BIT-15 isolation stand, 4B3 isolation stand, or pre-amp or digital isolation?

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masi61

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Which of these would you think would impact sound quality the most if properly isolated on a quality audiophile stand?

Just curious since I am the new owner of a (floor demo) Grand Prix Audio Monaco 4 shelf stand for my system. I am asking which benefits the most since a few pieces of my system may not make it onto the super great (potentially at least) Grand Prix Audio stand.

Thanks for any opinions you might be willing to share on this matter.

Speedskater

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For any well manufactured solid state components (and I'm sure that these are) there will be no sound quality impact on these components.
The excepts would be for mechanical noise generated by CD/DVD players, hard drives and some fans.

Turntables and loudspeakers are another story.

Ron D

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Those 2 pieces would be my last choice for the rack. I have a BIT-15 and have had numerous Bryston a amps over the years. As mentioned before turntables, cdps and any tubed gear would take precedence in my rack over those 2 pieces but it's always nice to have it all in 1 rack if you can fit it in...

masi61

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thank you for the replies. I would like to have a dedicated stand for the 4B3 but I can appreciate what you all said about the source components benefitting from a stand. The documentation with the Grand Prix Audio stand states that the stand helps attenuate all kinds of vibrations - internally inside components, but also externally from loudspeakers and external vibrations. I guess I will have to experiment and do so listening experiments.

Elizabeth

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  • So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
I added butcher blocks * under every item of audio equipment I own. and the ones I was able to hear the most differences on (even between using a Walnut butcher block vs a sugar maple block.Where my two turntables and my amplifier. (Bryston 4B-SST²)
I have butcher blocks under my two power conditioners, Three preamp power supplies (besides under the preamps also and yes I have four preamps in my system, Brystom BP-26, Threshold FET10 plus phono box, Audio Research SP 15, and a Conrad Johnson Act2
My quest was not to isolate, more to tune the sound to be the finest most musical.
Also some additional blocks of wood, All Exotic Woods. 3x3 by 2"Bolivian Rosewood** is my favorite. (Vera Wood is also nice but harder to find)  along with Bloodwood (which I have multiple 1 1/2 x1 1/2 long by 6" to 18"  under my Manepan 20.7s stock oval base (interestingly they need end 'lofts' to keep the tuning from being dampened by the carpet! I use 3/8" thick by 1/2" wide 2" long bits of hard maple at the end of each Bloodwood shaft to keep them from being dampened by the rug. Make a huge difference (I should qualify that makes a difference  I can notice. probably a very very tiny difference or no difference to nonaudiophiles LOL)
 also use others..
African Ebony gives a stronger bass presence. plus refines the highs, sadly does nothing for the midrange in my experiments so even though I own various bits I do not use any Blackwood in the system.
Cocobolo was interesting .Some sound improvement across the range but the Bolivian Rosewood beats it.
Katalox. Not worth it to try this wood. it seriously cracks and splits while drying out.
 
Suffice to say I spent three grand on wood, (between all the butcher blocks, and a large variety  types of exotic woods, in pen blank, knife blank and bowl sizes for each kind plus longer 2" square end and 1 1/2" square end various lengths. , and am happy I did so. The results are worth the cost I paid several years ago. To re-buy all that now would cost considerably more)
*(from Butcher Blocks Acoustics)
** not  a true Rosewood. so not endangered nor illegal

No one seemed interested in to when  i wrote about it a few years ago, so I have no interest in discussing anything about it now. other than to say it mattered, and was well worth the effort to learn how different exotic wood makes subtle changes to the sound.
I would honor Michael Greene for turning me on to his idea of "Tuning" rather than isolation. and using it to my own ends.


And  I would just say Speedskater is the ultimate naysayer, he believes what his books tell him and everything else, to him , is some mad fantasy. I would actually (mischievously!) guess he can't hear worth a damn (from an audiophile standard, maybe just fine for a electronics tech?) , so tries to make up for his lack of Golden Ears with general disdain for all things audiophile. On the other hand he does believe what he says. So at least he has that going for him.  :wink:
And !!!  he does admit isolation might affect turntables and speakers!
« Last Edit: 4 Jan 2023, 06:21 pm by Elizabeth »

aln

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Keep it up!
« Reply #5 on: 3 Jan 2023, 11:10 pm »
I use wood as a tuning agent in my system.  Everything has an impact on the sound, changing footers or adding wood on top of a device is a real learning experience and should be tried by more people.  In a sense, you are training your hearing.  Which is good!

Speedskater

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And  I would just say Speedskater is the ultimate naysayer, he believes what his books tell him and everything else, to him , is some mad fantasy.

To the contrary!  I'm the realist here.  It is you that is the believer.
If there are audible differences, then they can be pointed out by those that hear those differences in ears only demonstrations.
And at that time they can be measured by a person with skill and the correct test equipment.

It's an insult to suggest that Bryston equipment requires isolation stands.

aln

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Very funny!
« Reply #7 on: 4 Jan 2023, 02:38 am »
Nt