Shelf Material - Neuance

Hi Ernie: Thanks for the quick response. I read in an online pro review that the Canto sounded best when placed directly on MDF. Well, not in my world as this was the worst sound that I had with it. I have found it to sound best (from what I have avaialable) on Mapleshade cone points with a top weight but have had a hell of a time keeping it positioned on them due to a heavy PC, the recent space shuttle sonic boom, me being clumbsy, etc. Today I received and assembled a Studio Tech rack from Audio Advisor and just need to take it to my mechanic to have the shelf brackets mig welded to the posts. This rack is not on the Neuance "hit" list but once welded into a one piece frame should work very nicely as it already has upturned spikes for the shelves to rest on. The rack was only $150 on closeout and I coudn't see spending $250-$350 more for similar one piece racks (without the spikes that I would have had to retro fit) when all that this shelf needed was 32 mig welds (8 per shelf). The next step will be the Neauance shelves (just two to start as I am low on funds). I had hoped to place both my small tube amp and the DAC on the top shelf together, but don't know if this is a good idea. The second from the top shelf will be for the transport/player. I was quite amazed by the quality of the Studio Tech rack as all of the shelves meet metal to metal with the support posts except for one edge (out of 32 edges) that is off by 1/32nd of an inch, which will still weld nicely. As far as I know though the racks are completely sold out. It's from the PA series if anyone is interested and can still find them somewhere. Sam mentioned this rack in a post a long time ago which is where I picked up on it. Oh, and yes Bel Canto has a mod now per some of the other posts that I have read (mine is stock). I don't notice the HF sound that you mention, though I have to think that what you are describing is what I do not like about a lot (make that most) digital gear. I kept the Canto because it did not glare or sound metalic (I think "metalic" describes the sound that I don't care for), so it may be system dependent (strings , brushes and cymbals sound very realistic with mine). I also run the Canto from a power conditoner and upgraded the stock PC which made it sound limp in my system (didn't care for the sound at all until I switched out the stock power cord. I read that the Neuance shelves take a couple weeks or so to ship which is fine with me as I still have to gut a closet that the gear is going into and remove a pocket door as well. Maybe in a month or so I'll have some feedback on the shelving.

I have changed nothing in the system recently, and have just left the Neuance in place now for some weeks. It may be the weather (warm and humid - sorry, just had to find an excuse to remind you guys it is summer in the better half of the world), but the sound has gone gradually up a notch - still fast and articulate, but somehow more tonal color. The effect is quite noticeable, and so maybe the Neuance changes subtly for a while. Ernie, I know you are attached to the Red Dawns, but that is where I suspect the leanness is coming from. But you will be surprised how the Neuance lets more and more tonal color through as it settles in - this includes leaving the shelf in place and the component in place - no playing!. But I reckon the first thing you should do is try the E-A-R feet Ernie - they will reduce distortion and add warmth and fullness to the sound, without any loss of detail or speed - and will remove at least some of the leanness you refer to. Just make sure you get the right feet for the weight of your component. If your component is on the cusp between the two sizes, then go for the larger feet.

Redwiki et al - I received my first Neuance shelf last week and installed it last Sunday under my LP12 on a Mana rack. Have been quite paient and not done a lot of listening to it so as not to prejudge it. Once I get a read on it under the LP12, plan to try it under my Muse 9 Signature and order another one if it is an improvement over the Mana damped glass shelf. Are EAR feet the best you've found so far between your CDP and the Neuance? Want ti make sure I have those on hand in that case. Has anyone tried Symposium Rollerblocks w/ a CDP and Neuance? They seemed to work well under my BAT preamp on a Mana shelf.

Alexc, I find the E-A-R feet to be even-handed and better than any stock rubber feet, and more neutral than Vibrapods. Certainly, I prefer to use them rather than any of the cones I possess, now that I use welded steel racks supporting Neuance shelves. But I have been experimenting with home-made roller-bearings and they are very promising under the CD player, but not under my amps.

Oh and by the way, you get a significant improvement if you use one rack per component - not always practical, but well worth it when you go down the "light and rigid" path. The Mana method of stacking racks works very well too.