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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
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So, since I posted previously, I added the CMS TT footers, and upgraded 3 sets of the original CMS 1.0 footers to the 2M. The CMS turntable footers were installed under a TW Acustic Raven Anniversary replacing the upgraded Black Knight version feet which were an upgrade when I bought the table. The improvement in terms of lower noise was immediately audible. I didn't really want to replace the 3 sets of original CMSs with the 2Ms under my front end equipment (ARC REF phono, line stage, and Luxman D10X player), but I tried just the line stage and Wow - I was hooked. The improvement was as much again as I experienced with version 1! I hate it, but I'll probably end up buying a bunch more. These things are so amazing that they are not a "tweak". They are a must have.
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What you are talking about seems to be more akin to someone not assessing the improvements correctly. That is most assuredly not the case with the Center Stages. Their advance over most other footers is obvious after the 10 days. I suppose, as someone who has had Audio Research, Goldmund Jadis and other expensive components, that take weeks to pass their break-in point (in the ’80s, it would take continuous playing for weeks before the most exalted components showed their virtues), 10 days is not a long time to wait for a component to break in. They remove a "step-ladder" type effect - and particularly in digital - that allows voices to sound vastly more organic and the mechanism (control of the throat, chest and diaphragm) the singer uses to achieve an effect (i.e., "bending a note") becomes vastly more obvious. And the use of the word "vastly" is not - in this case- hyperbole. This is more akin to having a decent (but not great) amplifier, and then getting an amplifier that reproduces sound in a far more closer-to-live-than-before effect. One that reproduces musical improvements, such as hearing if a passage is played staccato instead of how it sounded before: portato (which would have been wrong), but the "noise" that covers up the spaces between the notes is quite a bit more present in lesser equipment. In fact, even some very, very good equipment is not great at distinguishing between staccato and portato effects. As well, instruments have more "texture," so when a trombone plays, you clearly hear the "blatty" sound it makes. Or xylophones, where you can hear the actual physical properties of the xylophone, instead of just hearing "notes" that help you fill in the blanks - as it were - that allow you to identify that it is an xylophone, but that you could only do by focusing to come to this conclusion, whereas, with the Center Stage 2ms, it is immediately obvious. It’s much more like it is in a symphony hall performance and I hear those quite regularly. You would just have to hear them yourself to understand how far ahead they are of any of the Stillpoints (and I’ve had Ultra Minis, Ultra 5s, both generations). The sonics are just not comparable. But it is hard to describe some effects in print. Sometimes nothing will do except the live experience. |
+1 @ozzy The difference with good platforms is very distinct and quantifiable. Live Vibe platforms also have a break in period, but it is so worth it. |
Thank you for your post. I have tried the Stillpoints Ultra SS and they are good, but the Critical Mass footers are in a different league. Both companies now have revised versions, not sure if the gap has closed or widened. BTW, I am also using the ISO-Acoustics Gaiai 1’s under my Clarisys planer’s. ozzy |
Expensive footers was always something I read about but never seriously considered. Until a few years ago I purchased one set of Stillpoints Ultra SS out of curiosity and it blew me away. Amp, DAC, even power distributor, it did not matter which component it went under, it brought a noticeable improvement to each of them. The only problem I need another 5-6 sets to fully complete my system. An expensive proposition but one I will eventually get around to. In the meantime Stillpoints released a V2 version of their footer line. Apparently giving 30-40% more performance. The guys on Whatsbestforum has been big on the Critical Mass footers. The new CS2M, as Ozzy has. It's a bit of a PITA to have a 7-10 days settling time, it makes things hard to A-B compare, especially if things go so negative in performance during this period as has been reported. I would like to know how the Stillpoints Ultra SS v2 and Ultra 2 compare to the CS2M 0.8 and 1.0 as they are price comparable.
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gbmcleod, You are right on. I just got some new very heavy (140lb ea.) amps and I waited until they were broken in before adding the CM footers. Now, with the footers underneath, they really add extra depth and realism. BTW, I have the CM under all my components. I still don’t know what is inside them, perhaps some rich dude can take one apart? I’m hoping it isn’t just some glue and horsehair...LOL! ozzy |
The Center Stage 2m footers are extremely impressive. I’ve been through many footers: Nordost Sort Kones, Stillpoints and several other top footers. I previously used the Stillpoints, but read about these 2M footers (in TAS) and decided to get a set. At this point, with the experience I’m having with them in the system, I’d rather keep my current electronics and just get two or three sets of footers. The substitution of better electronics would not, I fear, bring the music to Life in this way. Apparently, removing all vibration can yield some staggeringly great results. I can’t even imagine that if I went back to Jadis or VAC electronics that this same result could be achieved. One need look no further than playing a good recording of a particular singer, and be awestruck by how the voice sounds vastly more the way it does in life. I’d just played a Cleo Laine CD which was nearby, and in this, her return to Carnegie Hall (the album is 1975), her voice is quite lifelike in the way it "moves." It’s too bad they’re so expensive. If they were only $700 instead of $1100, it still wouldn’t be an insubstantial purchase, but it would certainly allow a (slightly) wider set of people to hear what their electronics are truly capable of. And there would be substantially more benefit than one could get even by spending $5,000. Superb isolation has no substitutes. I would have been happy with the Stillpoints had I not heard about these babies and then tried them out (I like places with 60-day returns. It allows time to live with a component). And, having lived with them for a month? No way I could go back to anything less now. Except for (eventually) getting a new integrated and a pair of Magnepans 2.7i, I’m real good. Try these little suckers out, but you must give them the full 10 days of putting some component on them and then not touching them or the component again. You cannot move them, even an inch or two, for at least the next 10 days. Fourteen would be better. Just put them under a component (any digital or even your line conditioner would be the best place to start), listen at the 1 day, 3 day, 7 day and 10 day mark. 10 is where it gets magical. Oh, and you will not like how they sound at the beginning. You might even think something's wrong with your system. It's not. These things will make you wonder while they're going through whatever settling they do, though. So, expect it.
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@sns : +1 Agreed. I've not experienced break in with any footersd I tried. However, repositioning them, even a 1/2 inch, could result in a marked improvement or degradation of the music presentation. I currently am using Marigo Audio Mystery Feet throughout my system. Good listening. Jeff |
magnuman, I am not sure about the Critical Mass footers for speakers. However, with my new speakers: (Clarisys Minute, when they arrive) they may / or may not be an option, I’m not sure. The new speakers look to have aluminum feet so it may be a balancing act to use the Critical Mass LS footers. But they are like $5K a set! ozzy |
I really have to try these out. Thanks for the updates, @ozzy . |
I first tried CMS footers a couple of years ago on a lark and ended up with 11 sets of them I liked them so much. As to their explanation of why they work, I don't think they're doing themselves any favors. Totally unintelligible. I can live with the break-in time - everything breaks in. Recently tried the CMS LS loudspeaker feet. These were even better in terms of sonic improvements. It's a shame they're so expensive. I normally wouldn't pay a lot for this kind of stuff, but I'm at the end of the line as all my components are keepers. I generally wouldn't advise anyone to focus on cables, footers, and other tweaks unless their system was pretty much settled and what they're going to keep for the long hall.
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Here is what has just been posted about the Critical Mass footers on another forum by a Critical Mass dealer. "What people fail to understand tis that this Footer is based on Second Law of Thermodynamics and materials physics and essentially is dumping the entropy and finding a new point of equilibrium. It has nothing to do Wirth the weight of the unit" Not sure I understand this though. ozzy |
@ozzy and I have to add, I don't believe it was all in my head. I know sometimes being tired or moody changes your perception of sound, you may think the sound is harsh or lacks musicality for example... BUT not when it comes to bass. Bass is tangible. It's almost physical. You cannot "imagine" a lack of bass, specially in a system where bass is felt by the body, when it disappears, it's not in your head. When that tactility goes away, it's not in your head, it's happening for real, and of course, when it comes back too. My opinion anyways. |
Well, I’m happy I found this thread, because I had a similar experience and I’m still busy playing with the decoupling of my system, I’ve been busy with it for a couple of weeks now, swapping various footers and trying to get the right balance between precision and musicality (much harder than I thought, by the way). I’ve had the experience first with some AliExpress footers (3 ceramic balls pucks, ala "finite elements" without the price tag): I put them under an Ikea APTITLIG board, with my CD transport resting directly on the board. Not a good way of doing things but I was experimenting stuff. Anyways, from the moment those footers were under the board, the sound became open and wide but also lean with anemic bass. It was late that night and I decided to just go to bed and take them out the day after. But, to my surprise, when I played some music the day after the sound was much more "grounded", the bass was back (with a revenge!) but there was less bloom and openness. NOTHING ELSE had changed in the system, so I concluded that after a few hours, the footer settles in, maybe at microscopic level - the ceramic balls taking their final position, maybe, I don’t know, but it was very different.
Since that day I’ve been playing with a few different footers and I’m still busy with it, under my transport, under my preamp, I have a few different footers, some are soft and some are hard, and I have to say, it almost always changes (for better or worse) after a few hours of installation. Now I must say, my system is a magnifying glass, every little change is heard big time, it has to play a part. |
In my experience the critical mass footers are as Ozzy describes them. Nothing subtle or subjective. Placing them under my integrated tube amp elevated the entire musical spectrum in my system. Could not believe my ears. I noticed less of an additional improvement when I added them under my DAC. I have never really found a "tweak" that really did a lot for me. I can't think of one "tweak" that really impressed me unless I wanted to imagine something, which I am not inclined to do. Not so with the critical mass footers in my system. As all things, Im sure system dependent. |
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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? |
It’s you that changes from day today. It’s what you believe is going to happen that is the magic. Your ears change every day, different days there’s more earwax or it moves inside your canal. It’s how tired you are that day it’s how relaxed you are that day. If you’re rushing it in a hurry and try to listen to music you can’t relax. If you’re having a relaxing day can you go and sit down and listen to your system I bet you the music sounds more magical then on a day if you try and force it. |
It’s you that changes from day today. It’s what you believe is going to happen that is the magic. Your ears change every day, different days there’s more earwax or it moves inside your canal. It’s how tired you are that day it’s how relaxed you are that day. If you’re rushing it in a hurry and try to listen to music you can’t relax. If you’re having a relaxing day can you go and sit down and listen to your system I bet you the music sounds more magical then on a day if you try and force it. |
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. |
So, I guess I'm not crazy... here is what I found about the CM footers. "The curious thing about the CenterStage2 is that you know when its working because it makes the system sound a lot worse, at first. Until the footers harmonise and begin to correct those impedance mismatches and beyond, the sound of the system goes thin, light, bright, and the soundstage and dynamic range all but collapse. Then, as it begins to settle, the sound undergoes a quick and significant change for the better, and it keeps getting a lot better. We felt that “You notice this change by a shift in your internal dialogue. ‘I’d forgotten just how good that really is!’ (referring to both record and equipment) seems to be the first sign. About an hour later, you find yourself composing a thank-you email to the designers of the components in your system. Although it’s the bass that first comes back, it’s the midrange that seals the deal: the enhanced clarity, the walk-in detail to the soundstage, which seems to not change a thing, all the while being far more enveloping than before. This is no small change, and as the listening progresses, you begin to find this feeling of being immersed in the music.” ozzy |
Thank you all for the comments, even the SA ones. I have tried many footers, Stillpoints, Synergistic, Nordost, Black Diamond, and on and on. But, I have never had a footer react this way- breaking in. I hope more of you can try them before you make an opinion, the final result after breakin is stunning. ozzy |
@ozzy - You may already have checked out any CM forums over at whatsbestforum, but if not here's a link that has a number of them and might give you more insights from user experiences
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/search/4572/?q=critical+mass+footers&o=relevance |
@antigrunge2 - Do you have an idea of the weight that each BR Big Pad is rated for? |
