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The amazing new Marigo Evolution Signature Mat

I want to share my amazingly positive experience with the new Marigo Evolution Signature CD Mat. I have used Marigo's CD mats over the years from their very first offering, I believe about fifteen or so years ago. The Evolution Signature mat is the fourth iteration of the Marigo mat. Each successive "generation" had wrought positive improvements from my Mark Levinson Reference 31.5 transport. (While the top loading Levinson comes with its own CD clamp, I have ordered parts from Levinson and have made my own CD clamp, substituting their carbon fiber disk for your Marigo mat.) The latest Evolution Signature mat's improvement is so substantial that it is a larger "jump" in performance than from the standard Levinson clamp to the last generation "3D Signature V2" mat!
I hear a startling increase in the focus of imaging placement within the sound stage. The focus of everything in that sound stage is both tighter and possesses a three dimensional body that most digital simply lacks. Tone saturation is richer. The bass not only goes deeper, but is more tuneful as well. The highs are better defined and extended. The mid range is the icing on the cake. Voices are much better defined and clarified, combined with the improvement in density of tone and harmonic texture now sound shockingly real and alive. The sense of space and performance venue is greatly improved as well.

Overall the music has so much more of a relaxed quality to it similar to that of master tape analogue that allows me to simply listen to the music and not work as hard having my brain trying to connect the "digital dots". The increased resolution, focus, dynamics, detail, sense of space, articulation, and what I would call a "continuousness" of saturated tone, all combine to literally transform my digital playback to a level that I have never experienced before! I know that this must seem like hyperbole. The overall improvement is SHOCKING!

In the context of my high end system the $200 that I had paid for Evolution Signature mat that replaced the Reference V2 mat, was the cheapest money that I have ever spent for the most improvement in my system!

If anyone has a Reference V2 mat, they may be loathe to replace it, as it is most excellent. I can tell you from first hand experience, that the new Evolution signature mat is on a whole different and much higher level of sonic improvement.

For anyone has never tried a Marigo CD mat or any mat for that matter, this is the one to have. This is not just a simple "tweak", this is an essential and basically "give away" priced in terms of the substantial sonic upgrade that truly must be experienced to be believed. In the context of my high end audio system, this is making an improvement that I did not think possible and at a price that was ridiculously low. Based on my listening experience, this may be the biggest bargain in audio today!
coopersark
skamok
17 posts
 
First, I don't know squat about this mat.
Second, A while back I bought a Playback Designs MPS-5 player and I didn't feel that the stock feet were up to snuff. Some one here did a similar review of a product called Marigo Mystery Feet or something like that. I found out that Margio is next door to me, about 100 miles away, so I decided to call them, or him. Now those feet were stupid expensive and I had just spent a ton of dough on the MPS-5 but he gave a 30 day money back deal, so I thought what the hell. While I was talking to the guy he asked me where I lived and when he found out that I was nearby he said he would pay the shipping and told me to forget about the 30 day deal - he said that if I ever didn't like the feet, just send them back and I would get my money back!
Well, I had NO intention of keeping the feet, too much money and I did not believe they could make much of a difference, plus, I would only be out a couple of bucks for the return shipping. The next day they arrived,I put em under the player and they have never left yet! I didn't want to believe they would work but I couldn't ignore what I heard. YMMV.
skamok
17 posts
 
Third, I think I'll order a mat tomorrow.
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
I find the OP believable but sounds a bit like an advertisement. Over the years I've found different isolation under different components can make a big difference. At present I've found my Ayre CD5MP prefers a carbon fiber base while my Audio Research DAC8 insists on being directly coupled to the two inch thick stand shelf.
bradluke0
163 posts
 
hi all ! We used to just put two cd's in the drawer and listen that way , yup made a difference . Then I got a metal disc from discwasher , went on top of the cd ...and yup that made an audible difference also.Dont know what happened to the discwaser disc and I dont remember the last time I loaded 2 cd's in the drawer .It changed the sound , just not for the better or worse .
bubinga
108 posts
 
Hi Coopershark,

I came upon this thread and feel somewhat compelled to respond. For the record, absent the Martin Logan Club, I rarely post on other websites. I like the MLC site because, amongst other things, the vast majority of folks are respectful and thoughful. After reading this and if you so choose, you can see my system on a similar thread I started on this very topic.

Google Martin Logan Club. Goto the MLC home page, click on the "Off Topic Audio Video" section and see the "Silly, stupid bargain" thread. I, like Cooper, wanted to share my personal observation on the new Evo Sig mat. Not because I have any personal interests in Marigo Audio but because I firmly believe this product offers substantial value for the money. As an aside, I think Ron is an individual with impeccable integrity and offers products based on defensible science.

For those who don't wish to do this, my system consists of the MBL 116 speakers, Conrad Johnson Premier 18 LS preamp, the Cary Audio 306 CD / SACD CDP, and a Pass Labs X250.5 amplifier. I'm listing only to provide some frame of reference.

Having recently received my 306 back from Ron Hedrick, who did some modifications, he asked if he could include his new mat for auditioning. I agreed on the basis that I could return it if I didn't care for the product. I had the previous Signature 3D Stabilizer V2 and had mixed results. I still use it on my DVD player.

Over the past week or so, I did some A/B (with and without) on about ten different occasions. I've since stopped since the results were consistent in all cases. That being an easily heard improvement in all aspects of sonic performance. Richer, more saturated tonal structure, improved soundstaging / dimensionality, and the ability to hear much deeper into the music. To summarize, a substantial increase in the overall musicality of my system.

For the record, I listen mainly to classical and jazz although I do occasionally enjoy Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Parov Stelar, Richard Thompson, Anni DeFranco, and others.

I do wonder about the relevance of a systems ability to provide a transparent / articulate presentation and its relationship to how easy or difficult it is to hear what this product does. My sense is that any "credible" system will benefit from this accessory. If your system has an overly warm presentation, you may have the opposite reaction that I've had regarding the efficacy of this device.

For me and in my system, it's an absolute no brainer and an extreme value. I would advise everyone to give this accessory a "test drive". You may be pleasantly surprised what $200 has to offer.

From reading the various posts, my sense is that there are those who disavow any product of this genre. And there are those who apparently have posted who have never auditioned this device. I don't quite understand how any credible person can do this but .........what do I know.

And for those who believe they will hear an improvement just because one has made a change in the system, all I can say is that's why you have two ears. I've been involved in this wonderful hobby for some 35 years and I believe I've reached the point where I can distinguish BS from the real deal, that being system musicality and connecting emotionally with the music.

I will gladly respond to anyone who wishes to post in a respectful manner. I will not respond to people who make gross generalizations without any objective basis for doing so.

Happy listening and Happy New Year to all.

GG
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