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Holy Holostages!!

Full disclosure, I'm a tweaker. I've tried many different products that claim to improve the sound quality of your setup or tame the acoustics in your room. They have been carefully selected, all have a generous return policy. For example, LessLoss products have excellent price to performance numbers. F

Their Power Base & Speaker Base will blow your mind & their Firewalls for Loudspeakers move the needle considerably toward achieving an immersive, natural & relaxed stereo image. Synergistic Research's FEQ Carbon + 3 Carbon ATM's achieves a similar sonic effect by taking a different electronic approach. 
 

This brings me to HeartSound Audio's Holostages. Have you ever wondered what it feels like to go swimming in your music? Well, that's exactly what Holostages do for your listening environment by eliminating even the most stubborn acoustic anomalies in your room. You are now in the middle of the performance that wraps around you entirely as it draws you closer & closer resulting in a dreamy sounding. How can these inconspicuous passive little black boxes have such a profound effect you ask? I don't have that answer except to say, they do!

Since Holos are so portable, it's easy to tune the room more to your liking. If you find the soundstage is too wide, tall or immersive & you prefer a more intimate club setting, the placement of another Holo or 2 closer to speakers or components can alter the image more to your liking. I have 1 on top of each Floorstander also. There is 1 Holo on top of both rear surround speakers. 1 set of 4 Holos will be plenty. As for the 2nd set of 4 Holos, I am experimenting with optimal locations.
 

Finally, the fact that I can easily hear the benefits of Holostages over the already effective LessLoss & SR acoustical treatments speaks a lot about what this product is capable of. Holostages are future proof & can enhance the sound of any 2ch stereo system. They really are that good!

These are only my initial impressions of the HoloStages after 36hrs of listening. And to the skeptics, don't knock 'em if you haven't tried 'em. However, I already know how your experience will turn out. 

More later on the addition of 2nd set of Holostages.

Mac F
 

 


 

 

jmfinney
fleschler
2,017 posts
 

Krissy is a very nice person. I had her late husband’s products all over my listening room. It altered my sound in a way that became annoying so I sold them. Maybe her new iteration is a success.

I have moved on and now employ Von Schweikert VR9 SE M2 upgraded speakers, Westminster Labs REI monoblock solid state (!) Class A amps, Lampizator Poseidon DAC/Pre-amp, Jay’s Audio CDt3Mk3 CD transport, EAR 324 phono pre-amp, VPI TNT VI, highly modified SME IV w/Dynavector 20X2L, a mix of mostly Grover Huffman cabling except for Paradox Pulse SPDIF cable, four SupraNa 2 power cables and GH power cables, one very expensive Westerminster Labs Ultra XLR IC from pre-amp to amps,

I have kept my two pairs of Shakti Halographs as they do contribute to my custom built/designed listening room. The Synergistic Research MiG/SX footers under the EAR is one tweak as are my obsolete footers under the Poseidon (100s of tiny stainless steel or carbon steel balls floating in a glutinous matrix). I just don’t need tweaks any longer other than for the lesser equipment where I use Acme treated fuses and a variety of footers.

wyoboy
266 posts
 

@jmfinney OP I am confused about a couple of things:

1. You advocate use of these for 2 ch but in your original post you talk about using 1 each on your "rear surround speakers"--sounds like you're listening in surround sound as @jolywins asked. That would certainly give a sense of more immersive.

2. I'm also confused by your comment that if the experience is too  "immersive" and you prefer "a more intimate setting" you can move them around--what's the difference between immersive and intimate?  Immersive is "swimming in the music" but too immersive is drowning in the music?

Please clarify

jmfinney OP
84 posts
 

I apologize for any confusion. I have a 2ch stereo system & an A/V surround system in same room. They are independent of each other. The 2 Holos are simply sitting on top of the rear surround speakers. The top of those speakers are a convenient & effective location for them.

As for swimming vs your term "drowning" in music, swimming really is an apt description. However, if a particular piece of music sounds more natural playing in a narrower, more authoritative & slightly forward soundstage, you can experiment with different locations to achieve your goal.

For example, moving the 2 Holos from the front corners of the room to the tops of your main speakers will narrow the field while still retaining a good deal of the immersive effect.

My point is they are unobtrusive & easy to relocate depending on your desired outcome. Start with a set of 4. They are very powerful! At the moment, I have placed 1 Holo on top of both front speakers, 1 Holo on top of both rear surround speakers that are part of a separate A/V system because they surrounds were a convenient location, 1 Holo on top of each binding post on back of the front speakers. 1 Holo ear level in the middle of both side walls. You can literally tune your room with Holostages.

Rich, dense, saturated, resolving imagery!

Finally, you owe it to yourself to give these little black boxes a try.

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,158 posts
 

Is this some sort of parody thread? It’s as if The Onion has come to Audiogon.

bolong
621 posts
 

How do you think we keep ourselves entertained?

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