I have read Ernie's post more thoroughly now and believe he is saying something quite important.
Introducing any new component to an existing system is a big ask since if it replaces something that is say bright, then it will sound relatively dull. Does that mean the new component is dull? Not necessarily.
In my philosophy of how to put a system together, I believe that you want as many components (I include cables, supports etc into this) to be "honest brokers" of sound. This is for two reasons. The first is simply that I believe the sound will be better when most components are "honest brokers" than when we mix flavoured components together to try and get a system to be an "honest broker". The second is that you are in a better position to improve the system component by component if each component is an "honest broker" of sound.
I use the term "honest broker" to mean a wider range of issues than just tonal neutrality, such as phase issues, PRAT and dynamics.
I reckon Ernie is saying something that very much accords with my view that in the Neuance, I have found a shelf that appears to be an "honest broker". Hence it is a uniquely valuable thing to build a system around. I may very well be wrong here. The establishment of whether a single component is an "honest broker" of sound is fraught with problems since an individual component can never be heard on its own.
But if I am right it should come as no surprise that introducing an "honest broker" into an established system may cause it to tell the truth about the rest of the system.
But there is no way that I can prove to you the Neuance is an "honest broker" of sound. Only say that it appears to be one, to me, and I have tried the Neuance in several systems.
I can certainly agree that the shelf itself cannot be considered in isolation. Presumably the best shelf for a plastic cased component will differ from a steel cased component will differ from an aluminium cased component, etc, and a component that rigidly couples the circuit board to the case will differ from a component that rubber mounts the circuit board etc, and a component that has moving parts will differ from one that just has electronic parts, etc.
In my experience the Neuance works well with an appropriate rack in most circumstances, and the main variations occur with turntables, CD Players and valve preamps. I would add however, that your own personal values come into it. I have tried the Neuance in two systems where though I preferred the Neuance, the owner did not. In both cases the owner preferred the bass presentation of using a heavier shelf. In my opinion the Neuance is more correct and musical in the bass - being faster, more rhythmical and with more slam at the front of the note. The downside for the owners of the systems was the apparent loss of weight.
Introducing any new component to an existing system is a big ask since if it replaces something that is say bright, then it will sound relatively dull. Does that mean the new component is dull? Not necessarily.
In my philosophy of how to put a system together, I believe that you want as many components (I include cables, supports etc into this) to be "honest brokers" of sound. This is for two reasons. The first is simply that I believe the sound will be better when most components are "honest brokers" than when we mix flavoured components together to try and get a system to be an "honest broker". The second is that you are in a better position to improve the system component by component if each component is an "honest broker" of sound.
I use the term "honest broker" to mean a wider range of issues than just tonal neutrality, such as phase issues, PRAT and dynamics.
I reckon Ernie is saying something that very much accords with my view that in the Neuance, I have found a shelf that appears to be an "honest broker". Hence it is a uniquely valuable thing to build a system around. I may very well be wrong here. The establishment of whether a single component is an "honest broker" of sound is fraught with problems since an individual component can never be heard on its own.
But if I am right it should come as no surprise that introducing an "honest broker" into an established system may cause it to tell the truth about the rest of the system.
But there is no way that I can prove to you the Neuance is an "honest broker" of sound. Only say that it appears to be one, to me, and I have tried the Neuance in several systems.
I can certainly agree that the shelf itself cannot be considered in isolation. Presumably the best shelf for a plastic cased component will differ from a steel cased component will differ from an aluminium cased component, etc, and a component that rigidly couples the circuit board to the case will differ from a component that rubber mounts the circuit board etc, and a component that has moving parts will differ from one that just has electronic parts, etc.
In my experience the Neuance works well with an appropriate rack in most circumstances, and the main variations occur with turntables, CD Players and valve preamps. I would add however, that your own personal values come into it. I have tried the Neuance in two systems where though I preferred the Neuance, the owner did not. In both cases the owner preferred the bass presentation of using a heavier shelf. In my opinion the Neuance is more correct and musical in the bass - being faster, more rhythmical and with more slam at the front of the note. The downside for the owners of the systems was the apparent loss of weight.