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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
bubinga
108 posts
 
Budt,

You may see it as fanatical. I see it as trying products that clearly demonstrate a clear value from a cost / performance perspective.

As I've said previously, if you haven't heard it, your comments are meaningless.

GG
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
If you think a difference is heard good for you.

This makes good business for captain kaitt and other snake oil salesmen.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
there have been many comments relating to uninformed opinions. but no one has responded to my conjecture that some cd players, are either unaffected by cd mats, or sound worse with them.

i am not referring to the mat that is the subject of this thread, although i own the previous version of the marigo mat, as well as other mats.

i own an audionote cd2 player and a ps audio transport, which to my ears, do not benefit from the mats i have tried.

again, i cannot comment on the mat in question, but does someone have any ideas why a mat would not matter, or degrade the sound ?
coopersark OP
16 posts
 
GG,
Isn't it ironic that everyone who had posted that they have USED & EXPERIENCED this new Marigo Evolution Signature mat, all heard similar improvements and those who have not have made the choice not to do so have done nothing but harp negativity? I find those respondent's comments totally inane and baseless, as they are speaking from unsubstantiated opinion and not from first hand experience. I had started this thread as I was so overwhelmed by the sonic improvements wrought by using this disc. Those who have not tried or experienced it have had nothing but negative things to say. Absolutely incredulous!

If someone does not want to try this mat, that is up to them. It is their choice - no more and no less than that. Those of closed and/or negatively opinionated mind will never change and should simply be ignored.

Those that want to be enlightened will take what the first hand users of this mat have had to say, based on substantiated experience and not unsubstantiated opinion and try it first hand for themselves.

Kind regards,
Coopersark
spectron
130 posts
 
" but no one has responded to my conjecture that some cd players, are either unaffected by cd mats, or sound worse with them."

These are two separate questions, first involving at least techical aspects and second to subjective analyses.

1. Your CD Transport read is based on RUR principle i.e. its read until right whereas conventional CD Transport read and then use error correction algorithms. Since mat suppose to imporve ONLY accuracy of the reading (its measurable and shown centuries ago - remember $15 "green pen" - I still use it and hear the difference very clearly) it design to help conventional CD Transports only.

On paper, therefore RUR reading should be unaffected by change in accurace of first read as it reads again and again.

In real life its not so simple - different ripping softwares like Foobar, JRiver, EAC should produce identical results but ...they are not. So, it could be some effect of MAT but in much lessen degree then in conventional CD Transports. As you describe - your Transport does exactly what is suppose to do (withing accuracy of your hearing)

Second question of worsening sound due to the mat - I prefer not to go there as totally subjective matter.

All The Best
Simon
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