Gryphon Pandora and Memphisto

[microstrip]

Toga,

I should add that I have the Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference and it does a great job with the REF40 preamplifier and CD8 CD player.

My comment only addressed the REF150.

[bvdiman]

Originally Posted by TOGA

P.s. Done. Will listen in this config. For a few days. Reinsert spikes this way will be much more difficult. .sign..
It doesnt look quite right to have HRS under FE.. Haha

Your carpet looks thicker than mine, seem like the HRS are sunken too much?
If it was me, I'd custom make a thick granite slab for underneath the HRS. That will ensure the HRS functioning better/as intended.

[bvdiman]

Originally Posted by microstrip

Toga,

I should add that I have the Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference and it does a great job with the REF40 preamplifier and CD8 CD player.

My comment only addressed the REF150.

Hi Micro, I too am generally addressing the FE platform for amps usage. For sources and pre they could be great with a little bit of tweaking.
Actually, given choice, I still prefer all equipments 'grounded' on floor atop good iso-platforms, but got my FE rack as a gift so have to find a way around to using it..

[TOGA]

Stay tuned
TOGA

[bvdiman]

Originally Posted by TOGA

Stay tuned
TOGA

[TOGA]

Ok, End up buying 3 sets of Cerabase. two for HD02 racks and one for HD10. I know I know, I said I don't want to spend.. Cerabase did not help with deep bass matter. Gryphon still sound light in the deep bass even with Cerabase under HD10 platform. When I was sliding amp out of HD10 I inserted a thin soft cloth under amp's feet to prevent scratch on platform surface. but when I pulled, that thin clothes sliped out of amp's rear foot so easily, ? I think weight distribution is not exactly right. some foot of Gryphon not transfer weight to platform . I think this is caused by shelf that is not perfectly flat. could this cause light bass weight ? When ever I use HRS Nimbus under amp's feet I recovered that loss deep bass feel. I think rubber help make weight transfer to platform more even. So it s bad news. I had to pay for both Nimbus and Cerabase and Gryphon's height is now approaching blocking center channel speaker. If I had not bought HD10, I would have put Gryphon on Nimbus and on carpet like what I did during the demo. But as I already have HD10, I have to find the way around it. that is to put Nimbus under amp 's feet. Sound so right, but looks so wrong. Toga

[bvdiman]

Toga, try taking off the Cerabases and put platform directly on carpet.
I placed cerabases underneath my equipment rack only, but prefer amp's platform bare - More 'weight' to everything this way.
However my platforms are heavy/dense i.e.coupler type, whereas the FE are lighter work more as isolation device.
No harm trying. Hope it'll work for you too and hopefully can get your money back for the unused Cerabases.

*IME, Coupling principles are better for when you are working towards more weight/gravity, and Isolating methods for overall cleansing/precision of sound during system tuning.

[bvdiman]

*Learnt the above from about 8 years ago when I received my pair of Magico Mini2. Surprised to find, instead of the norm which were Spikes then, their feet were Semi Rounded Conicals. I asked my dealer friend about this, and he said Alon explained that you'd get better weight and bass reinforcement this way. Surely the massive weight of the stand itself helps with the coupling.

AW even suggested that for even more of it (weight/bass), to completely stuff the remaining cavity in-between feet under stand's base with cardboard - Wider contact area, better coupling. Sure enough it worked.. But I do without as the original stands as is were already perfectly balanced for my system then.

**And yes! It is important to make sure that all of amp's feet sit 'solidly' on its support, or otherwise that could also be one big probable cause of the bass loss you are currently experiencing.

[TOGA]

Hi,
Now the Gryphon sounds just right for me. I have no more energy to remove Cerabase out of HD10.. even though that was something I was thinking about too, laying HD10 straight on carpet. For now, I will enjoy it like this for a while.
Toga

Originally Posted by bvdiman

Toga, try taking off the Cerabases and put platform directly on carpet.
I placed cerabases underneath my equipment rack only, but prefer amp's platform bare - More 'weight' to everything this way.
However my platforms are heavy/dense i.e.coupler type, whereas the FE are lighter work more as isolation device.
No harm trying. Hope it'll work for you too and hopefully can get your money back for the unused Cerabases.

*IME, Coupling principles are better for when you are working towards more weight/gravity, and Isolating methods for overall cleansing/precision of sound during system tuning.

I do much the same BVD & am using Cerabase Classic feet under my equipment racks. My smaller ASR-2 rack houses my Vitus amp, though i'm also using a set of 4 Stillpoints Ultra 5's under the Vitus. I started with the amp and cdp sitting on my FE Cerabase feet on my hardwood floor. When I moved the amp onto my Taoc ASR-2 rack & installed the Stillpoints, that made a big difference. The sound stage became more focussed, bass improved & music came from a blacker background (ie: removed some background hash). This is the decoupling method you talked about, however the Taoc racks add some weight, body and a touch of warmth & the Stillpoints work great at tightening up the bass which seems to create a nice overall synergy. Here are a couple of photos fyi.

FWIW, I think part of Toga's problem is the FE amp stand, not the Cerabase feet per say. From what i've heard, the FE platforms are a bit 'polite' with bass. If it were me, i'd place the Memphisto on a set of 4 Ultra 5 feet with the Ultra bases for height adjustment. Due to the nature of Stillpoints, they work equally well on any surface such as carpet & look pretty serious (ie: look the part).