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.
No, Jay. You don't understand- "At least this one shouldn't start a fire." Your words. THAT'S what I was referring to. Your malicious, unsubstantiated, made up, BS statement. Pick any word you like for it, they all apply. Understand, now?
How is that malicious, unsubstantiated, made up, or BS? MOVs can start fires. Look it up, or not. Hiding from the truth seems to be your modus operandi.
There must be an art to posting contrary positions without getting your posts deleted.
There are no "colorations" infused by the PPT products. They actually remove colorations caused by polluted AC coming through the house (The Gate) and into and through the electronics.
It is pretty amazing to hear what is actually on the recordings once the grunge has been removed.
Newcomer here. I wonder why nobody has posted in the original E mat thread in a long time. I will copy my post to the new thread--New Omega E Mat from Perfect Path Technologies.
My perspective is as a classical violinist who has performed solo in concertos with orchestra, chamber music, and as a listener who prefers the close up and bright sound of the 1st row of the hall. As a holistic MD who knows that we don’t know all the technical reasons for why certain treatments work, I have an open mind to what anyone claims in their personal listening experiences. I also respect the physicists like Geoff Kaitt who are seeking to understand the technical reasons for audio performance.
That said, I am confused by many of the sonic observations made. Of course, YMMV, but here goes. There is not much mention of various types of electronics used in poster’s systems, but it seems that the majority is tube equipment. They like the fact that the E mat seems to make things sound rounder and more pleasant. Harsh sounding early CD’s seem to have less harshness and brightness. Kedoades said that he usually didn’t like his bright/edgy sounding Telefunken tubes, but after the E mat use, they sounded less bright. All this leads me to think that the E mat rolls off the high frequencies, or yields more emphasis on bass. On the other hand, these users claim that there is more detail and clarity heard, but is this mainly in the lower freq?
What do the solid state accuracy and neutrality oriented users think? Usually, more accurate SS electronics reveals more HF than euphonic tube stuff, and exhibits less roundness and more harshness in lower quality recordings. I am curious enough to order these products and try for myself, but would just like some more clarity from the users. The new E mats may be a new ball game. Thanks to all.
Listening to "Larry and Lee", 1995, GRP label, CD. Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour and band are playing in an underground cavern that, a few minutes ago, was my living room.
You’re correct in my case. Except for the CD player, all of my electronics were made by Audio Research Corp. The ARC gear in the system are known for neutrality and not for the lush tube sound of old.
With the PPT products, I have not experienced any roll-off of the highs. In fact, the highs are extended in a natural way.
I have noticed that some of the products will cause a degradation in the SQ temporarily. This is mainly noticed with PPT’s "Total Contact." The paste has to dry and that takes a few days. Once dried, the SQ comes back even better than before.
When I first got the twenty "Stop-Its" installed throughout the house, I lost the mid-bass and a lot of the lower bass. I talked with Tim Mrock about it, and he said the ones I got were the very first ones and they weren’t cured (dried) yet. Well, that took about a week for things to clear up. Once dried, the "Stop-Its" improved the sound to a new level. Again, no roll-off of the highs.
There is no softening of the sound. No roll-offs on the highs. And on the bass notes .. the system goes deeper, with more definition to the bass. Acoustic stand-up bass sounds as close to real as I’ve ever heard in an audio system.
One of my grandsons is a concert level bassoonist. I’ve heard him play live many times. When I play his private recordings, the tonality is right on.
On harsh CD’s ... well, the old adage that you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear still stands here. Strident strings still sound strident. Aged voices still sound aged. Bad recordings still sound like bad recordings.
As a trained violinist, you will appreciate these products perhaps more than most. Nothing like a trained ear to recognize accuracy, that’s for sure. If you lived nearby, I’d love to play some Milstein or Heifetz for you. Oh, and I have some Ricci recordings you’d love too.
I have only used 3 RCA Stopits, 3 AC Stopits and mounted one ecard inside my amp. The sound is way more transparent, faster, cleaner, lower noise, more dynamic, etc. No warm slushly sound here......the first word that comes to mind is "Vivid". It is like going from 16/44 to 24/192....it is faster, cleaner, more space, more air, way more information. It’s like you can hear what brand the strings are....you hear the strings individually.....like you are closer to the instrument....yet the perspective does not change....except for the bigger stage and more space, air and delicacy. I am so excited I decided to be a dealer. I will have info on my website soon with big pictures and a lot more info than is on the PPT site. I have played with tweaks since the mid 70s....I have never heard anything that makes this much difference for so little (I have $150 of PPT in my system). I want more....I want more....I want more. I have 4 more cards to try and then the mats, etc. I really cannot use the contact enhancer as my whole system is hardwired except for a couple of IEC connectors and one xlr connector (which I need to plug and uplug all the time). If you want to hear more......and more real info......if you want to get even more involved in the music......this seems like the fastest, easiest and most inexpensive way to do it.
My friend Mas has been going over to Frank’s (Oregon Papa) place since he started with the PPT stuff. He told me that the system sounded like a good stereo when he first went over. Now, after ALL the PPT stuff, he says it sounds like one of those $200K systems at a show playing master tapes!!!!! I don’t think Frank changed any thing else in his system in the last year....maybe he can chime in here. I trust Mas’s hearing as we have heard the same thing with all the shared tweaks and mods over the years. Now that I have tasted PPT, there is no denying its positive effects.
Mas now has the whole enchilada of PPT (just ordered some emat+ to try) and is over the moon with the results. His 60 inch plasma has the best pic ever and both his systems are in another world. He even stuck some ecards on top of his tweeter and midrange on his main system with good results (he has large open back Beryllium compression driver mounted on 24 inch waveguide and AMT above it doing 10K plus).
Thanks for the kind words. The only thing that's changed over the time that Mas has been coming over has been with the PPT products and the SR Orange fuses.
Mas has been along for most of the journey. I had used some "Total Contact" paste on all of the connections, and in a few other places, before we first met and that's about it. So, over time, Mas has heard the effects, incrementally, as each new PPT product was introduced to the system.
I can hardly wait for Mas to come over for another listening session to hear what the two new Omega + E-Mats that I put into the circuit breaker box is doing.
"Frank...do you know if the materials mentioned are used? If so,they are very cheap to come by."..
"Shungite and crystal-based products?"
No, these are not anywhere in the products that I’m aware of. I’m not familiar with "shungite" ... but I can say that Tim never mentioned either of these materials in our conversations. He did tell me that the materials he uses are expensive and the best available. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During last night’s listening session, it occurred to me that by the judicious use of these products, and other tweaks performed to the system, I am no longer evaluating "sound." I’m simply enjoying the performance unfolding before me. I believe that should be the ultimate goal in this hobby ... enjoying the performance, instead of worrying about how things sound.
I put on an excellent Japanese pressing of a CD of flamenco music. The foot-stomps were on a wooden stage about three feet high and just beyond the speakers. How does one describe the correct tonality of boots hitting wood? *lol*
Hand-claps, castanets, voices and guitars were so "there" I felt as though I could reach out and touch them.
The new mats have allowed this to happen in spades.
A dealer and a salesman gushing about a product. This sounds like the start of a joke. What a shocker! If this shocks you, I have a bridge to sell you. 😁
The Flavors of the Month are always interesting. First it was Sherbet, then Bubblegum, Hot Fudge Chocolate, and now Pumpkin Pecan Toffee. I'm interested to see what's next. 🍨😁
Frank--thanks for your responses to my questions. Ric has confirmed that his SS amp also benefits from PPT in similar ways as you found with your ARC. Let's hear from other SS owners who are users of PPT.
I agree that ARC is the most neutral and least tubey of tube electronics. Going way back, I liked the SP6 preamp, but then abandoned ARC and the similarly un-tubey Theta preamp when I found that many SS products were more snappy/detailed and still musical. BTW, my definition of "musicality" differs from the conventional audiophile definition which refers to pleasant, comfy sounds. My view is that the scratches and noises which are part of the natural sounds of all instruments contribute to the music. And many pieces feature noises for a deliberate effect, such as the col legno tapping of the bow stick in the last movement of Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique. The truly musical component is the most revealing of the music but still preserving the coherency of the tone.
@viber6 You hit the nail on the head. To quote myself, "If a system makes all music sound in room it means the lower level reverb and highs have been removed or obscured, in addition to the distortion. An uncolored system will reproduce both low level and high level reverb. I don't have a problem with people liking this sound, but it's a coloration. You're welcome to like what you like. The coloration just makes these products unwise to use in mixing & mastering. It's sad that many professional reviewers can't understand & explain the difference."
You may like the sound and are welcome to try it, but these products throw out part of the music with the distortion.
I have two recordings of the Los Angeles Phil. playing Rachmaninoff's second and third piano concertos. They are private recordings, never released commercially. It was a competition among young, talented pianists. The two discs are recordings of the winner's performance. On both discs, the audio engineer recorded the orchestra tuning up. Very enjoyable listening just to those segments. The recordings are two of my favorites in the collection.
@viber6 Thats good to hear. Almost all tube products will do this, as they almost all have too much distortion, lowering the S/N levels, and adding a dithering effect.
Are you saying that a flat transfer from a master tape to a CD without any added artificial digital reverb is a "coloration?" Or are you saying that 'these products" remove natural reverb and highs?
Don't feed the troll. Just don't reply to the earth flatters. The more you reply, the more they reply and fight and justify. They don't listen, they have no direct experience, therefore no knowledge. Don't feed the trolls. They want attention, if you give them none then they will eventually go away. Whatever you resist, persists. Don't resist, just let it go.
@viber6 P.S. While you weigh your options, here is some relevant information. I am a mastering engineer, have worked with many world famous artists, and created audiophile version masters for them. My room was designed by one of the best acousticians in the world. Despite Frank’s and now Ric’s (a salesman and a dealer.....big shock again! 😁) claims, I’ve heard most of the PPT products.
On the other hand, you have Frank who is 80 something(?), with the associated hearing loss. He is a salesman, a beta tester for PPT, and refuses to admit how much if any he has paid for the PPT products he owns. He lives in a smallish mobile home with sparse room treatments. This is not a dig. "Just the facts, ma’am." I do applaud his passion for audio and music. 👏
Jay ... Do you live in the greater Los Angeles area? If so, I'd like to invite you over for a listening session. I think you'd have a different assessment on my hearing after that.
Are you game?
I am a mastering engineer, have worked with many world famous artists, and created audiophile version masters for them.
Name them and the recordings, please. I'd like to check out your talent as a recording engineer.
Listening to Santana 3, one of the '70's digital transfers I always wished had turned out better. It just got a lot better since adding in two Omega+ mats---amazing, really.
Well, you know Uber, Frank is a gentleman in the industry and will reach out to a peer, or a supposed one, which does not seem to be the case with Jay23.
"Just the facts ma’am" goes way way back to the black and white tv show Dragnet that aired from 1951-1959
Laughs aside, I absolutely get what you are saying, but just because someone reporting has industry connections does not mean they are over hyping. Do you own the PPT products discussed here?
Several months back, I saw Ricevs’ threads about his take on class D: EVS 1200, based on the newest ICE Power 600/1200 modules and my large room demands big power, which usually costs a lot of money than I can spend. I started a thread on it, but received many of the same criticisms as I see here
The facts on his product page were compelling, but his money back hooked me. Some 3 months later, daily I find new joy in recordings I’m familiar with. Last night and this morning I’m enjoying the heck out of Frank Sinatra’s 3 cd set: The Capital Years. In addition to the EVS my Oppo 105 tray is lined with Machina Dynamica New DARK Matter, which, IMHO, is a must. And yet, he too gets lots of arrows from those who have never tried his products. IMHO, you dishonor yourself when you speak from what you THINK are facts.
The world has changed a lot since the 50s, your constant criticisms sound like you are stuck there
Staying on topic: Geoff, you just mentioned we are not really hearing digital well due to micro vibrations, CD wobble and scattered-light reading errors. Even though you are off the grid with your Walkman, these drawbacks do exist in your small player--not knocking it at all--because, IMO, with the Omega mat, you are realizing or are about to realize what has been the much bigger source of sound degradation: the RFI that saturates all things. Looking forward to your report.
An all-out-assault CDP or turntable will mitigate/eliminate the artifacts you listed, but the "final frontier" of bad sound is, IME, now being addressed by PPT’s Omega E mats. Why? Because they work so well to change what I am hearing, RFI has to have been the more important problem to solve.
The Omega mats are causing my gear and house wiring to reject RFI. Just placing the mats is an experiment that, having done nothing else to my house or my system, controls for variables and produces significant changes directly attributable to the independent variable---the Omega mats. It’s simply indisputable in my experience.
The music is so much clearer, you won’t care about wobble or rumble. Ok, you will, but those problems can be solved and recede as major contributors compared to what’s in the air. The mats improve over days and should not be moved once in place--if moved, place them back within an hour is what I recall--clarification needed. What that tells me is that they pair a field with the gear to provide rejection of ambient signals that intrude upon, conduct with and mask what we want to hear--other explanations invited.
jafreeman OP Staying on topic: Geoff, you just mentioned we are not really hearing digital well due to micro vibrations, CD wobble and scattered-light reading errors. Even though you are off the grid with your Walkman, these drawbacks do exist in your small player--not knocking it at all--because, IMO, with the Omega mat, you are realizing or are about to realize what has been the much bigger source of sound degradation: the RFI that saturates all things. Looking forward to your report.
In my best Johnny Carson voice: I did not know that. 😳
jay23, Recently I met a young mastering engineer from Bklyn who worked with the renowned Bob Ludwig. He said that at 72, Ludwig had excellent ears and taught the younger proteges what to listen for. It is likely that Ludwig has diminished HF acuity, but he certainly has judgment about what he does hear. He could still have excellent hearing in the midrange, where the most critical things occur. This reminds me of some renowned elderly violin teachers I have had, who have pointed out things I overlooked. So take Frank (oregonpapa). An audiogram would probably show deficiencies, but he is a sophisticated and experienced music lover who knows what to listen for.
25 years ago, I recorded for fun, using 2 Neumann KM184 mikes in approximate ORTF style, that's it. I placed them very close, just behind the conductor's head or very close in string quartet ensembles, etc. My recordings were very immediate, unlike most commercial ones with ambience, etc. I wanted to emulate my favorite recordings of Donald Johanos conducting the Dallas Symphony in Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances and Copland Rodeo on 2 concurrent LPs on Turnabout from 1967. These recordings have direct impact. There is tremendous detail without the muddy effects of ambience. After this recording of the Rachmaninoff, I cannot listen to other recordings which lose impact while trying to bathe everything in ambience. In a way, these Turnabout recordings produce sound that is "in the room," but they have the maximum clarity, detail and impact.
So, I would like to hear your objective findings, good or bad, about the PPT products you have tried in familiar systems.
I’m curious how the new + mat would compare to doubling up the original. If I understand right the + mat performs identical to the original only with greater intensity? But then is it twice as potent as the original? Maybe right now the better bang for the buck is multiplying the originals?
Frank and I were just discussing this comparison last night via text. Perhaps the Emat+ is More than twice as powerful? Sure seems it. You can stack the originals, for super huge results. Many of you have tried this tweak. You get a huge dose of the Perfect Path effect: less noise and grunge, tighter bass, mid range clarity, tear jerking high end, etc.
The Emat+? Mind BLOWN. <3 It's not subtle and it's not subjective. It simply has a stronger effect than stacking two of the originals. It will rock you. <3
The Emat line Tim created are very effective and revolutionary products, the likes of which haven't been seen before!
jafreeman OP Staying on topic: Geoff, you just mentioned we are not really hearing digital well due to micro vibrations, CD wobble and scattered-light reading errors. Even though you are off the grid with your Walkman, these drawbacks do exist in your small player--not knocking it at all--
>>>>No, actually these drawbacks don’t exist in my SONY WALKMAN 🚶🏻♂️CD player because I’ve taken the time to eliminate them with my New Dark Matter, my vibration isolation system and my Mystery Tweak, the latter a CD stabilization tweak that I’ve decided not to sell because then it wouldn’t be a secret any more. 🤫
The two Omega + mats that I recently put into the circuit breaker box had a very profound effect, much more than four of the regular mats. The effect was akin to installing a Gate. Not as powerful, but similar in effect.
So previously your set up was the Gate with 4 originals settled in nicely, and recently you removed the 4 originals, subbing in the 2 new + mats? If so, how long did you wait to evaluate the change of mats, and did you take into account an adequate amount of time for the old originals effect to dissipate prior to evaluation?
There was no dissipation from removing the old mats ... they stayed inside the circuit breaker box.
The four mats you alluded to had been placed inside of the door right up against the circuit breaker switches. I took the four existing mats out, then placed the two new Omega + mats in. The four mats that were previously inside the door, were placed up against the outside of the door leading to the switches.
I was already warming up the system as I reconfigured the mats, so there was no "waiting period." I heard the effects immediately ... and was floored by the results. Over the six days that the mats have been in the system, they have continued to improve with each listening session.
I have no idea what Krissy did with these new mats to allow them to do what they do, but they are the real deal for sure.
viber6 jay23, Recently I met a young mastering engineer from Bklyn who worked with the renowned Bob Ludwig. He said that at 72, Ludwig had excellent ears and taught the younger proteges what to listen for. It is likely that Ludwig has diminished HF acuity, but he certainly has judgment about what he does hear.
>>>>>At least we know two people to blame the overly aggressive dynamic range compression on.
Geoff sez: >>>>No, actually these drawbacks don’t exist in my SONY WALKMAN 🚶🏻♂️CD player because I’ve taken the time to eliminate them with my New Dark Matter, my vibration isolation system and my Mystery Tweak, the latter a CD stabilization tweak that I’ve decided not to sell because then it wouldn’t be a secret any more. 🤫
OK, nice to hear you've tricked out your Walkman---you did mention you have a mat coming---hope you'll tell us what it does for your Walkman. "It's no longer classified--is it....."
geoffkait, No compression in my recordings. I dabbled in recording to prove that I could make more immediate, detailed classical recordings than anything available. I spent a modest amount of money in the right places--mikes, Bryston mike preamp which was the fastest and most natural preamp which I determined by my own tests.
Frank, Do you remember that 1967 Turnabout LP of the Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances? It was a demo LP in audio salons when I got started in 1978. Last weekend on a radio program called "Rock (Rach) of all ages" they played a set of Ward Marston's compilation of historic recordings, including Rachmaninoff himself playing the piano score of that piece. Rach was singing along, "la, la, la" which sounds the same in Russian. The piano arrangement has more musical cohesion than the orchestral version, which sounds more like a sonic showpiece.
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