Footers- Break In? Such A Change.


So, I know components and cables break in and this has always been a source of mystery, not to mention the EE’s and the naysayers who believe firmly it is just not possible.

I am of the mindset based on my actual experience that electronics need power run through them for a time to perform their best. And that may mean hundreds of hours of electrical energy running through the item to fully form.

So, with this understanding I use this as the preamble to what I will describe next.

Footers. You know those little devices we put under our components, speakers etc., to isolate or stabilize the item.

Well, I must disclose that I have always been a tweaker and have tried many of the accessories we add to get the best out of equipment. I have also tried so many footers, many brands, types, even some DIY etc.

Critical Mass makes racks and footers. I have always wanted their racks, but due to my needed configuration just never have tried a rack. But I have tried the footers. The ones I have are called the Center Stage 2(CM2). I have them in the 1.0 and the 1.5 versions. There is also now a newer version called the 2M.

Anyway, these CM2’s is amazing. When you first place them under the equipment the music becomes dull, soundstage is narrow and the highs/lows are restricted. First comments you will have is; WTH?

But, wait about 7-10 days and these footers really open up and improve in all aspects that is important in sound reproduction.

How the heck a footer breaks in is amazing to me? The only thing that makes sense is that they must be adjusting to the weight that is on top of them and it takes that long to adjust.

Anyway, these are kinda relatively expensive but since the newer versions are now out perhaps you can grab some at a good discount. These will probably be the last footers I will ever own… Maybe?

I highly recommend them, even as strange as they are with break in.

ozzy

128x128ozzy

Showing 2 responses by sns

Ok, while I've never heard a footer break in, it could make sense if compression of materials within footer would settle over time. However, based on weight of component footers under, the exact final resting point of these materials would be highly variable. Over compress or under compressing these internal materials could result in less than optimum results.

Ozzy, I get that, but wouldn't you think there is some optimal amount of compression for these footers. Some footers are offered with different models of same footer, depending on weight of component. Another,  are those popular multiple spring footers in which individual springs can be removed or added. Idea is optimal amount of compression for weight of each component.

 

Back to these footers, lets say component weighs 20lbs, each footer compresses to certain point, 40lb component will further compress footer, there may be a certain finite amount of compression that will sound best. If this case, I'd expect lighter weight component may sound light and airy, compress footer further, may sound darker, more muffled. If this not true, why would footer sound change over time? I'd suggest your footers  settling over time to it's final compression setting, you may or may not have found it's sweet spot. Will every component, regardless of weight find this same sweet spot?