vibrapods or cones?

Kitch: Before I switched to the Neuance shelf (for the tube amp), I used the Pods under a Maple cutting board with the amp resting on the board on its stock feet. This helped to clear up the sound, maybe because I use a 6922 type input tube and they can be a little touchy. I did not try them directly under the amp due to the heat (hot chassis). I don't have the material, but have wondered what a thin sheet of Sorbothane (with holes for the pins) would sound like between the bottom of the tube base(s) and the tube socket(s). Pods under the Renaud Twins (when they were on light stands) increased the bass, but I have not tried them with the new heavy Target stands (which on their own with tack increased the bass quite a bit more than the previous combo). The Pods under my cheap power conditioners and sometimes under a heavy power cord (to isolate it from the shelf if it happens to rest on it) clears up the sound as well, though it's cheaper to suspend the PC's with cotton ribbon and it sounds just as good to me.

Kitch: I have the less expensive Mapleshade cones (Surefeet), but prefer the Neuance shelf (supported on upturned spikes) to the Pod/Maple/cone sandwich that I used to use on the CD player. The shelf is the same or less than the cost of a sandwich I could not use the brass cones under the tube amp as they stored too much heat from the chassis and reintroduced it back into the amp. I still use the Pods and cones on other stuff (since I have them and they are effective), but not on the source and amp in the living room setup which is my pride and joy. I was short on funds (even shorter now:-), so only re-shelved the top two shelves of the rack (the bottom two are still the stock MDF and this is where I still use Pods and cones) and would like to install a couple more of the Neuance shelves down the line. I also had better results with Maple platforms with the Pods and such than with MDF. I think that I will try the CDR dirctly on a Maple shelf with Pods under it, since you have had good results with the thick Maple. I just picked up a beauty (1 1/2" thick) at a thrift store for a buck. If not I can always use it in the kitchen. I think that Bob has more patience than I did with the Pods and cones as tuning them (moving them around) under the source drove me batty after a period of time.