Return policy?
Holy Holostages!!
Full disclosure, I'm a tweaker. I've tried many different products that claim to improve the sound quality of your setup or tame the acoustics in your room. They have been carefully selected, all have a generous return policy. For example, LessLoss products have excellent price to performance numbers. F
Their Power Base & Speaker Base will blow your mind & their Firewalls for Loudspeakers move the needle considerably toward achieving an immersive, natural & relaxed stereo image. Synergistic Research's FEQ Carbon + 3 Carbon ATM's achieves a similar sonic effect by taking a different electronic approach.
This brings me to HeartSound Audio's Holostages. Have you ever wondered what it feels like to go swimming in your music? Well, that's exactly what Holostages do for your listening environment by eliminating even the most stubborn acoustic anomalies in your room. You are now in the middle of the performance that wraps around you entirely as it draws you closer & closer resulting in a dreamy sounding. How can these inconspicuous passive little black boxes have such a profound effect you ask? I don't have that answer except to say, they do!
Since Holos are so portable, it's easy to tune the room more to your liking. If you find the soundstage is too wide, tall or immersive & you prefer a more intimate club setting, the placement of another Holo or 2 closer to speakers or components can alter the image more to your liking. I have 1 on top of each Floorstander also. There is 1 Holo on top of both rear surround speakers. 1 set of 4 Holos will be plenty. As for the 2nd set of 4 Holos, I am experimenting with optimal locations.
Finally, the fact that I can easily hear the benefits of Holostages over the already effective LessLoss & SR acoustical treatments speaks a lot about what this product is capable of. Holostages are future proof & can enhance the sound of any 2ch stereo system. They really are that good!
These are only my initial impressions of the HoloStages after 36hrs of listening. And to the skeptics, don't knock 'em if you haven't tried 'em. However, I already know how your experience will turn out.
More later on the addition of 2nd set of Holostages.
Mac F
69 responses Add your response
@abnerjack Yeah, he's big into Krissy's stuff. $1000 for 4. |
@tomic601 +10 Mike |
I have several of the Holostages in my home system and the sound just keeps getting better. There is now more texture and articulation of the vocals with wonderful results. More tonal density and decay of note. Maybe most important us the lowering of the noise floor. My system is so quiet between tracks. People who have llistened to my system have commented that my system doesn't sound digital at all. I can literally hear the singers lips separate before the vocalist starts to sing on many tracks. I just heard this yesterday when playing Dean Martin sing White Christmas. This was on a Christmas compilation disc with Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole and not an audiophile disc either. |
Marketing word salad from the MC write-up:
Two important things to note, first, like most of this stuff, more is better and, second, conveniently you can use MC Cable Cradles to support them. |
I saw these demonstrated at the Tampa audio show. The room was FULL of people. Strange wierd looking people. Standing room only. What's going on here??? They set all the little boxes out in the hallway and brought them into the room one by one. I heard nothing as the salesman went in and out of the room placing them. I thought it was ridiculious BUT I was shocked, after the demonsration how many people stepped up and bought them. One guy bought 2 sets for $2000. I saw him later at the valet stand and asked him if he heard a difference in the sound? He said " No, but maybe they work. I don't know but I'm going to try them." He was laughing about it and was clearly hopeful the boxes would do something. He got in his Mercedes and drove off. The target customer was he. Snakeoil works. You just have to believe (and have some money to burn.) |
In other words, it's a tiny 3" box of dirt. Don't open it!!! The magic will escape into thin air!
|
As for the above references to the Miller Carbon review, I reached very similar conclusions before I even read that review. My advice, for what it's worth, is to give them a try. 60 day return policy. Excellent customer service. Fast shipping. Krissy is very responsive & will take good care of you. So, if the various improvements that are beginning to come in sound appealing is to you, give Holostages a try in your system. I am quite confident you will be pleasantly surprised! |
There are more things in heaven and sonic than we know of. However, the description of the innards sounds a bit thin. I will be trying them out anyway since they are returnable. As a maker and purveyor of orgonite since 2013 I know whereof stranger things can sometimes become advances in understanding. "Stretching It" is always worth a shot even if you are likely to be the recipient of ridicule. A lot of these outlandish sounding discoveries are a product of bravery and gall. |
I am certainly no expert (unless you consider I have had Shakti Stones sitting over the power supplies in my equipment for years - too lazy to sell them), but my dumb, common-sense logic makes me believe anything to be affected by crystals would need to be located fairly close to the crystals. Therefore, I am dubious to read claims of "mesmerizingly effective" sonic improvements resulting from crystals in plastic boxes that are basically sprinkled around a room. To me, these are more like pet rocks in a box. Buy hey, what do I know. With a 60-day money back guarantee, by all means buy some, try them, and report back. You almost can't lose when you consider Shakti Stones have held their resale value better and longer than just about any audiophile product I am aware of - you can still get $100 a pop for them, used! |
Vibrations controls can be done in many ways...It is a trade-off set of experiments. I did it at no cost...It is based on elementary knowledge or experiments ( nano crystals, shungite, and many materials or devices as springs etc ). Some buy gear with no experiments and change the gear by frustration or unsatisfaction. Others buy basic good gear for their specific needs and makes extensive experiments to improve it... At the end no need for further upgrade race, nevermind your specific budget, this experiments principle rules at all audio design levels... ... I did it...
|
Maybe the sanest way to process this is to look at it as performance art. In 2013, artist Pyotr Pavlensky famously nailed his testicles to the ground in Red Square to protest increased authoritarianism in Russia. Paying $999 for 4 little plastic pucks is undeniably less painful, but where is the political value? Exactly. You get what you pay for 😂🤣 |
| Post removed |
| Post removed |
I posted many posts about acoustics and psycho acoustics information instead of insulting or gangstalking the people who seems up over your head or down under your feet .. ... I appeal to thinking and arguments... You last post is insinuation and insult.. Is your post an appeal to another gangstalking ? Or the expression of your way of being ?
|
My last posts here had 2 goals: First pointing that the OP experience make sense to me... Second: we can make experiments in vibration controls at no cost and reach if not the same results than the OP at least a satisfying experience...( for example with springs, micro quartz crystals, or diverse materials) Third : only hateful people can attack me because i say this ... |
I have 6 Holostages in my Camaro convertible RS V6 with the upgraded Bose Stetmreo. I have never been much of a Bose stereo guy but did like the one that came with this car. Upon adding a few of the Holostages to my back seat my sound system started to become more three dimensional. Several months and 4 more Holostages later the sound is way above anything I have heard in any car. And I have heard a 20k custom system in a Genisis car at an Audiophile Christmas Party in Tampa Florida about 4 years ago. The soundstage is huge and covers the entire windshield. The vocals actually have texture and the three dimensionality pops out at you There is also some great bass now and it us not overblown but hits hard when appropriate I had very little expectations for the Holostages in my car as I have never been a car audio guy. I put 2 of them in my car at the end of last winter when it was a warm day and I could put the top down. 30 minutes later I was able to drive with the top down and I could already tell the sound was changing albeit slightly. I could tell it was a little better a day later even though I felt that the bass was a little diminished. The bass came back and then some a few days later! Anyhow, about 6 months later now the sound just makes me laugh and smile! There is another positive aspect to these things but I will save that for another time. If anyone in the Chicagoland area would like to hear my car I would be glad to meet you somewhere in between your place and mine out in Sugar Grove, IL. Trust me hearing is believing! |
I have a very good sounding setup in a dedicated room I built myself with some idea help from experts. My speakers are VMPS RM40 BCSE w/ al the best upgrades except the OXO. I have a heavily modified TRL DUDE preamp, the 2 best upgrades to the Nuforce Reference 9 SE mono amps from Bob Smith at TDSS, a heavily modified MW Sony 5400 Signature Truth CD/SACD, and very good ICs from Teo using the Schroeder double IC method, power cords from Bob Smith, WyWires, Dynamic Design, and one awesome Verastarr Statement, SC from Clarity Cables Organic. My system had 3 minor problems specifically with the speakers that kept them from being close to my definition of perfect reproduced sound: 1.) the 66" H speakers have their ribbon tweeter exactly in the middle of the speaker--when sitting, there is very nice highs with great air and detail, when you stood up, there was a very noticeable loss in the highs; 2.) the 10" bass woofers are located top on the front near the top and near the bottom front--10" passive radiators are located facing down very near the bottom of the speakers--on loud deep bass transients, the sound bottomed out occasionally; 3.) on my pair that I've had for about 10 years, if the volume knob on my DUDE was turned up past 11:00, the right channel sound would stop until I returned the dial one notch lower or more, when it would resume playing like it should. With those points in mind, Krissy sent me 2 sets of holostages about 6 months ago. Within a couple days of locating the holostages and 2 of the Perfect Path E-Mats in spots, all those problems went away. I placed the first 2 holostages on top middle of the speakers (one on each), put one mat on top of the bottom board that holds the two side and rear boards to give the passive radiator room to breathe--that put the mat in the middle on that board. 2 other holostages went in my car's backseat. My audio buddy told me about his in his car. 2 more holostages were put on my MW CD player about 3" from the power plug. The other was placed about 3" from the power plug on the power supply of the MW. I have many CDs and records with great bass players on them. On these cuts, the bass would bottom out on deep transients prior to placing the holostages on the equipment. At no time since using these, has the bass bottomed out no matter what the volume level was. As I stood up at 6'6", no longer did the highs lessen. It was now like they were a point source speaker--highs all the way to the top of the speaker and even beyond. Lastly, after about a month, the volume shutting off on the right channel stopped happening. I could now play the speakers at VERY LOUD levels as high as I could listen at and all was well. 10 years of this problem were suddenly vanished just like that. The two holostages in the car began doing their thing about a week after putting them in the back seat. I have a 2005 Ford Escape SUV with a head unit from Kenwood that I installed along with a pair of $69 Kenwood speakers in the front. I did not replace the rear speakers from stock. I had a slight buzzing the right front speaker after installing it and it suddenly disappeared. I use my vehicle more like a van and keep the back seat area flat all the way to the rear door. I've had several aftermarket stereos installed in previous cars. The sound of mine now was much better than I've had in previous vehicles--even my Impala that had a separate Infinity amp and 4 Kenwood speakers in it. The holostages caused all matter of new sounds from my CDs from various spots in the vehicle. The kicker on the car parts was I thought I was going to have to replace the transmission because the vehicle keep missing as it would try to accelerate especially up hills. My SUV has about 165,000 miles on it and never had a tune up. It didn't have very good pickup. Now, the buzz is gone, my acceleration has really increased, the car stereo sounds much better in SQ and has more power. I told Krissy that I didn't care what's in the little boxes, only that they did these things. I wasn't expecting the performance increase in my SUV. Another thing, the AC used to take about 5 minutes to cool the car and now, it cools it in a bout 30 seconds. Same with the heater, heats the vehicle in about the same time. The aright front brake was squeeling if I braked too hard before. It hasn't made a noise since. If you guys who haven't tried the holostages like talking crap when you have zero knowledge, be my guest. That's a lot of good things from 2 small boxes in my SUV. Thanks Krissy. I have quite a few of her black boxes in my home system and each one significantly improves the SQ of the music. I feel quite blessed to have a system in both my house and my car that I can hardly wait to listen to. Those who are ignorant, bash away--but you don't know what you're missing. Every system will improve with each addition. Bob
|
Having been a beta tester for Heartsound Audio (Krissy) for the last few years, I had the the chance to audition many prototypes of the Holostages and some other products. I concur with jmfinney's description of the effect the Holostages have on music presentation. Also, see gladmo's review of them under "member's reviews".. I've gone through numerous tweaks over the past 40 years and the latest version of the Holostages nailed it. I found by experimenting that placement of these products is critical and it takes a few days for their full effect to emerge. . Also, using too many of them can be unpleasant and harsh after extended listening. I understand the naysayers here when it comes to tweaks,. I used to be one myself. A 60 day return policy is generous and risk free if you enjoy tweaking your sound like I do. I also enjoy tube and capacitor rolling, It's all fun. Good listening. Jeff |
Re: "Crystals" Crystals don’t just affect electronics - they can become transmitters of vibrations (waves) that interact with brains. They can be "go-betweens" so to speak with the components of any environment, so they are potentially transmitting influences not just to our "ears" but also to our bodies in toto. Of course, our bodies are composed of crystals as well. An interesting experiment: recline on a bed holding a crystal in each hand (preferably reasonably clear crystals with no or few fractures." Bend your arms so that each crystal is raised off the bed with your elbows still resting on the bed.. Then, looking down the axis of your reclining body play your eyes on one crystal at a time and do so in a back and forth manner so that the contrast in what you feel in either hand is heightened by the abrupt changes in gaze.. This can be a very surprising discovery and clues you in to the amount of energy that comes from our eyes and the amount of energy that crystals can transduce. |
I have used a lot of Krissy’s products throughout the years. Always a great bang for the buck investment. They have a way of making your system sound richer and more coherent with no downside. Same goes for the holostages. You can certainly make fun of the people that use them and their claims. I know one thing- Kristy is no scam artist and is one of the nicest people in this industry. She is relentless worker who is always trying to improve her product. She is always accessible . Call her and she’ll advise want you may need for your system. Some people hear no difference between a lamp cord and $30,000 speaker cables. So be it. I hear what I hear. Her products make a very nice improvement in my system for a bargain price. With a 60 day trial I don’t see the risk. She is an honest person and has been doing this a long time. My guess is you’ll be pleasantly surprised
|
I have been reading around about these "stages." I have to say that the verbiage reminds me very much of that explaining orgonite. These stages sound like they are filled with graphene powder doped orgonite. The graphene increases electrical conductivity. Orgonite pucks contain a crystal in their core which is surrounded by a mixture of polyester resin and aluminum or other metal flakes. When the polyester resin cures and shrinks further pressure is placed on the crystal which heightens its piezoelectric sensitivity. As a maker of orgonite my entire house if filled with various orgonite objects. I have been swimming in the field for years but never paid much attention to its potential effects on acoustics. However, orgonite very distinctly affects the body and mind, so that could be the avenue of activity. Primarily orgonite converts EMF's into something the body can handle with more ease. For electro-sensitive people being in its presence and handling it can bring great relief. There are perhaps some dots to be connected here. |
Some recent observations regarding placement of the Holos. Adding one Holo ear level on mid-left & right wall, to a configuration of 1 Holo on top of each floorstander & 1 Holo at ear level mid-left & right walls, and slightly behind listening position, and finally, 1Holo resting on top of L & R floorstander binding posts. The addition of the Holos mid-left & right walls produced significantly denser, juicier more even & engaging immersive experience. Experimenting with placement on top of, or near speakers, as well as the location of the rear pair, produced the most notable changes of all locations thus far. Placing a pair of Holos on top of each floorstander narrowed the field produced a more authoritative, forward soundstage, resembling a bit of toe-in. If you're curious & on the fence about these little, nondescript, black boxes, give them a try. They come with superb customer service & a very generous return policy, but you'll want to keep them! They really are quite amazing! |
I have never used Holostages. However, I have incorporated NeoDio R2 "pucks" into my system. I honestly don't know (and don't care) what the "science" is behind them, all I know is the improvement was breathtaking. I experience what the OP describes as "swimming in my music"- I just never thought to describe it that way. Allegedly, the R2's work to "calm" the water molecules in the room. It sounds crazy, and I don't care, because they are incredible. My system includes dedicated, shielded electrical runs, professionally installed room treatments, full complement of HRS racks, feet, etc. My point is, as crazy as some of these tweaks may sound- sometimes they really deliver. |
Krissy is a very nice person. I had her late husband’s products all over my listening room. It altered my sound in a way that became annoying so I sold them. Maybe her new iteration is a success. I have moved on and now employ Von Schweikert VR9 SE M2 upgraded speakers, Westminster Labs REI monoblock solid state (!) Class A amps, Lampizator Poseidon DAC/Pre-amp, Jay’s Audio CDt3Mk3 CD transport, EAR 324 phono pre-amp, VPI TNT VI, highly modified SME IV w/Dynavector 20X2L, a mix of mostly Grover Huffman cabling except for Paradox Pulse SPDIF cable, four SupraNa 2 power cables and GH power cables, one very expensive Westerminster Labs Ultra XLR IC from pre-amp to amps, I have kept my two pairs of Shakti Halographs as they do contribute to my custom built/designed listening room. The Synergistic Research MiG/SX footers under the EAR is one tweak as are my obsolete footers under the Poseidon (100s of tiny stainless steel or carbon steel balls floating in a glutinous matrix). I just don’t need tweaks any longer other than for the lesser equipment where I use Acme treated fuses and a variety of footers. |
@jmfinney OP I am confused about a couple of things: 1. You advocate use of these for 2 ch but in your original post you talk about using 1 each on your "rear surround speakers"--sounds like you're listening in surround sound as @jolywins asked. That would certainly give a sense of more immersive. 2. I'm also confused by your comment that if the experience is too "immersive" and you prefer "a more intimate setting" you can move them around--what's the difference between immersive and intimate? Immersive is "swimming in the music" but too immersive is drowning in the music? Please clarify |
I apologize for any confusion. I have a 2ch stereo system & an A/V surround system in same room. They are independent of each other. The 2 Holos are simply sitting on top of the rear surround speakers. The top of those speakers are a convenient & effective location for them. As for swimming vs your term "drowning" in music, swimming really is an apt description. However, if a particular piece of music sounds more natural playing in a narrower, more authoritative & slightly forward soundstage, you can experiment with different locations to achieve your goal. For example, moving the 2 Holos from the front corners of the room to the tops of your main speakers will narrow the field while still retaining a good deal of the immersive effect. My point is they are unobtrusive & easy to relocate depending on your desired outcome. Start with a set of 4. They are very powerful! At the moment, I have placed 1 Holo on top of both front speakers, 1 Holo on top of both rear surround speakers that are part of a separate A/V system because they surrounds were a convenient location, 1 Holo on top of each binding post on back of the front speakers. 1 Holo ear level in the middle of both side walls. You can literally tune your room with Holostages. Finally, you owe it to yourself to give these little black boxes a try. |
