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Raven One Owners - some questions

I've had my Raven One, Graham Phantom II, Dynavector XX2 combination for a month and now that everything is getting broken in I am beginning to consider some set up tweaks.

The Raven One now ships without the mat. Jeff C. said that "most listeners" prefer it without the mat; that is how he and Thomas W. prefer it. What are your experiences with and without the mat?

I am also thinking about isolation and what the table should be sitting on. Currently it is on the top shelf of my Mapleshade sampson rack and the shelf is 2" thick maple. The table has the new Stillpoint feet. I have another 2" Mapleshade platform that I could put on top of the rack, with Mapleshade brass triplepoints between the top shelf and the platform. But before I mess with that, has anyone tried anything like that and what results did you get?

Any other tweaks you have discovered with the Raven set-up?

Thanks,

Dave
tricon_dave
sonofjim
557 posts
 
I don't have the Raven 1(VPI SSM)but I do have experience with Maple versus other isolation. I've used a 2" Maple platform alone and in combination with a Gingko Cloud 11. Currently I'm using the Master platform from Critical Mass Systems. All work well but I've found that the most nuetral is the Critical Mass unit. The Maple alone was more lively but could be fatiguing in comparison to the Critical Mass. The Gingko smoothed things out and was also quite enjoyable but did add mild bass bloat in comparison to the Critical Mass. What your table sits on makes a difference but largely is also a matter of taste. Many people love the sound of Maple alone and I can't say that I blame them.
stiltskin
499 posts
 
Tricon
I also use a Raven one with the supplied Stillpoint feet, no mat, Phantom arm first series and Dyavector XV-1.

The table is on it's own dedicated maple stand utilizing the large adjustable Finite Elemente cera base feet.
The table itself sits on a Symposium shelf with Finite Elemente cera puc feet.

My experience this past summer taking away the Finite Elemente feet , Symposium shelf and setting the table back on the stands original 2 inch thick butcher block shelf.

A fair degree of low level resolution and focus was gone.
Also immediately noticed was the fabulous bloom and note decay of this combination was effected.

However experimenting with feet, equiptment stands and shelves will certainly have positive results most of the time, I have not tried many under my Raven.
The Symposium shelf ,maple stand and Finite Elemente feet work very well.

There is something else you may want to consider first.

Dave if you have not already I would give serious thought to a MintLp arc protractor including WalkerAudio's Prelude record cleaner and Step 4 rinse.

The Mint protractor and both Walker products could be had for the price of ONE Finite Elemente equiptment stand base.

The returns for the amount of money spent cannot be equaled.
BTW...Nice system
tricon_dave OP
95 posts
 
Thanks Stiltskin and Sonofjim. You have both convinced me to try some different isolation set-ups. I'll start with what I have -- the extra mapleshade platform -- and see what happens.

Stiltskin - I have read good things about the Walker record cleaning products and may give them a try next time I make an order. What's the benefit of the Mint protractor on the Raven/Graham?

Thanks,

Dave
david12
1,454 posts
 
I have my Raven one on a reasonable wall shelf. Mine came with the millenium feet. I have tried Symposium Rollerblock juniors and stillpoints and stillpoints came out best, by a good margin, better detail, transparency. These are the stock Stillpoint feet, no reason to think the supplied OEM feet are not equally good. My Raven has an Ortofon 309D + Zyx Airy 3 and it is a long term keeper.
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