Halcyonics under my tt. Wow

Laufer Teknic,is located on Whitehall Street, N.Y,N.Y
Very nice people

There is a California company that is distributor for the scientific community. Laufer Teknic does the audio aspects worldwide.

I suspect that the weak dollar is chiefly responsible for this product not taking off in the US. I have no idea how it is doing in other countries.

Ummm... If it's a US-based product, the weak dollar has nothing to do with its cost in the US, except insofar as the makers may feel free to ask a lot of dollars for their products, since foreign buyers will not be terribly deterred, and except where the suppliers of parts for construction are not US-based. The latter may indeed be a factor in cost, so I guess you have a point. But the exchange rates would not be the main cause for a price of $8000 vs an audio market friendly price, like say $2500.

Lewm, Halcyonic is not a US company, it is German. The initial price several years ago was $7800 for the Model One. See: http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/he2005/4.html although I do remember a price in the $6500 range.

The US importer hoped to get a lower price to increase sales, but that never proved possible. This is why I am so unhappy that this outstanding device is so beyond being an option of most audiophiles.

The Halcyonics Mod-1 appears to have a resonant freq of around 0.5 Hz. Am I missing something?

I think I am the one who suggested, some years ago on this site, that the Halcyonics table would outperform all the various vibration damping devices sold to audiophiles. My experience with it was in my work where we were using a pool of mercury as a level reference reflector, and we were troubled by ripples on the mercury surface. The Halcyonics cleared up the ripples. No other kind of vibration control came close.

How much does the Silencer retail for in the US ?

Elberoth2, I heard that they hoped to sell it for $8500 or less, but I have never seen it listed.

I think you can see why my experiences are so frustrating. It has become unobtainium.

But Tbg, As I understand it, you own 3 Halcyonics platform, albeit maybe not the Silencer. So why are you frustrated? It is we paupers who ought to be frustrated.

Lewm, yes, you are right I've got mine, but I really do wish everyone could have these magic devices, and I would love to have several more. I know from personal experience that you cannot get the same benefit from a second component stacked on top another on the Halcyonics. I have tried it with a transport on top the dac and a dac on top a music server.

Well, the question can be:
A Koetsu/Olympos or one of those???? :)

Thomasheisig, I think these are cartridges, right? If so, your question is one that I cannot answer. I have no idea whether investing $8000 plus in a Halcyonics and $2000 in a turntable, arm, and cartridge can rival a $10,000 turntable, arm, and cartridge. I do think it is saying a lot that I won't speculate, however.

I should have the Silencer in the next couple of days/weeks. I will post my impressions vs my Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference racks/stands in this thread.

I am using a Micro 40 in a Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference stand underneathe an Esoteric X-01D2 with stunning results and can only mirror Norm's comments.

Elberoth2, congratulations! I assume you are in the US and are getting it from Laufer. What are you going to put the Silencer on? And what are you planning to put on the Silencer? I would be hard put to make a recommendation for which component to try.

Tbg - no, I'm sourcing it from Germany (I live in Europe) with the help of Sam Laufer. I will try it under my ARC CD-7 and ARC Ref 3 preamp. My ARC Ref 110 power amp is prolly too big and will not fit.

Elberoth2, lucky you being able to buy in Euros. Does the Silencer only come in one size? I don't know whether the ARC Ref 110 is too heavy, but my Shindo Labs overlaps the Micro 40 by about 2" on each side.

Does the Silencer only come in one size?

That is my understanding.

The current retail price of the Silencer is $11,500 USD. The Micro 40 is $9,500 USD.

I should have the Silencer this week.

Elberoth2, I really don't understand this pricing. As I understand it, the Silencer was a Micro without the self leveling feature built to sell at a lower cost than the Micro 40. I don't think you will be able to compare it with a Micro 40, will you?

I don't really get it either. I was hopiong it will be cheaper than Micro 40. And no, I'm not able to compare the two.

I just found a cool movie showing the effect of active isolation on an atomic force microscope: click here

Very impressive.

I wish more was said and shown about the active isolation and what we are seeing.

Here is more info: LINK

Elberoth2, I did not know that Herzon still had simple units like the TS 300-LT. Did you explore the benefits of this model?

No. I end an email to Herzan asking about the retail for TS-140, but never got any reply.

BTW - does Micro 40 has auto leveling feature ? The Silencer has to be readjusted every time you put a different component on it (for different weight).

Yes, the Micros series is self-leveling as was the Model One.

I emailed Herzan also. Maybe I will need to send an email from the University.

I did get an answer to some of my questions from Herzan. Apparently, the Stable Table people and those at Halcyonic once worked together. The focus of Herzan has become improving sensors and communications to correction focusing on corrections in the 10-100Hz region.

TS-300LT costs $10,200 but is comparable to the Micro 80, so it is a very large unit. I would love to be able to compare the two in several applications.

Could you ask about the TS140 as well ?

I tried The Silencer under my ARC CD-7 CDP, ARC Ref-3 pre and ARC Ref 110 amp. When I put my pre and power amp on the Silencer, the changes were minimal. A bit like changing the tube dampers. There were there, and were positive, but they not warranted extra $11.500 IMO.

CDP was a different story. Here the changes were very substantial, in terms or removing grain, improving stage depth, resolution, HF-air and decays. It is like the noise leven in the system had dropped -20dB. Here it actually represents a reasonable value. Not good, but reasonable. I think that If I had a spare $11500 burning my pocket (which I do not have right now - the unit was on dealer loan) I would keep it. Oh well - maybe one day !

Thank you Tbg for bringing my attention to this innovative product.

PS. I borrowed The Silencer to a friend who owns VPI Aries 3 turn table. I will report back on his findings as well.

Elberoth2, I have yet to get back to Herzan as I have reason to believe they think I am running a lab as I used to be a professor.

I do have an experience yesterday that might interest you. I was putting new IsoClean fuses into my H-Cat amp. The amp is on one of my Micro40s. It keeps trying to relevel itself if you are twisting fuse holders, so I turned it off.

I installed the IsoCleans and turned the amp on for a listen. The sound was not as good as it had been, causing me to think maybe the fuses needed breakin. After about an hour and still little improvement, I was disappointed. Suddenly I remembered that I had not turned the Halcyonics back on. When i did and returned to my seat, the sound was spectacular. The fuses added a lot but the Halcyonics added more.

I would urge you at some point to try the amp again. Clement Perry of Soundstage strongly urged me to do this. This all means, of course, that you too will be on the slippery slope to needing more Halcyonics or Herzans.

I already have the AHP (HiFi Tuning) Klangmodul 3+ circuit breakers. Never tried the fuses though. I will have to check them out.

You need to try the non fuse repalacements from Rick at Virtual Dynamics. They are high power magnets.. They are 3d and sound as if you have an entirely new amp. Tom

I once wire ac directly from the wall outlet the component's ac transformer. It was dramatically better but quite unsafe. I also once tried wiring across the fuse holder, which is what the Virtual Dynamics magnets are doing. Again it was superior but unsafe. I do draw the line, however, with requiring all components with ac grounds to be used. One only is far superior sonically and safe enough.

In forty years I have had only one component failure and that was an ARC SP10. The unit flamed out, the fuse didn't blow and the breaker didn't trip. I was there in the room when this happened. I tripped the breaker myself in the closet where the gear was located..and put the fire out in the unit. So much for protection devices. To me its all about the sound. Tom

I have never blown an IsoClean fuse, nor have I ever heard a benefit from using a fresh one relative to one used for over a year and a half.

I understand this is an old thread, but I am still very curious as to how active vibration isolation systems have benefitted the audible clarity of your equipment. I do work for Herzan and wish I was with the company during your original inquiry to provide assistance to your vibration noise issues. This by no means is a solicitation, moreover, I am simply curious with your experience active vibration isolation systems and their effect on your equipment.

Thank you,

Reid

Reidwhitney, it has been several years since I sold my two Halcyonic bases for the StillPoints Rack. I don't know what having everything on Halcyonics, but having everything on the StillPoints Rack was better than having two on Halcyonics and the remainder on Mana stands.

I own two Accurion Silencers and I can tell you first hand that they do work! CAVEAT under some things :) I have found that my AMR DP777 Dac loves the Silencer. It is a match made in Heaven figuratively speaking and the benefit it brings to the AMR is considerable. I also noted that the Ayon CD5s sounds MUCH better when atop the Silencer. I have tried 2 of my amplifiers on it, the Graaf GM200 and the Graaf Modena, it absolutely sucked the life out of both of them in Active isolation mode. Passively the amps sound wonderful on the unit but when active, it has a negative effect. It seem to rob the music of it's harmonic content, all notes which used to hang and float in the air like live music are abruptly truncated. It is not a subtle effect. I also noted that my MFA Reference TVC Pre does not sound good on the unit when it is in Active mode.

So my experience with them shows that YMMV is very true. When it works with a product it is spectacularly good. When it does not work well with a product it is equally spectacularly bad.

Some have claimed that everything they put on was made to sound better. I absolutely do not dispute their claim as I do not have their equipment/ears...etc, but in my case it just aint so :)

Audiofun, put four StillPoints Ultra Fives under your tt, please. Let us know what you hear.

Tbg: I do not own a TT at this time, and while I have thought about buying a TT quite seriously.., at this point with my digital at its current state I am not interested.

I have listened to the StillPoints component stands (the one that looks like an adjustable X in the large form factor) with the StillPoint feet in place. I have also used the StillPoint feet without the stand.

I find that they can work well with some items, but I am not enamored of them. I will say that in my situation they absolutely can not touch the Silencer in any form factor or way... they simply do not do what that thing is capable of under digital gear. Now under amps, I think in my case they do less harm than the Silencer in active mode, but I still would not use them under my amps (Graaf GM 200 and Modena) as they impart a sound I'm not partial too.

I do have one SS amp which sounds stunning when used with the StillPoints amps stands (the one that looks like a X) when used with the SP feet... this is on a carpeted floor. Again...YMMV there is no Panacea for vibration control in my opinion.

Audiofun, no Panacea, but these are so superior, that I have lost interest in others.

Tbg I agree 100% about the Stillpoints ultra five. I put four under my turntable and four under my phono stage. Amazing!

Himiguel, I wish I could say that there is no benefit of them under your speakers and amps, but I cannot deny that they are amazing. I know a guy with more than 60 of them! The problem under components such as a phono stage is that the Fives are so big, you have difficulty getting them under them.

If you have a StillPoints Rack, there is a replacement coming for their acrylic shelves that allows using the SP Ultra SSs that is every bit as good as the Fives and way better than the acrylic shelves which hide the real benefit of the SP Rack.

Tbg, saving for the ultra fives on the amps, speakers, Troy, Orion, Spartan. I can only imagine the effect as a whole on the entire system.