Stillpoints and reference-level speakers

Agear, it is just my opinion but I couldn't stand the original StillPoints. They used a less developed version of the ceramic ball technology and were not of stainless steel.

I don't know what you guys mean by altered tonality or whether there can be an "excess" of micro-detail. Can please explain what you are talking about here?

In other words, there was an apparent increase in clarity, at the expense of warmth and fullness. More analytical, less musical. This could be an advantage for some speakers, but not for the TADs in my system. I do have thick carpet with a heavy liner underneath, and I also wonder what the results would be like on an uncovered floor. Maybe better, maybe worse.

TBG, I forgot to mention that the Stillpoints can work for you if you have the threaded inserts shortened so that the body of the footer is flush with the base of the speaker. I had this done by the seller, in this case The Cable Company. I'm told it wasn't easy, as they are aircraft-grade stainless steel.

Psag, I've had a problem with the concept of "musicality." My interest is in accurately reproducing music not musicality. I know there are many who say that we will never be able to get close to realism. The StillPoints, Star Sound Apprentices, High Fidelity Cables and power cords have these thoughts are wrong. We are getting much closer to realism than I have ever thought possible, but ones electronics has to be up to snuff. As friend of mine with the same opinions, calls this luster.

One thing that I've concluded is that even the best tubes smear the sound and lack the detail in recordings. This is after many years of mainly tube electronics.

With regards to thick carpeting, I would suspect that the Star Sound Apprentices would be your salvation. A thick piece of granite on the carpet and then the Ultras might help also.

StillPoints strongly discourages having the Ultras tightly screwed against the speakers. With my BMC Arcadias, I tried to thread the screws in just enough to have an 1/8 inch separation, but when we raised the speakers into position, there was no separation. Later I found that the thread inserts in the speakers could be forced deeper into the speakers when the weight of the speakers was applied. This is probably why I found the Star Sound Apprentices better.

07-20-14: Psag
In other words, there was an apparent increase in clarity, at the expense of warmth and fullness. More analytical, less musical. This could be an advantage for some speakers, but not for the TADs in my system.

ditto. One sonic element or offshoot of this is a cohesive fluidity.