'Agostino amps are pure eye candy though and I always enjoyed the blue meters of McIntosh as well. If you think that McIntosh is more accurate, I would read the stereophile review of the MC501, the meters indicated 50w when in reality it was 30... That is a HUGE error margin...

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I would not look at any meter for accuracy. They are purely cosmetic as far as I am concerned and at best can be used as a rough estimate. The jewel like meters on D'Agostino amps are pure eye candy though and I always enjoyed the blue meters of McIntosh as well. If you think that McIntosh is more accurate, I would read the stereophile review of the MC501, the meters indicated 50w when in reality it was 30... That is a HUGE error margin...

Powering my X2's my meters never move. I occasionally saw small blips when they were powering my MBL 111F's. As you indicate Serge almost purely cosmetic, but it works for me.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Powering my X2's my meters never move. I occasionally saw small blips when they were powering my MBL 111F's. As you indicate Serge almost purely cosmetic, but it works for me.

Jim, I had to place the sensitivity switch into its lowest setting in the home theater as the Momentum meters were pegged at max! It's a 3 way switch if I remember correctly?

[audiophilelp]

Hi! I bought a floor stand for my stereo. Do you recommend to remove the rubber feet underneath the momentum before placing it on the floor stand?