Grand Prix versus Stillpoints

Thanks Tbg and Albert for feedback. i agree about rollerblocks, once zeroed in the roller blocks and balls where nice. The stillpoints ultras, though, were superior especially in midrange where the Symposium units had some glare and brightness. Will be selling Symposium stuff. i have ordered some inserts from Paul so i can test the ultras in different locations. Did you end up with the ultra points up or down on units? Have you tried them on a TT and /or speakers? Thanks again, marc

Wanted to thank Roy and Samuel for their posts. I have been looking at various racks and ended up with the TOL StillPoints rack, partially due to their advice and because of previous blessing from using SPs and risers extensively in my syste I also have multiple sets of the Ultra SS footers coming in after hearing what they do under Wilson Sophia III speakers just recently, double wow. It is amazing how much warmth, detail, sweetness, hair-raising emotion,foot-tapping ect. is related to proper isolation. Thanks again Marc. System starts with 3 20A dedicated sockets. one each goes to 2 JL-113 subs. All cable is Shunyata with King Cobra cable feeding V-RayII. Anacondas and Pythons feed rest of system. Audio research LS-27pre and their DS-450 amp. Sources are Esoteric SA-50 SACD player & DAC combo along with their G-03X clock and Clear Audio Emotion turntable & MC cartridge. I have 2 Quantum qx-4s to test also with this system. Speaker cable is Transparent newest TOL and inter-connects are 2 notches from TOL.

Tbg, saw on a thread you have some SP ultras. I recently put some under Wilson speakers and was double-wowed.I have some more coming in along with two sets of Symposium Rollerblocks with #3 balls. Where did you end up with your ultras placed and a little of why if you don't mind, it will be appreciated? Marc

Tbg, i have the ultras pointed up on components now. What i will be testing and was wondering if you had yet tried, is to see if having inserts coming out of units where previous footers were, will allow more vibration to be transferred from components facilitating better sound.PS i was told by Paul of SP when using ultras on speakers to tighten ultras to business card thickness between Wilson and SP body and to leave the hardhat loose, i plan to try same on units, just curious has anyone yet been down that particular road, thanks, marc

Tbg, I have been back and forth with Paul at Stillpoints and finally have tried every unit with inserts and hardhats down and without inserts and hardhats up. I have to agree with Paul's assessment that most sound better with inserts and hardhats down. The difference was small in some instances and fairly big in others. Thanks for your input. Ebm, whether the Symposium rack is the best is probably system dependent. But one thing I am certain of is the rack is just a starting point and not nearly enough. A rack does little to nothing to deal with vibration from air and, just as important if not more, does not deal with internally generated vibrations which have surprisingly been some of the most important.(amps, pre-amps, CDPs and TTs)

Theaudiotweek, like written earlier,the rack is just a stating point. Without some additional hardware, either couplers or some vibration absorbing devices such as those from stillpoints and others you will not hear your system near it's best. Your vague inference about a rack plus platform only backs up my contention that a rack is just a starting point and to drain vibration from our audio units we need to contact the case of the units with a conduit for dealing with vibrations.

Theaudiotweek, only you speak of isolation. I said a rack is a starting point and to hear your system at its best you will need some devices that control and dissipate vibration from the audio unit's (CDP,amp,pre,ect.) outer case in order to hasten the removal of the resonant energy and the vague musical memories you referred to in your thread. I use no mud, rubber or carbon fiber either so I am not sure why you mention that as we were discussing ultras and their ability to act as conduits for vibration with either hardhats against units case or attached as footers. You still do not mention which rack you use, but even in your thread you mention rack AND PLATFORM SYSTEM,not just rack. And that is my point, you need more than just a rack, so your comments about isolation seem misplaced as vibration control is where the subject was. Also your statement to design a pathway for resonant energy to pass to ground is exactly what the ultras do and what I have been saying is needed BESIDES a rack.

One last point i want to make is that total isolation is not even desirable as there would not be a conduit for the vibrations generated inside and outside each units case to dissipate quickly. The ultras through contacting the units rid the vibrations as friction and heat. Obviously this cannot be done in total isolation as the ultras must contact unit in order to remove harmful vibrations. I just as Tbg have found the ultras to far surpass any prior device in improving the sound of my system. In fact, i was not happy with my new system until the ultras were applied.To explain why i am so sure, later this week when time allows i will write about my Odyssey of spending a 100k+ on my new system and not being happy and in fact left pining for my previous stereo until ultras were put in.Marc