Stillpoints Ultra SS Review

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by MisterBritt

Does one back off the Stillpoints Ultra SS body and hi-hat on all components or just on amplifiers, please? Also, I've got Ultra 5s under my speakers. Does one back off the body and hi-hat there, too? Or is this technique to be used only on amplifiers?

Britt.......Just to be absolutely certain the information Ivan gave me was correct I emailed Paul Wakeen at Stillpoints. My email to Stillpoints said: My dealer is telling me I need to back the Ultra SS base off the amplifier chassis by at least a half turn for best results, in other words the weight of the amplifiers would then be completely on the threaded adapters rather than the weight of the amplifier being supported by direct contact with the Ultra SS base. Please instruct me as to the correct manner of installation for the Ultra SS supporting the MC2301 amplifiers.

Paul's response: In most cases the Ultra SS body should not make contact to the amplifier's chassis or loudspeaker's cabinet. But you should listen both ways to be sure.

[MisterBritt]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Britt.......Just to be absolutely certain the information Ivan gave me was correct I emailed Paul Wakeen at Stillpoints. My email to Stillpoints said: My dealer is telling me I need to back the Ultra SS base off the amplifier chassis by at least a half turn for best results, in other words the weight of the amplifiers would then be completely on the threaded adapters rather than the weight of the amplifier being supported by direct contact with the Ultra SS base. Please instruct me as to the correct manner of installation for the Ultra SS supporting the MC2301 amplifiers.

Paul's response: In most cases the Ultra SS body should not make contact to the amplifier's chassis or loudspeaker's cabinet. But you should listen both ways to be sure.

I am wondering yet about two things: Do you know if this includes the Ultra 5 model or is it just the Ultra SS? Does it apply across components other than the amplifiers and possibly speakers?

In other words, I am in limbo about whether to effect this change where I use the Ultra SS on my turntable, power conditioners, preamp, phono pre, etc.

The apples: Does this technique extend to the Ultra 5 or is it only applicable to the Ultra SS?
The oranges: As regards the Ultra SS, is this technique applicable to only amplifiers or does it extend across all components?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[jdandy]

Britt.......My suggestion is to contact Paul Wakeen at Stillpoints for specific answers to your questions. Let us know what he says.

paul@stillpoints.us

[MisterBritt]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Britt.......My suggestion is to contact Paul Wakeen at Stillpoints for specific answers to your questions. Let us know what he says.

paul@stillpoints.us

Message sent. I think I was real clear. I'll come back here if I get a reply. Meanwhile, having adjusted the body as well as the hi-hat on all my Ultra SS units (not the Ultra 5s on my speakers) I'll run the coal mine tonight. Maybe I can tell if it made any difference.

Interestingly, I do not have the Ultra SS on my amps. I have Minis on my amps. So this might shed some light, one man's impressions on one night on one system, whether the technique of backing off the body of the Ultra SS on components other than the amplifiers is a good idea or a bad idea. I might get to it this afternoon. Wish this canary luck.

[Masterlu]

Proper Ultra 5 installation is no different, back them off 1/2 turn. There is no other hi-hat or adjustments on the Ultra 5’s.

[MisterBritt]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Britt.......My suggestion is to contact Paul Wakeen at Stillpoints for specific answers to your questions. Let us know what he says.

paul@stillpoints.us

I got an immediate reply (below in italics). Very impressive. My interpretation of this reply is that some prefer them looser and some prefer them tighter. I warmed up my system this afternoon and dropped the stylus on some "reference" albums. I cannot say that I could immediately tell any difference. Maybe. But I think I'll play with tightening them back up one at a time and see if anything more dramatic jumps out at me. I'm playing records I'm very familiar with and the result is leaving on the fence. Others, of course, might have a more definitive experience.

Here's Paul's reply:

With our technology, we our attempting to limit the vibration’s travel, storage, and rebound. Although the vibration that we aim at is very high by keeping the connections loose, you can broaden the frequency range and make the filter more productive.

For an example, when mowing the lawn if you grip the handle tightly the vibration from the engine goes up your arm. If you keep a loose grip on the handle the vibration stays close to your wrist.

For what I listen for, I always prefer the connections to be loose. But for some, in their system, they could like the connections tight. So I tell them to try it both ways.

[MisterBritt]

... And to conclude this conversation (if only with myself - Ha) I went ahead and re-tightened all my Stillpoint Ultra SS footers. I did not experience any notable sonic benefits across the range of my components: power conditioners, preamp, phono preamp, turntable. Your mileage may vary.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by MisterBritt

... And to conclude this conversation (if only with myself - Ha) I went ahead and re-tightened all my Stillpoint Ultra SS footers. I did not experience any notable sonic benefits across the range of my components: power conditioners, preamp, phono preamp, turntable. Your mileage may vary.

Sort of reminds me of my friend who used to experiment with bicycle tire tubes under his gear and adjusting pressure. Even had a pressure gauge mounted on his rack... Swore he could hear a difference with every adjustment of a few PSI. It was fun watching him obsessing over it. The 3 other audiophile friends including myself of course could hear no difference what so ever. Tweakers be tweakers....

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by MisterBritt

... And to conclude this conversation (if only with myself - Ha) I went ahead and re-tightened all my Stillpoint Ultra SS footers. I did not experience any notable sonic benefits across the range of my components: power conditioners, preamp, phono preamp, turntable. Your mileage may vary.

Britt.......It has been my experience that subtle improvements may not immediately jump out and capture your attention, but as you continue listening to familiar recordings you begin to notice certain improvements that enhance your listening pleasure. They may show up as increased clarity of upper octave piano notes and sustain, improved focus on diminishing notes as they fade to silence, a more organic texture to acoustic bass, and perhaps a darker black noise floor. After a period of time, weeks not days, you may want to then remove the Ultra SS from under the amplifiers and see if your ears pick up on any differences. It is often easier to notice the absence of subtle improvements after you have enjoyed their presence.

[MisterBritt]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Britt.......It has been my experience that subtle improvements may not immediately jump out and capture your attention, but as you continue listening to familiar recordings you begin to notice certain improvements that enhance your listening pleasure. They may show up as increased clarity of upper octave piano notes and sustain, improved focus on diminishing notes as they fade to silence, a more organic texture to acoustic bass, and perhaps a darker black noise floor. After a period of time, weeks not days, you may want to then remove the Ultra SS from under the amplifiers and see if your ears pick up on any differences. It is often easier to notice the absence of subtle improvements after you have enjoyed their presence.

Right. The only experiment I conducted was loosing the body as well as the hi-hats on the Ultra SS feet on all my components except the amps. (The amps don't have the adjustable Ultra SS feet; they have Minis.)

Have you tried this experiment on your components other than the amps? What was your result? I'm just a party of one here. If you got a better result I'd like to know about it. Thanks.