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Isolation, Tips & Tweaks Enhance your enjoyment

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  #31  
Old 08-27-2019, 03:18 PM
Beet Farmer Beet Farmer is offline
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With more fiddling around with Pen Blanks, I have noticed that using larger bits of wood which are called "Knife Scales" (1" by 1.5" by either 4.5" or 5" these are the whole version. they also come in sliced in half 'matching pair style, but I use the uncut type. Sadly, Knife Scales are not in as many types of wood as pen blanks.)
The pen blanks work well to play with to decide if that kind of wood is the best sounding.. But once you know which kind you want, moving up to the larger blocks, (Knife Scale) size actually offers a tiny bit more of what you found good with the pen blank. (To me the main improvements with the pen blank is clarity increase WITHOUT cost on the mids. which is the usual tradeoff on clarity gains, then the larger Knife Scale adds a bit more tho the midrange and bass)) All sort of like getting better tubes.. for you tube mavens.

If I continue.. the next size will be 'Bowl Blanks"(square) or "spindles" which are longer.

Added a few hours later... Well the Knife Scales are too much directly under the Threshold FET TEN up against metal bottom. (The FET TEN preamp is on top of the Threshold FET TEN phono box, which is still up on four Knife Scales.) (too much for my apartment) I noticed in the bathroom the bass reverberating. A bad sign (just for me) that my speakers bass is managing to go through walls. For any normal (not in a over 55 complex) most folks would be going hey great more bass! NOT me. I had to remove one set of the Knife Scales and go back to the Pen blanks. Which solves the problem!
Bummer for me in one way. Really great in another as this expereince is a total fact the Knife Scales give more bass than the same wood as a pen blank.
Progress. Learning something more...
Acquired some Cocobolo Knife Scales. Had to file them a lot. due to uneven sizing. Actually bought a new file!. Added them under the amplifier. Better than the African Blackwood there. Sweeter sound. Listening the Smetana Quartet Beethoven quartets... Violins remind me of Oscar Shumsky... He played the sweetest violin!! , not so much more bass (as with the African Blackwood.) So the Cocobolo Knife Scales are a keeper there! I ordered a few more. So far the African Blackwood, and Cocobolo are the woods of choice in the Knife Scale size..

Last edited by Beet Farmer; 09-01-2019 at 02:46 PM.
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  #32  
Old 08-28-2019, 07:08 PM
Luxman38 Luxman38 is offline
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My Butcher Block Edge Cut Maple TT isolation Block today. The bottom end became tighter and the top was a bit more open. Didn't know how much it would improve my Luxman, but I am impressed w/the results. I added the set of black Iso feet for an extra $27 and it was well worth the investment. The wood finish is high quality. A real bargain for the price. Worth looking at if you need a isolation stand for your TT.
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  #33  
Old 09-16-2019, 06:43 PM
Beet Farmer Beet Farmer is offline
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Time moves on...
I am almost finished experimenting with exotic wood for the main equipment and digital. Still untouched the final things on the turntable and ARC phono preamp.
I have discovered bowl blanks. Larger than the knife scales. Many sizes, I chose 4" by 4" by 2". added: I removed the site I had added as the material I ordered from there arrived looking like the last folks to handle it were a HAZMAT team. Sadly. Also I can say Katalox does NOT work well. It is a bit more clarity, but removes any warmth. I removed the bowl blanks from the Furman REF20 in one day, clearly the previous Bolivian Rosewood* much more interesting addition to the sound. Lively, real sound.
* There is, in geenral, a mystery around some of the wood and if it is actually what it is named.. The bowl blanks I have which were called Bolivian Rosewood, seem to be a different wood, than the other products I have with the same attribution. Harder, glossier, different grain patterns. Some of all this is even seasoned wood mavens can have a hard time identifying wood! Just sayin'.
I stuck with the Knife Scales under the amp. since it already is up on doubled up butcher blocks.
The bowl blanks really work well under the Furman REF20 conditioner, and PS Audio P600 regenerator (both already up on butcher blocks. Warming the sound a bit. I actually got to the point listening so good I was getting a lot of goosebumps, and actually burst out crying.. That good. Then, naturally I kept on fooling around. Lost it. But I think I can get back there.
Combo of pen blanks and ebony points at the moment for Bryston preamp. The Threshold gets Knife Scales. CD changer has pen blanks.
Magnepan 20.7 speaker put up on 8 pen blanks each. May try knife scales eventually but the pen blanks are good.
The Marantz SA-10 is needing to be too close to the butcher block to get anything under it. I have some thin bits of wood I may cut and try.
The phono pre for my Kuzma is the one bit of kit not yet fiddled with. I kind of am trying to get the main area fully done before switching to LP playback area.The ARC SP-15 has vertical room for bowl blanks...

Last edited by Beet Farmer; 09-30-2019 at 08:39 AM. Reason: Added:
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