Do stands make a difference for equipment?

The first thing to do on your way to the design table for your first rack or platform rendering is to say to yourself over and over again..isolation is only possible in the absence of matter. Now to step two. Tom

Agear:

"Bravo. Someone is taking the "discipline" forward through innovation. The whole concept of self noise is integral to this discussion".

I certainly agree. In general, electrical stands like these purify the DC and power conditioning purifies the AC. But, doing one alone only ends up revealing the shortcomings of the lack of the other. BUT, when you do Both, it seriously transforms your system...and I do mean 'transforms'! All this Alan Maher gear for me is now the single-most important 'component' in my system...by far the first one I'd take toward building a new rig if I could only take one. But, you know what?? I'm not EVEN thinking of ever doing that. I'm sure some will think me crazy for giving so much attention to "tweaks", but I've come to realize that any of my prior notions of spending on tweaks "according to (any monetary) scale" were really a myth...you must spend according to a performance scale (same as any other component) to reap the best and most relevant benefits. And I think That's the way forward. But, by being well on my way toward having done that, I find myself already laughing like Renfro!! Regards. John

Higher resolution systems translates to higher speed.The more resolving the system the more challenging it becomes to control mechanical groumding distortions, phase timing issues, AC noise, room standing waves, and resonating frequencies. Like Ivan explained fixing one variable without addressing the other just exposses weaknesses in other areas. As we see from everyone's responses mileage will vary from system to system. Maximizing higher resolution while maintaining musicality is not an easy task.

Himiguel: I think everything you just said is dead on and basically all of it will always be, for anyone who pursues this level of higher resolution in their system, a double-edged sword. Some will see that possibly 'never-ending' pursuit as a time and resource drain and will be content to pass on such a challenge and I can respect choosing to do so really. But, while investigating it, I actually found it all to be just what I was looking for: the key to maximizing the gear I have and yet continue to build a system with what has proven to have more than just a few genuine high-end traits, but with less cost, for me. You're quite right, it IS a technically challenging key, but, as I see it, it has not proven to be insurmountably so. I've seen most of my longest-held sonic problems steadily crossed off my list and in fact, even in the absolute sense, very few of them remain to be dealt with for me and I find myself now reliably closing in on what I've always wanted sound-wise...probably doesn't get too much better than that.

Ivan, Higher resolution is the road I've taken and it has taken me years to find what I was looking for. High resolution + noise removal is the only way to bring out the soul of musicians. The euphonic road like you said is not as demanding and is good enough for the majority of folks. Maximizing a higher resolution system is very costly and technically challenging. Once a high resolution system is maximized there is no going back. Happy listening.