Best Isolation HRS? SRA? Zoethecus? Symposium?

i'll defenitly second the finite elemente suggestion...
i have 3 of the master reference racks , and incorporating their proprietory footers(cerabases/caerapucks and ceraballs).

didn't care much ,tough, for their amp stands. using 2 mapleshade blocks for the amps. any suggestions?

Jtinn: Good question. At the time I was making my isolation decisions you handled both GPA & SRA (you already had the GPA line). Any way, you were the one that so strongly suggested I get the SRA products, and told me they were better! As you already handled the GPA line, and have always steered me in the right direction, why would I waste the time going out and trying to compare things that you clearly have pointed out in some of your above threads as being such a pain to bring in, try, ship back & so on.

Further, over recent years you have shown almost mirror systems at some of the major trade shows, providing me the opportunity to A/B GPA & SRA (not the perfect A/B of course, but good enough for me to confirm my purchase decision). To my ears and eyes, I simply prefer SRA products.

FWIW, I recently heard the GPA Monaco stand at a person's house out here by me. I'm trying to negotiate an A-B comparison with the SRA, but it's going to be difficult because of logistical issues.

Hooper: You are my friend and I do not want to contradict you in public, so I suggest we take this offline. My recall is much different.

I will say that hearing it at a friend's house is not an A/B and has no value what so ever. Floor types, equipment are all different.

I have found there is no other way to approach mechanical isolation other than to try different products. It is not simply a matter of finding something that gives you the MOST isolation or dampening. Sometimes less is more desirable. I've heard systems sound worse when a particular component is dampened. It is a matter of voicing, and that can only be done by trial and error. In particular, CD players can become too dry and analytical sounding -- I suspect that good designers actually voice their products and dampening can alter the voicing for the worse.

I have found only one isolation product far superior to others I have tried (unlike adog I've not or will not say I've tried everything) (also 1st time posting but have been a member for 2 years just lurking around AA) but have tried many and heard most at friends. It's the Vibraplane isolation platform that actually comes from the medical industry, that has proven unbeatable, EVERYTIME. Yes, even the SRA's are very good but not in the same league IMHO, yours may differ and if you are a store I'm sure your response will be biased. Expensive, yes, but once you "hear" the improvement there will be no going back.