On a whim, I purchased one of these devices. I didn't want to like it since loading CD's, SACD's and DVD's into my VSEI Level 5 modified Sony DVD-S9000ES is now more complicated but....it does work, confound it! At first, I thought it was stripping some of the presence or air from the music and making it somewhat homogenous. Many comparisons later, I've concluded that it does improve the sound across the board. On some recordings of the human voice, particularly female, it reduces amusical sibilance and shrillness in the upper registers. Overall, it imparts a more believable presentation to what is, after all, artificially reproduced music. As to why it works, I have no idea except to say that electromechanical systems have many subtle variables that are hard to define by measurement or theory.
Marigo Labs Signature 3-D stabilizer.
Guys, I've just aquired this little tweak on E-Bay. I'd heard a lot about it, but have been disappointed before. I figured I could sell it for the same price if I did'nt like it. Wow, it's staying, just on the first track, the difference was night and day and I'm no Golden Eared Audiphile. I can'nt clearly say what was'nt better, but stage depth, dynamics and imaging showed clear gains. I've tried other mats from Ringmat and Blacklight and they might have shown a marginal gain, not really worth the effort.
Now clearly any tweak is system dependent, I use a Shanling CDT-100, modded by CPT Acoustics over here in the UK and a great job they did, but this is a clear further step forward at far less cost. It's my impression that the Shanling is a great player, but if there is a weakness, it may be the transport, so perhaps other players would'nt show as great a gain.
One forgets the benefits of prior upgrades, but I would compare the gain to adding an Acoustic Zen Silver Ref interconnect, at far greater cost of course.
System:
Origin Live Resolution/Illustrious?Koetsu Rosewood Signature
Shanling CDT-100
Conrad Johnson Premier 17 Pre
Pass Lab Aleph 3 Power
Living Voice Avatar speakers
Acoustic Zen Cable loom.
Disclaimer: I have no connection with Marigo or it's distributors.
I recommend that you give this mat a try. I think it's $199 in the US. A lot of money, but a great deal of gain, at least in my system
Now clearly any tweak is system dependent, I use a Shanling CDT-100, modded by CPT Acoustics over here in the UK and a great job they did, but this is a clear further step forward at far less cost. It's my impression that the Shanling is a great player, but if there is a weakness, it may be the transport, so perhaps other players would'nt show as great a gain.
One forgets the benefits of prior upgrades, but I would compare the gain to adding an Acoustic Zen Silver Ref interconnect, at far greater cost of course.
System:
Origin Live Resolution/Illustrious?Koetsu Rosewood Signature
Shanling CDT-100
Conrad Johnson Premier 17 Pre
Pass Lab Aleph 3 Power
Living Voice Avatar speakers
Acoustic Zen Cable loom.
Disclaimer: I have no connection with Marigo or it's distributors.
I recommend that you give this mat a try. I think it's $199 in the US. A lot of money, but a great deal of gain, at least in my system