Yes, I agree, I put 2 e-mat+ on the breaker box and used four e-mats on the backs of the speakers (1 at the crossover section and 1 on the top midrange/super tweeter ribbon drivers). Both noticeable improvements.
New Omega E Mat from Perfect Path Technologies
Many of you own or have read of the highly-regarded PPT Omega E Mat, one of Tim Mrock’s revolutionary signal-enhancing accessories. Just prior to his untimely passing, Tim had finished developing a new generation of his Omega mat, soon to be available. Krissy Mrock has asked a few of us to introduce this new mat, here given the working title of The Double Omega.
In distinguishing the Double Omega, we know the original Omega, herein called the single, as a 7.5” by 10”, rather heavy and somewhat pliable mat, a bit more than 1/8” thick and with a vinyl-like feel. One face is glossy white, displaying the PPT logo and Omega name, while the other is black, smooth and magnetized. Sandwiched between these faces is the active material that causes components to reject the EMI that saturates everything in our surroundings. The Double Omega is much the same, with one important difference: the magnetized face has the finely-textured feel of around, say, 220-grit sandpaper. This texture, it is presumed, comprises yet a second active layer of EMI rejection. Presumed—because working details of the Double Omega are not well understood—better yet to know how to apply it.
With the understanding that the single Omega E mats generate field effects from both faces, mats have typically been placed under and over components and vertically over circuit breakers. How you apply the Double Omega will depend on best use and experimentation. In my case, I have removed two single mats, lying side-by-side, from the top of my large Wadia CDP and have replaced those with two Double Omegas. The Wadia is a one-box player that contains a pre-amp, so I wanted that second, strong field effect exerting downward as well as upward. I also have several singles placed underneath, just as before. Going straight to amps, this player is my only source, so I want it fully protected from EMI. Your priorities will differ.
As of this writing, I am only thirty-hours in on placing these Double Omegas, and I can already tell you they are powerful in their prevention of EMI within my digital source. Yet another veil has been lifted—all instruments and voices are even more sorted out in the aural space with new information heard within that space. There is much more decay heard against a new silence behind and between the musicians. I am already so pleased and excited about what the Double Omega E mats are doing. As Krissy told me, Tim was really stoked to have these new mats available. Rather than wait for the the fourteen-day window of improvement, I want to get this intro out so others can relay their experiences sooner.
Showing 23 responses by fleschler
My experience is also mixed but a happy result afterwards. Frank figured out why the E-Mats, TC, stopits and mini-gate do not always work. I have a system with a special magnet/proprietary metal in junction boxes and cabling. Everywhere the PPT products go, the sound got closed in, loss of ambiance and (gritty sound with TC). I had this problem that I didn't bring up two years ago with the TC because everyone loved it. Well, after listening for two months, I had to remove the TC. Voila! better sound. I only recently tried the stopits and mini-gate. No good. However, I began reinstalling E-Mats and stopits in locations where there was no magnets. So, five stopits went into unused outlets in the room which were not powered by the audio only subpanel. Adding stopits to the unused audio outlets was bad. I left the 2 E+ Mats on the audio subpanel and E-Mats on the subpanel and main breaker box. I added 2 E-Mats to the isolation transformer (I tried 6 then 4-no good). All other E-Mats were also removed. I had one really great test CD to tell me whether there was any change, improvement or worsening sound. Persuasive Percussion (No.1), especially tract 8 where there should be tape hiss easily heard at the beginning. Too many mats, mats on equipment proximate to magnets, all cabling and outlets with magnet in the wiring = no tape hiss, squashed highs and shrunken soundstage. Without any PPT products= bright/thinner sounding hiss, less coherent sound, less open soundstage. The mini-gate did improve the sound across the room in an outlet that sounded good with a stopit. It also supersaturated TV picture color when plugged into the power plant for the TV/Audio system in other rooms. So, basically don't use PPT products where there are magnets but experimentation does yield benefits occasionally on equipment (isolation transformer and audio subpanels with wiring having cables with magnets plugged in on one of four breakers. It took me two weeks to decide where PPT products work and didn't work other than the TC. The PPT products added immensely to the fuller harmonics and depth/width of the sound with no negatives. I really love the products. |
PPT products XXXX Magnets - Not a match + simple to comprehend I forgot that the E-Mats also went on the rear of my speakers over the crossovers. That had a positive sonic effect without a negative effect. No magnets there either (sufficiently far from drivers) but lots of coils such as found in an isolation transformer. |
Again geofkaitt you don't read. Tim told Frank specifically, not to use his PPT products near or on magnets. They don't work. I never said that the E-Mats or any PPT products contain magnets or work on magnetic principles. Where PPT products work is amazing. Frank's sound system was great when I heard it our mutual friend who is a part time LP mastering engineer agrees. |
I have had an experience which indicates that the E-Mat doesn’t work on 100% of high end audio equipment to its benefit. I recently installed a fabulous DAC, the solid aluminum billeted case enclosed COS Engineering D2. I placed one of my Omega E-Mats on top of it. After 3 days, it still caused the sound to be forward and bright, less than pleasant to hear. I removed the E-Mat and back to the full warm tone of music that was present prior to placing the E-Mat on it. Since I have a dozen of them, I know that they are wonderful overall, in the right places. Here is one place that the equipment sound is degraded. Has this happened to other DAC standalone unit owners? P.S. I only read about 4 pages of posts today after finding the forum so sorry if someone mentioned locations where the E-Mat doesn't help. |
I use a dozen E-mats and had 2 on top and 1 under my EAR Acute CD player. The mats improved resolution, depth, "warmth" and dynamics on the power panels, CD player, phono and pre-amp and isolation transformer. They did nothing when I placed two on top and under my Altec hugely modified amps which is okay. The E-Mat placed on the DAC came from a power panel E-Mat. The DAC has a more laid back sound than my EAR Acute or Frank's modified Pioneer CD player. With the E-Mat, the sound came forward, shortening the depth and while revealing more detail, boosted the highs. The 3 days I gave it made no difference as it retained the same less pleasant character. I have the same problem with the SR Atmosphere XL4. I cannot place it between my speakers (rear, even or in front). It ruins the imaging. I have it against the wall near my seating. It also doesn't sound good on well recorded stereo. I use it to add "warmth"/soundstage width and depth to mono recordings, particularly if they are not well recorded or "dry" sounding. Example is the Dave Pell Trend recordings now on 2 CDs. They are almost boring to hear without the Atmosphere. With it set to Holographic mode, it expands the sound in every direction and apparent "warmth." I tried the E-Mat experiment twice, first I was lazy and used one of the 3 E-Mats I had on top of the EAR Acute. Same result. So it's not due to a "cold" mat. Analog sound didn't change so the panel mat removal wasn't critical (I'm sure someone will comment I wrecked the sound by removing one panel mat-nope). They just don't work everywhere. A mutual friend had the same problem using the E-Cards. Didn't do much for his all solid state audio system either. |
Hi Frank, I know you tweaked your CD player but my new DAC with an untreated same player through the SPDIF out as a transport only (high end A/C cable but no PPT or internal fuse upgrade) reveals twice as much information. The height, width, depth, detail and even top to bottom frequency response is superior. My model COS Engineering D2 is noteworthy for its warmth as well. The H1 has superior openess but with a less dense tonality (great bass though). My combination has dynamics, resolution, etc. which can better my analog with a spitting similar tonal balance. Amazing. The superiority extends to my EAR Acute as well-100% better (I would claim 200% but there is nothing more than 100%).. |
I also have a pair of Signature IIIs in my living room 2nd audio system. My primary system has Focus speakers which replaced ML Monolith IIIs in 2001. Their price does not equate to their current musical value-they are a spectacular used equipment bargain. I am thinking of upgrading to Von Schweikert VR55k which sell for $60K to $75K ultras when I can afford them and move them to one of my video systems. Otherwise, the Focus have been a standard for recording studios that I appraised back in the 90s and early 2000s as well as one recent installation in a recording hall in NYC (I saw the pic recently). Also Tom Port of Better Records relies on them for his intimate LP quality knowledge. So, they maybe old and less than SOTA, but they are truly capable of being superior speakers. |
I occasionally perform with Hollywood studio musicians and members of the L.A. Phil at Disney Hall, Ford Theater, Gindi Auditorium, etc. While the sound is not replicated, many fine recordings are engineered to bring a totally engrossing listening experience, much like the feeling of a live performance. The best recordings are better than live performances when they involve fewer performers such as solo strings and solo voices, small jazz and chamber groups. It is difficult to replicate that sound in a large hall, even sitting in the front row (I prefer the 10th row at most venues). Electronic music is much better through a great sounding audio system. |
I installed to E+Mats on my dedicated audio subpanel in place of the regular E-Mats. Within an hour, the noticeable improvement was to the bass (deeper or fuller) and dynamic contrasts. After 24 hours, the overall sensation of a fuller sound. I placed the 2 regular E-Mats on top of my VPI SLS power box which improved the sound in all respects from vinyl. I'm saving up for a Gate and possibly more E+Mats (I have a dozen E-Mats already). Stop-Its purchases are next. I should try E+Mats on my speakers but they are large with 7 drivers each. I thought I should try to play E+Mats adjacent to my nearly 1 foot square crossover in the middle of the speaker-it is a power source for the drivers and has lots of copper coils and capacitors. |
Synergistic Research just announced a Tranquility Puck which Denney claims the technology is being ripped off by another company (I doubt that). It can be placed above or below a component and that it destroys the other company's product. Well, for one thing, it isn't very user friendly as it can't be placed over a power panel or vertically very easily. It's $749. Here's the link to the video of Denney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVIKxulyLNY and the product
https://www.synergisticresearch.com/isolation/tranquility-pod/ It doesn't compete with the E+Mat for utility of use or price. SR has had a 50/50 success rate for me. Their fuses/duplexes/HFTs work for me. The Black Box was bad everywhere it was placed and the Atmosphere XL is more of a toy than a help now. |
I saved $23,000 on front and rear wall quadradic diffusion panels from Acoustic Fields in a custom built listening room by using SR's HFT system with 32 HFTs strategically placed in the room (primarily as indicated in their literature). That cost me about $2,000. It definitely works (the side walls and ceiling have extensive absorption paneling due to the cherry plywood paneling which is highly reflective of mids and highs. The bass is internally damped in the wall construction). The duplexes are cheap ordinary construction grade but after they zapped them with 2 million volts and applied their secret graphene sauce, they are radically good outlets. Sure SR probably makes a huge percentage on the three items I use but the overall cost and effect are worth it. |
On the fourth day of listening to the pair of E+Mats on the audio only subpanel (which replaced a pair of original E Mats), there is a very significant difference. Besides the noted improved bass and dynamics, I finally heard the "blacker" background heard by others. (I didn't hear this difference with original E-Mats). Music sounded more focused and relaxed. These new E+Mats do much more than the original Mats of which I have a dozen. |
I just read an audiogon blog on the Akiko Audio Triple A/C Enhancer.
Wow, the negative of the Triple A/C Enhancer sounds like the Synergistic Research Black Box. The Black Box cut off highs over 8K wherever placed in a room using 32 HFTs. The poster found that the negative was rounded off highs. I'm hoping for PP to make a better unit with no negative effects, like the Omega Mats. |
I placed two regular E-mats behind the speakers crossovers. That led to an improved bass, depth and dynamics, not huge, but noticeable even by my wife who said the system had more warmth and feeling. I then placed another pair behind the upper of two mid-ranges (there are ports behind my other mid-ranges) and that brought more detail and subtlety of soft sounds such as a struck wood block and cymbals. Interesting result considering the latter two E-Mats were one of three mats removed from below my pre-amp and the other one of three mats removed from above my CD transport. Until I receive my new 15’ long speaker cable, the GroverHuffman Pharoah, I do not have sufficient mats to place under two 25’ long speaker cables. Even 15’ will take a lot of mats. |
@jafreeman No, I am not planning on installing PPS products on my speaker wires; however, if I were, it would take a lot of them to cover the distance. My wife of 22 years has criticized my first system because it made her rock music sound less grungy(?) or too bright for many years and she preferred my $5,000 simple CD based system in the living room instead. She is my harshest critic. No more. That was prior to my newest Pharoah cabling, PPS products and SR products in a new, custom built listening room. The new room had the greatest effect as the prior room, while twice the size, had windows to the sides and rear, double drywall layers and a vaulted drywall ceiling. Now she enjoys most of her rock LPs and CDs in my big system with the exception for the poorly recorded/engineered ones (compressed sounding ones are the worst). |
I don't know how to virtual post my room and system. My audio system is as follows: Pair of Altec 1569A Extreme modification Kept the chassis and transformers Now a Class A/B push/pull voltage regulated amplifier (not ultralinear) with 6 6BG6 Russian output tubes, Raytheon 1950 6SN7 cathode follower, pair of 6BG7 input tubes, 2-6” X 3” electrolytic storage capacitors. Synergistic Research blue fuses and Grover Huffman Pharoah power cable into IEC pig-tail. Grover Huffman Pharoah RCA to pre-amp Custom 6 subminiature tube pre-amp and 8 subminiature tube phono stage, voltage regulated design non-fused EAR Acute CD player with 1958 large O getter 6922 tubes and Grover Huffman Empress power cable, very low impedance RCAs Now using a Cos Enginering D-2 DAC with 75 ohm G.H. silver wire cable VPI TNT VI heavy platter with SDS on Townsend Sink, SME IV modified with Cardas wiring/RCA box and closed foam insulation. Benz Ruby 3. Audio Interface 40 at 220 ohms. All with custom Grover Huffman Empress very low impedance RCAs. VPI 19-4, Ultracraft 400, Grado 78 cartridge into Marantz 7C pre-amp Bryston Bit-20 isolation transformer Stillpoints under equipment, both Ultra-mini and Ultra sets Dozen Perfect Path Omega E-Mats, 2 E+Mats, 18 Stop-Its (testing) 2 Pair Shakti Hallographs Legacy Focus speakers Grover Huffman Pharoah speaker cable 32 Synergistic Research HFTs various types Synergistic Research blue duplex outletListening Room Construction It is custom but not SOTA materials Floor-Poured steel reinforced to 12” 3000 lb. PSI concrete floor Walls- 1” MDF 1/8” thick Acoustiblok vinyl sound barrier ¾” MDF 3 x 12 vertical studs, 14.5” on center Staggered 12.6” wide 2 x 12 and 4 x 12 per vertical stud channel 13” X 4” X 48” 72lb. 4 chamber activated charcoal absorption filters staggered vertically up/down/up/down 4” Rockwool insulation over vacant stud channel area adjacent to filters ¾” cherry plywood Side Walls - 5X 4' X 2' X 3" wood framed acoustic absorption panels Ceiling 4’ Sound Absorption Blankets 4” Rockwool 2 x 8 horizontal beams 5/8” X drywall paneling 1/8” thick Acoustiblok vinyl sound barrier ¾” cherry plywood Ceiling - 6X 5' X 3' X 6" wood framed acoustic absorption panels Recessed 9 BR 40 65 Watt LED floodlights 2 Ton HVAC split system, low speed, high volume 70+ oz. plush cut pile carpeting Power-Separate Sub-panel for audio only outlets, 10 gauge wiring, 20 amp breakers. Nothing special. |
I just stuck the E-Mats over the cover of the audio power panel and placed them inside the main panel, using the magnetic side to stick to the panel doors (outside and inside, respectively). They work great despite not being in intimate contact with the breakers. They are much closer than the E-Mats placed on the back of my speakers behind the crossover/woofer and behind my top mid-range driver. Works great there too! I wouldn't worry that an E-Mat doesn't fit so I wouldn't cut it down to size. |
Do not fret. Krissy is making sure that Tim’s innovations and new ones are being developed as a new company. Give her some time though as she had to relocate (move out) of her home and take her belongings (antique business). That N.H. common law wife statute appears to provide actionable relief have Tim’s parents pay back what they took in cash from her as well as PPT, PPS and any other of their joint business products. |