Isolation devices and CDPs


Do isolation devices really work under CDPs (I own an EAR Acute)? If so, which isolation devices work best? And how/why do they work?
gsm18439

Showing 2 responses by fleschler

My Acute sounds best with a large buckwheat pillow under it (also under my EAR 324 phono stage). However, I would eventually like to use a Townsend Seismic Sink. Otherwise, the Acute (and most of the 100+ CD players I've tried at home from the 80s) sounded worse on their own legs/feet, best with the buckwheat, sometimes better on navcom or silicone types and worse with Aurios. Stillpoints were okay but buckwheat (inexpensive but uglier) beat them all. Ask Tom Port of Better Records-his top choice.
I use U.S. Amperex 7308s. I've tube rolled about 15 brands including other 7DJ8s, Valvo, Telefunken, Mullards, etc. and found most Amperex gold pin and 7308s sounded best overall in dynamics and tonal balance. Siemens is the one top brand I haven't tried. Telefunkens sounded too harmonically thin and the Valvos too lush and soft. Mullards were also too lush. I forgot which ones were mushy and rolled off but the Amperexes were best. The stock tubes just don't make it though and I had a pair of older Tungsrams that were before I tried the Amperex and they were quite nice as well but too microphonic.