Attn: Altmann Attraction DAC users

This hobby never seizes to amaze me. ;-D. Thanks for that. Now I'm off to the wood shop! lol!

I've had my Altmann DAC for about 8 months now. It's a marvel. I use it with Altmann's BYOB amp, both running off the same battery. I love everything about the sound, except initially it seemed a bit lightweight: a "cloud nine" presentation with the instruments lacking somewhat in body.

After reading this post I began experimenting with lead weights above the wooden feet and sand in sealable plastic bags below. I tested both Altmann components with the same treatments in lock-step. I put lead shot in plastic pill dispensers, sealed them with clear packing tape for safety, then placed them over the feet. Keeping the board bottoms clear of the sand, so that only the feet are in contact with it, keeps the sound clear; otherwise things seem to get muddy.

By adding more weight I could "zoom in" on instruments, and by decreasing weight I could "back off". Higher initial weights sounded very impressive, and completely addressed my concerns about body. However, the sound became fatiguing quickly, with the sense that my face was being pushed into the predominating instrument. So I kept reducing weight until stopped at 100 grams over each foot.

This setup creates a better balance the integrity of the whole ensemble (at which the Altmann DAC excels) and the microphonic presence of the individual instruments. This dynamic tension between the foreground (tree) and background (forest) makes music more involving, radiant and gripping. This has something to do with the simultaneous recognition of the whole and its parts.

So thanks, Turboglo!

Solus, I'm digging this positive feedback loop. I can pretty much confirm your findings about the weights. Too much weight creates a certain sharpness, but ultimately deadens the sound some. I'm currently using a brass ring weighing about 4-5 ounces over each footer and this seems to be perfect for my setup. The rubber mat made such a positive impression that I'm reluctant to mess with sand, though. I should mention that the rubber mat is sitting on a very solid Mapleshade rack, which I'm sure is part of the synergy.