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Review: Appogg Systems Isolation Platform Tweak

Category: Accessories

This is a review of a component isolation platform from a new company called Appogg Systems.

I have been auditioning 3 of the Appogg isolation platforms in my system for 2 weeks. I have had them under my Esoteric P03 transport, my Esoteric D03 dac and my ARC Reference 3 tubed preamp. After the 2 week period, Appogg Systems partners, Scott and Aaron came by so that we could do a comparative listening with the platforms in the system and then with all 3 of them removed. With all 3 removed, the sonic difference was easy to hear - to me it was a loss of air around performers and seemingly moving the performers closer together towards the center of the soundstage. There was a loss of delicacy in the upper frequencies and some loss of depth in the soundstage. Perhaps the bass was a not quite as tight as well. We then put the platforms back under the transport and dac and a lot of of this vanished, but the overall sound that I had been enjoying for the past 2 weeks was not quite all the way back just yet. We then put the last platform back under the preamp and while not as dramatic a change as putting back the first 2, it still was an audible improvement and restored the system sound completely back to what we heard before removing all 3 platforms. I went ahead and purchased all 3 platforms. By the way, Scott and Aaron do give great customer service. One of the nice things about the platforms besides the improved sonics, is that even though for maximum effectiveness, the platforms need to be sized for a specific component's overall weight and weight distribution, if you change a component, Scott and Aaron can modify the platform for the new component's weight and weight distribution (assuming the new component will fit on the plinth).

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babybear's avatar
babybear OP
106 posts
 
Hi Krell_man,

I can't tell you if they are similiar to the HRS platforms or not. I have seen the HRS platforms and in person they do not look that much alike. How they perform compared to HRS I do not know - they do cost a lot less than HRS platforms however and the performance improvement that I heard was good enough for me given the price point.

Buconero117 - I have tried Bright Star audio sand boxes in the past, which I am sure are as good as a DIY sandbox, and I did not hear much, if any of a performance improvement. The Appogg Systems platforms do make a very audible performance improvement in my system to my ears. I did not do any comparison of them to anything else and don't plan to. Given their price point, the real performance improvement is a worthwhile upgrade for me.
babybear's avatar
babybear OP
106 posts
 
Hi Glory,

Just to be factually correct, the platforms have a retail price of less than $1k. The smaller sized one used under the preamp retails for $850 and the larger size used under the transport and dac retails for $900.
johngp's avatar
johngp
226 posts
 
Hi Babybear,
I too have been auditioning the Appogg platforms and am very impressed with their performance. Comparing them to a "Sand box platform" is a joke, not even close. These platforms have taken my system up several notches in performance, an increase in performance that could be compared to a component upgrade. Aaron and Scott have given me the same excellent treatment you mentioned and are both very helpful and knowledgeable.

This past weekend I removed one of the platforms for a friend to try and I miss it already! A very good product at a very fair price IMO.
babybear's avatar
babybear OP
106 posts
 
Hi John,
I agree with everything you have said - a very good product at a very fair price with excellent customer service. Thanks
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