Tboooe, it's been interesting.
I put the Silver Minimus into the system and it worked. The noise floor dropped and it was better
HOWEVER, there are a variable that I need to revisit to be sure of my results, so I'm only saying the sound was noticeably better.
The variable was a Walker Audio disc that sat atop my CD player (still using the Arcam FMJ 23).
For some time now, I've been unhappy with the sonics. The spectacular noiseless - and realism - of the Stillpoints Ultra Minis was considerably diminished for over six months, beginning with a malfunction in the Nola Contenders (a long story with an unhappy ending, meaning I had to buy another pair. Not fixable by Nola, according to policy and so new ones. I should point out that I had tried to return them to the person who sold them to me, but that did not go in my favor, although the issue was noticeable when I got them). This is the background.
Having gotten new Contenders, I was unable to reproduce the sound. I had everything checked out: interconnects, speaker cable (and, new speakers). Nothing brought it to that dazzling, truly jaw-dropping introduction I got back in November when the first Contenders arrived.
So, back to the Walker disc.
I have always found that positioning of ANY isolation device, footer, Dark Elevator, Shakti Online stabilizer or Hallograph, you name it, can make or break the sound.
It was only today that I realized the walker disc was not precisely positioned and therefore, Ella no longer "materialized" out of the ether of the disc to stand directly in front of me. She was disembodied and imaged vaguely (Cole Porter songbook). Moving the Walker disc so that it was more directly over the CD tray has caused her to re-materialize, BUT, I had loaned my Stillpoints to a friend in California (I live in Connecticut now. WAS a Californian for 30 years) and haven't gotten them back under the CD player. So, my "control" of the system is not exact. For all that, it sounds good, and when Fed Ex shows up again to deliver the new box of Sillpoints for me (I'm letting my friend keep them because he truly loves music and he needs a pick-me-up right now. Things are tough for him), I will be able to have 4 under the PS Audio Power Plant. Wow, serendipity. As I was typing the last sentence, I heard a sound echo off the house next door, meaning someone was in the driveway. It was the Fed Ex man. Again. Didn't ring the doorbell the first time, so I didn't hear him and called to complain, so they sent him again. I'll be in business after I finish this post )
Now, another variable. I ALSO bought the Audio Prism ground controls ($75) and put one on an unused outlet of the Arcam, and it got noticeably better. So, I'd suggest maybe trying one of them. Cheaper, but perhaps not as good. Don't know (I'm trying to make this an adventure, so I hope you're not annoyed by the length of the post).
So, I'm sending this off and will post again by tomorrow with the results. If you've gotten one by now, please post your thoughts. I'm going in to put the Stillpoints under the players, and one more under the PS Audio, thereby restoring the "control."
Wish me success!
I put the Silver Minimus into the system and it worked. The noise floor dropped and it was better
HOWEVER, there are a variable that I need to revisit to be sure of my results, so I'm only saying the sound was noticeably better.
The variable was a Walker Audio disc that sat atop my CD player (still using the Arcam FMJ 23).
For some time now, I've been unhappy with the sonics. The spectacular noiseless - and realism - of the Stillpoints Ultra Minis was considerably diminished for over six months, beginning with a malfunction in the Nola Contenders (a long story with an unhappy ending, meaning I had to buy another pair. Not fixable by Nola, according to policy and so new ones. I should point out that I had tried to return them to the person who sold them to me, but that did not go in my favor, although the issue was noticeable when I got them). This is the background.
Having gotten new Contenders, I was unable to reproduce the sound. I had everything checked out: interconnects, speaker cable (and, new speakers). Nothing brought it to that dazzling, truly jaw-dropping introduction I got back in November when the first Contenders arrived.
So, back to the Walker disc.
I have always found that positioning of ANY isolation device, footer, Dark Elevator, Shakti Online stabilizer or Hallograph, you name it, can make or break the sound.
It was only today that I realized the walker disc was not precisely positioned and therefore, Ella no longer "materialized" out of the ether of the disc to stand directly in front of me. She was disembodied and imaged vaguely (Cole Porter songbook). Moving the Walker disc so that it was more directly over the CD tray has caused her to re-materialize, BUT, I had loaned my Stillpoints to a friend in California (I live in Connecticut now. WAS a Californian for 30 years) and haven't gotten them back under the CD player. So, my "control" of the system is not exact. For all that, it sounds good, and when Fed Ex shows up again to deliver the new box of Sillpoints for me (I'm letting my friend keep them because he truly loves music and he needs a pick-me-up right now. Things are tough for him), I will be able to have 4 under the PS Audio Power Plant. Wow, serendipity. As I was typing the last sentence, I heard a sound echo off the house next door, meaning someone was in the driveway. It was the Fed Ex man. Again. Didn't ring the doorbell the first time, so I didn't hear him and called to complain, so they sent him again. I'll be in business after I finish this post )
Now, another variable. I ALSO bought the Audio Prism ground controls ($75) and put one on an unused outlet of the Arcam, and it got noticeably better. So, I'd suggest maybe trying one of them. Cheaper, but perhaps not as good. Don't know (I'm trying to make this an adventure, so I hope you're not annoyed by the length of the post).
So, I'm sending this off and will post again by tomorrow with the results. If you've gotten one by now, please post your thoughts. I'm going in to put the Stillpoints under the players, and one more under the PS Audio, thereby restoring the "control."
Wish me success!