I tend to disagree regarding the space between the musicians on stage. My estimation is that with every added gain stage, the apparent body of every individual instrument, becomes bigger. I confirm that the perception of ambience becomes more impressive also and the music surrounds the listener.
But these bodies starting to touch each other closing the empty space between them. This fact alone is enough to put me in doubt about the validation of my (monoblock, batt. PSU, single stage, DHT, with Hytron OOA) active line stage and so, I've disconnected it permanently in favour of a buffered pot. These days I'm in search for a high output cartridge, in order to investigate if this apply also to the phonostage and is worth to retire my (dual-mono, batt. PSU, current mode, with Tele CCa) active pre-pre.
Some speakers don't like this approach, sounding dry & empty, as like they loosing harmonics. But at the same time, the depth, illumination, clarity and especially the definition of every instrument & every single note, becomes unveiled & exposed and maybe not so appealing in their nudity. In my search for an antidote, I've found the VDH "The Mountain" interconnect between pre/power (RIAA/power in my case) that recovers the presence by attaching importance to the substance of each note.
Regarding the armboard, I'm taking Lew's side & just watching your findings for the moment. I believe that we are not capable of integrate it to the bearing's chassis due to our limited knowlege about interactive materials & mechanics & thats the reason we accept the isolation as the only way (but is not the right one).
