Re Subaru's earlier question about loading the top of the CDP, I had an experience somewhat like Dekay's. I've tried Webster's III Collegiate and other serious volumes on top of my CDP (Linn Karik III), but put them back to where they were more convenient for my kid's homework. I don't recall if they did any harm, but I didn't hear any benefit. Recently, I used one of Mapleshade's heavy brass triplefeet cones as a top weight and found a pleasant change. It is now doing its intended job under my turntable, so I didn't play with it long. A visual analogy: If you could draw the shapes of sounds as thought balloons, like in the comics, and you took a pen and inked in a shadow line along the bottom of each balloon -- that's sort of what it sounded like in my system. Subjectively more bottom weight and depth; more distinction among sounds; better attack. Not a big change, but a pleasant one to my ears. I will add some irresponsible theorizing if time permits.
Shelf Material - Neuance
I started a thread a month or so ago trying to find opinions on the best shelf material. I got some good new ideas, and tried them all out - except one, Maple Butchers Block. McMaster did not reply to my emails concerning Maple Butchers Block - not unusual, I have found many US companies turn a deaf ear to anyone from another country. I did try some local butchers block - stips of heart timber glued together, and the spectral balance was very good, but pace was poor. If Maple is better then it must be much lighter than what I was using (Weight = energy storage = poor pace). The best I tried was a very classy looking Neuance shelf, which you can find out about at www.neuanceaudio.com. I think subaruguru was also trying one and so it will be interesting to see what he thinks. It has a sound, but one that is difficult to pin down. It did not work well on my transport, flattening mid-range images for some reason, but worked well on everything else. I will order some more and therefore be able to get a better measure of its performance, and will try again with the transport (I have since learnt that I should not have used up-turned spikes). The Neuance is fast, it almost spotlights mid-range detail (you hear everything a vocalist is doing), it is very extended top and bottom. It might have a tad too much warmth in the lower mids and upper bass, but I am not sure yet. I love the way pianos sound with it - very much like the real thing (my daughter plays piano and so I hear it every day) - no exagerated presence, but all the natural harmonics of a real piano. I find it works best resting on small 1mm thick hard rubber pads, on a sand filled steel rack, with Vibrapods between shelf and component. I did not particularly like up-pointed spikes underneath it when I tried it but will experiment some more when I have some more Neuance shelves - it is hard to get the full measure of this shelf when I have only one. But I suspect this really is very close to an ideal shelf - very light, very rigid, no noticeable resonances - as I am using it at present. If, like me, you have been looking for a top quality shelf, then the Neuance is well worth a try. My only relationship to Neuance is that the man behind it offered me this ex-demo one for the cost of freight in response to my original post. When I order the next three shelves from him I will be offering to pay more generously for the first one.
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- 36 posts total
- 36 posts total