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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
21,967 posts
 
Although I’ve never tried them, the Synergistic Research MIG couplers...I find interesting. According to their literature, they recommend 2 down & 1 up or 1 up & 2 down.

@uberwaltz,

Those rubber/cork isolators were trapping vibes just waiting to get out. Those are mostly used for isolating heavy/noisy industrial equipment. The air handler for my HVAC system in my attic sits on 6 of them.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I’ve heard the “one up two down” theory before. It actually doesn’t make any sense. We’ve been over this before not too long ago. Same thing goes for the all points up theory. It doesn’t make sense. And if it doesn’t make sense it’s probably not true. I suggest filing that theory under old wives tales.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
slaw
@geoffkait ,

Were you the other one in the van?

>>>>>Possibly.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,967 posts
 
Geoff, 

The MIGs are a different shape (domed), not sure of the material they're made of. I assume these factors might be different from the usual point/funnel/cone shape. I just think it maybe a possible look to someone who's willing to experiment. There was a set offered here at $100.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I have heard the same thing from a user/customer of DH Cones, the quote is probably still on Golden Sound’s web site. But as I already said that theory doesn’t make sense. People say a lot of things, some of which might not be true. There is no theory I can think of, you know, as a theoretical physicist, why that one down two up theory would ever be true. Whether a the shape is domed, or ballistic or conical all cones act like mechanical diodes. Otherwise you could have a double-pointed cone or one that looks like an egg🥚 We had this class last week. Obviously there are a lot of theories about this stuff floating around.
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