I acquired a ten-pack of SR's HFT room treatments and installed them according to directions just prior to last night's listening session. Easy to install using the blue-tack type of material that was included in the package.
http://highend-electronics.com/products/sr-hft-high-frequency-transformerThe listening room already sported two pairs of Shataki Holograms ... one pair in the front corners of the room and a second pair in the rear corners of the room. In addition to the Holograms, there are tube traps along the rear of the listening position. I thought I had my room problems solved with the existing treatments and I was satisfied with those results.
Enter the SR HFT's ...
I had my friend Robert over last night to help evaluate the changes, if any. I was looking forward to maybe a small improvement at best. I mean, what can one expect from little metal devises that stick to your walls ... little devises so small that one wouldn't even notice them unless they were called attention to?
Long story short ... we were hit over the head with astounding disbelief at the ... I don't want to use the word "improvement," because that would be an understatement. I'll use the word trans-formative instead. Because, that's exactly what this tweak has done; its transformed my listening environment, and consequently my entire system, into an unbelievable music machine.
The first CD I played was a private recording of Rachmaninoff's third piano concerto, with the L.A. Philharmonic orchestra during a Rachmaninoff piano competition. The disc features the winner of the contest on piano. This has always been one of the favorite recordings in my collection. It transports the listener into the venue in a very natural way. This CD was burned right from the master tape with no artificial reverb or compression. A good test for any changes to the system.
Uhhh .... what I thought was a great recording transported us into the live event. Astounding to say the least. How can such a simple tweak as ten little dots spread around the room have such a huge effect? My theory is ... the sound energy coming from the speakers causes certain resonances at certain frequencies, and those resonances excite certain areas of the room and smears the sound. The HFT's take those resonances out of the equation. That's my theory, anyway.
Here's the noted improvements:
1. A much more solid presentation at higher volume levels. Everything just seems to hang together better.
2. Bass control: The best bass from my system yet. Very defined. The lower registers of the piano are a delight.
3. Size of the presentation: What I thought was a big sound stage before has been expanded in a very focused way.
4. Transparency: I can "see" much further into the presentation now. The audience noises,coughs & sneezes, the orchestra tuning up, the members turning the pages of the music, the conductor walking on the platform ... all there where a lot of it wasn't before.
5. Musicality: The correct tones of the instruments, which I've paid particular attention to in the system, were much improved. Strings, timpani's and the presence of the piano were all dead-nutz on. Amazing.
6. 3-D: A much more holographic presentation. Good Lord, how much better can this get? So much more "air" around the performers. It really adds to the suspension of disbelief in a big way.
I could go on and on with our positive impressions last night, but I will echo what Robert said: "This is your greatest tweak ever!" "It sounds like you've improved your entire system."
After playing a number of CD's featuring piano, we switched to the analog rig and played a whole variety of music ... from straight ahead jazz to Hawaiian music. The expansion of the sound space, and the realism from analog and tubes with the new room treatment? Unbelievable.
The ten pack of HFT's gets you to "level two" ... one more pack of five would get it to "level three." Based upon last nights results, there is another five pack in my near future.
Are any of you other A'goners using SR HFT's in your room? If so, please post your results here. I'd like to know if your experiences with these devises are similar to mine.
Happy listening, guys.
