Hello Lak,
We would like to provide you with some background to our development process and hopefully deliver more insight on the topic.
First and foremost:
Differently shaped or constructed cones, even those made of identical material will not sound the same. The body shape changes everything.
Example: Someone purchases a brass cone for $15 and therefore classifies or places all brass cones in the same category regardless of price, material science or applied geometry are missing the boat. If they group all the different types of brass cone products into one collection figuring they all sound the same based on that $15.00 brass cone listening experience, they too are missing the entirety. The same holds true with steel, aluminum, carbon, lead and even ceramics.
There are always very audible differences in performance between all footer designs.
Materials Selection and Functionality:
The methodology we work with is commonly known as mechanical grounding. There are a few, not a lot of well known companies such as Goldmund Audio and Linn Audio who are proponents of this understanding.
Our particular applications involve channeling and moving resonance at high speeds (not simply draining) to a greater sink or grounding plane of greater mass while maintaining all energies such as airborne, floorborn, electro-mechanical and mechanical in a state of “constant motion” (vibrating). We require materials conductive for resonance. Metals immediately become the resource whereas rubber, sand, ceramics, polys or carbons do not quite fit the profile required for function.
There are a multitude of different grades in steel, brass, aluminum alloys and I imagine ceramics too, where every type of material contains a completely different set of damping factors due to the chemistry make up of the material. Those damping factors affect the sonic presentation related to ALL footer devices.
Example: As a research and development company, we spend months of time over many years listening to a seemingly endless list of various types of brass and steel (in the company of our specific geometry) where every version distinctly sounds different from the other. Again, it is NOT just any old piece of steel and a chunk of brass that provides a newfound listening experience.
A more difficult part of the equation is determining the amount of material needed for the design to establish the frequency range capabilities from using the material or combinations of materials.
In our case brass became the clear choice - Not because of frequency, musicality or hardness as one might predetermine. We chose brass because the tips of the Audio Points are NOT designed to stay sharp. They mould into a different shape based on the equipment mass placed atop. That advantage provides us the luxury of added frequency range capabilities no matter what type or how heavy the equipment profiles demand. After 28 years in production and with our technology advancing daily, one of the five Audio Point primary design criterion cats are now out of the bag!
The most difficult application in making a cone or footer is inventing the geometry (shapes) that ultimately determines the functionality and sonic performance of the device.
Geometry plays the more important role in the musical profile of the product. It establishes the speed of attack, capability to sustain and the all important length of decay characteristics you will hear resulting from using the footer and/or racking device.
The combination Audio Point™ and Coupling Discs:
Designing the specific shapes of the Coupling Discs took a tremendous amount time and was more difficult than that of any Audio Point body style. The geometry has to match the speed of resonance moving along the surface of the cone shape in order to maintain sonic without altering the audible performance. Adding the Coupling Disc provides an increase in performance.
Our original opinion was that the Coupling Disc provides a resonance sink or better ground matching capability while adding more brass weight to the design moving energy at a higher speed across a wider surface area. We recently changed that opinion based on advancing the technology where our latest understanding is now considered a trade secret until proven via third party testing data. We did attempt to manufacture the disc and cone together as a one piece offering but failed miserably.
Proving function of any SST Coupling Discs is easy. Simply replace one with any other discs available in the market, any coin or any other material available and this will dramatically limit the Audio Point’s performance and/or change the character in sonic you are hearing.
In our opinion, the science and ART involving sound and music reproduction including vibration management techniques and ‘cones’ are NOT based on the harder material is more effective theory provided here by one man’s subjective opinion and/or personal taste.
Example: Did you ever listen to a glass cone of any shape? Glass is much harder than brass based on the Mohs scale of hardness, however provides results that are not too good for musical reproduction. Likewise iron compared to stainless steel - two different hardness values, two different materials where there is an incredible difference in musical characteristics when applying the same conical geometry - we prefer iron.
Musical quality does not come from NASA grade ceramic, NASA grade brass or NASA grade steels (if they even exist) nor aircraft aluminum, alloys used in M-16 rifles or hardwoods used to build guitar necks nor exotic wood from the Amazon.
Footers and cones have to be designed and manufactured by humans who are committed to music, building a few hundred prototypes coupled with thousands of listening tests. You will be able to tell which companies actually put in the time and devotion simply by auditioning.
Comparing Sound Results and Purchasing:
When providing direct comparisons of products, one should always match and display pricing along with model numbers within the comparison. Too often people compare products to one another where the price points vary greatly. This commonality is not good for audio and not good for comparisons sake.
Being the oldest surviving ‘men on the block’ we always hear that cones and footers appear as a get rich quick product category in the Audio Industry. Not to sure how to reply to that one as over the years we have witnessed dozens come and dozens go. There are now more cones, footers, racks and companies turning out thousands more parts and products on a daily basis than (dare I say it) - wire and cable companies churning out cable designs. In fact there are a few wire companies now manufacturing footer systems. Furniture companies, speaker companies and electronics companies too have joined the ranks where the only single factor common among all of them is every one claims to be the “very best in vibration control”. Choose Wisely and take the ‘time and effort’ to audition prior to purchase commitment. If the seller does not offer a money back guarantee, then Choose Even More Wisely ⌣ .
A Challenge -You be the Judge: Telephone a variety of cone, footer or racking manufacturers and simply ask; how does your product work? You might be surprised to discover there are as many different answers as there are varieties of products available. Ask them about the benefits from the materials used in the products and how they relate to function and what details in sound quality you should expect to hear. Hopefully you do not end up hearing the term “Proprietary” too often. Then inquire about the return guarantee should you not reach your goals from listening.
In closing:
Take the time to listen and the labors to return if necessary - it will be worth it in the end.
The chain of command regarding audio system performance demonstrates that equipment support foundations are the second source “totally governing” your overall system’s musical qualities and sonic performance; with the room environment being the primary. Like it or not, agree or disagree, vibration management is as critical as choosing a new amp or speaker system and we would definitely enjoy having the opportunity in proving that to you.
Hope this information helps a bit and thank you for your time.
Robert
Star Sound
