Isolation vs. Absorbtion

Hi Brulee. I am trying to shut up on this topic at the moment because I still have a lot of experimentation to do before I can be happy I know what these shelves really sound like. I find the Maple Butchers Block is pretty much as you describe Brulee. There is plenty of life and soundstage size with the Maple, but there is some lack of leading edge or pace. In the end I believe the Neuance is more promising, but I am yet to be certain about the Neuance. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I really want to try it out in a few systems. My main system has at least one unusual characteristic in that the floor is very hard. This means the termination between rack and floor can be very influential on the sound and I get quite different results in my other system where the floor is wooden. The other issue is to do with the Neuance itself. When you use a Neuance shelf for the first time the sound is quite warm and woolly, but the sound clears up after a few days. I have repeated this experiment just to make sure I am not crazy, but it seems that the exterior of the shelf will have some compliance when you first put pressure on it, but that it settles after a period and becomes a much firmer support. The sound seems to change for up to a few days and so experiments with it can take rather a long time. With some of my earlier attempts with the Neuance I had some problem with upper mid-range resonance. I am trying now to understand whether this is a fault of the Neuance or a fault elsewhere (which, as we speak, appears to be so - ie. not the Neuance's fault). But there is no doubt that the Neuance is way ahead of anything else I have heard in terms of transparency, extension, dynamics and detail. The sound is stunningly open throughout the spectrum, but perhaps the most striking feature is that treble detail is just absolutely fabulous, with no hint of smearing.

Redkiwi, I ordered the Neuance and it will be up to 4 weeks befor it's here. I was wondering if you ever tried "the shelf" from Black Diamond Racing. I have one under my amp and love it, but under my SACD or pre-amp it really wasn't successful. I'm planning on the Neuance with the SACD, and just wondering if you had experience with "the shelf"

I was only able to try a BDR "shelf" overnight and would hate to pass judgement on such a short acquaintance. Clearly you not only like it but have far more experience with it. For the little that it is worth, I found it to slow things a little and to have the effect of lightening the sound. I am struggling to describe what I only vaguely remember hearing, but there was something going on that tilted the sound upwards, that did not so much result in brightness, but removed (what I feel was) natural body and weight from the middle of the mid-range down. I also felt it was unnaturally smooth in the treble. I only really tried it with my transport and with BDR cones too (which I now think was not a good idea), with a very brief flirtation with my DAC late at night. I would have liked a lot more time with it but felt that the approach was not quite what I was looking for. I would guess you will find the Neuance faster, more neutral and more naturally detailed, with a more ruthlessly revealing and less smooth upper mids and treble. But please, take this with a few pinches of salt. I will be very interested to hear your thoughts on the Neuance, and will let you know within the next few weeks how to get the best from it (in the context of my system, that is).

Thanks Redkiwi, I know you have put a lot of work in this and I am sure everyone appreciates your efforts. I know I do. Hi Dekay, at least you have a valid excuse. I do stuff like that all the time. You are an hour south of me and I do look foward getting togeather with you. I have a few toys we can play with. Should be fun.

Thank-you Redkiwi, as always a thoughtful responce. I'm excited to try out the Neuance, and I'll keep you informed.