2. analog
  3. 150881-90127

Ceramic insulator cone under phono stage shocker!

I have used small ceramic insulator cones underneath my phono stage for quite some time.
Previous phono was a Gold note ph10 and it did not make ANY audible difference I could detect which way up the cones were so I had left them cone upwards.

When I changed my phono to a Manley Chinook I just left the cones same way.
This afternoon I decided to flip them over so cone down just to see.

I honestly could not and cannot believe the difference!
I may have lost a smidge of low bass but everywhere else is improved in spades.
Much more detail, resolution, air, imaging, dynamics.
Just completely shocking how much better a small change has made.

But I am perplexed why such a huge change on the Chinook where I noted nothing on the ph10?

Any theories here?
128x128uberwaltz
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,028 posts
 
The precision couples are doing just as they are suppose to....coupling your rack to the floor...not decoupling thereby exacerbating the issue, IMO.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@slaw Agreed. I’m going to look into something that acts as a decoupler that the rack feet can sit on. I'm open to any suggestions from folks.  I'm using the foot configuration at the bottom of this link page.
http://symposiumusa.com/pcouplers.html

slaw's avatar
slaw
22,028 posts
 
@three_easy_payments,

If you don’t mind my asking, how tall is the Symposium rack and what tt are you using?

Remember that acoustic "feedback" for lack of a better term, accentuates the vibrations components see. Is your floor a slab? If not, it should be braced underneath.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@slaw I fear I've hijacked this thread so hopefully no one is offended! The rack is 4 shelves, 36 inches tall.  I'm using a Kuzma Stabi S table.  The floor where the rack is located is not on a slab but is situated on a block connected to footer that is separating the basement from the adjacent crawl space and is remarkably stable.
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,028 posts
 
@three_ easy_ payment,

Look at my virtual system page at my amp/rack support for an inexpensive/DIY solution. With the Stabi tt, it shouldn’t be an issue. Otherwise the Townshend products are great (based on what I read) and then there’s the Stillpoints stuff....................
More to discover