Arcam fmj cd23, isolation?

First I had the ARCAM FMJ system described below on a glass shelf stand with an IKEA maple cuttingboard under the CT23T ... a haarshness was introduced enough to rip your ears off.

So I bought the full monty Mapleshade Samson rack and brass footers under all pieces for my full ARCAM FMJ bi-ampled system (FMJ CD23T cdp FMJ A32 integrated, FMJ P35 power amp; FMJ tuner; Totem Arros speakers and then Totem Forest speakers) on on separate maple shelves in the stand anad all supported by Mapleshade brass footers. Okay, some improvement overall from no tweaks .... sorta I guess ... but it also looked like hell.

Swapping in top-end Atlas ICs and Atlas speaker cables made a QUANTUM BIGGER jump forward in performance!

I sold the Totems (both sets) and sold the Mapleshde Samson rack and mapleshade footers. Now I swapped in Rega R1s speakers temporarily on cheap but solid steel speaker stands and having the kit temporarily kit stacked on a solid hardwood table. Hmmmm ... je ne sais quoi ... but something nice here that was markedly difference ....

I now have top Rega R9 speakers with the same kit sitting on a sturdy $400 steel stand (all placed on individual shelves) with NO external isolation tweak devices and wow, the system now sings like it never has before (AND NO ISOLATION EXTERNAL TWEAKS)

THE POINT: Overall system synergy and improvements means more than ad-hoc tweaks IMO. Regrettably I am also now leaning to the anti-tweak /contrarian position that most isolation and/or damping tweaks can affect performance in either (i) a placebo manner; or (ii) even in a negative manner. A system-specific experimentation in a podantic custom-tailoring approach is the only way to go.

IMO the FMJ kit inherent damping properties and the resulting effects of these works damn well on its own. I am now leaning to the general theme that as far ARCAM FMJ kit goes, "less is more"; and that ad-hoc tinkering with external tweaks adds minimal positive improvement and in fact may actually be a detraction from optimal performance already built into the kit by the engineers at ARCAM.

Given the price of most of these tweaks, IMO a mimimalist approach appears to work best and one should be skeptical of the marketing hype.

I have mine sitting on stainless steel cones, points-up, with the cones resting on Canadian Maple (beautiful cutting board from bed,bath,and beyond) with the maple on 4 Vibra-Pods. The cones I had made by a millwright at work. He did a fantastic job. He ran them through a de-magnitiser after making them. The Vibra-Pods are #3's I think. Sounds great and looks fantastic! Peace and Good Listening, Pat.

I had very good improvements using DH cones and golden squares.

I borrowed several different items from The Cable Company and ran through all sorts of Polycrystal cones, Symposium roller blocks and what not.

DH cones did the trick until I moved into a Sistrum rack.

I sold the Arcam player a while back. It was a truly great unit and sometimes I think I just got caught up in the upgrade bug.