[Marius]

http://www.canadahifi.com/how-to-setup-and-optimize-your-audio-system/


Nice read, about a great setup, and subsequent dramatic (..) improvements made, in 17 steps.


Starting steps 3/4 though they lost me. Anyone hear with similar experiences?


Cheers,
Marius

[redbook]

 Good info, thanks

[Tympani]

This is essentially an ad for Stillpoints vibration devices, which in his setup run upwards of $20,000. I am a firm believer in the benefits of Stillpoints. But you can get much of the rewards simply with Ultra SS and Mini supports under components, but without the rack and speaker supports. All my gear, including my Bryston BDP2, BDA3, Cary SLP-05 preamp, and monoblocks sit on Stillpoints. Honestly, the best "tweak" I've ever come across.

[Odal3]

What's a ground box? See step 8,  11 and 12. Do they really work?

[Tympani]

Made in Sweden, distributed by Stillpoints. Like I said...

http://www.stillpoints.us/index.php/product/entreq#!silver_tellus

[Odal3]

Thanks for the link. Hmmm....portable earth....that's a product I don't fully understand how it would make any impact. Would be interesting to actually participate in a demonstration like the one described to be able to hear/judge for myself. 

[Marius]

This is essentially an ad for Stillpoints vibration devices, which in his setup run upwards of $20,000. I am a firm believer in the benefits of Stillpoints. But you can get much of the rewards simply with Ultra SS and Mini supports under components, but without the rack and speaker supports. All my gear, including my Bryston BDP2, BDA3, Cary SLP-05 preamp, and monoblocks sit on Stillpoints. Honestly, the best "tweak" I've ever come across.

HI Timp,

That's cool, can you explain a bit how to attach them to the Bryston gear? Do you just position them under their feet, or exchange the rubber Bryston feet with these?
Maybe got a pic of the bdp/bda with Stillpoints?
Cheers,
Marius

[Marius]

Stillpoints on TweekGeek, Audiophile tweaks: https://www.tweekgeek.com/audiophile-tweaks/stillpoints.html


They indeed are terribly expensive....


I would be very interested in some measurements to accompany the testimonials eg http://hifi-advice.com/Stillpoints-review-2.html.


Marius

[Armaegis]

I went on a rant in another circle not too long ago regarding vibrations:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=143108.msg1528123#msg1528123

As for grounding boxes... I'm just... no, ok, I'm gonna just skip on this today.

[dpatters]

I think I'll stick with my Herbies Tenderfeet

[SlushPuppy]

I think I'll stick with my Herbies Tenderfeet

Herbies products are great and are very affordable.

[Tympani]

HI Timp,

That's cool, can you explain a bit how to attach them to the Bryston gear? Do you just position them under their feet, or exchange the rubber Bryston feet with these?
Maybe got a pic of the bdp/bda with Stillpoints?
Cheers,
Marius

I started with Stillpoints Mini's under my Bryston components. I removed the stock feet to allow moving them around for best results (positioning does make a big difference, probably due to weight distribution and chassis resonances). They need to make contact with the metal, not under the stock feet. The lightweight Bryston components work best with the Mini's. My heavier Cary Pre-amp (2-chassis) have the Ultra SS feet. On the Ultra SS's, I am using mounting studs to allow them to fit into the screw-holes originally used for the stock rubber feet. I only went this route when I determined that the original feet position provided good results.

I really don't think measurements will show much. How do you measure a more "holographic" soundstage, or better isolation of instruments, or less "edge" to the sound? Listening though, has been a revelation. And believe me, I've tried many tweaks, most have been more detrimental than helpful. But the Stillpoints have been keepers. Start out with a set of 4 Mini's from someone like Cable Company, where I think you can return them if a no go.

[CanadianMaestro]

I removed the stock feet from my Bryston players and DAC. Inserted Vibrapods under each gear, a d Cardas wood cuboids under poweramp. Cheap by comparison. As for whether they made any substantial improvement....who knows....   but they certainly did no harm to my soundstage and resolution.   

[Speedskater]

What's a ground box? See step 8,  11 and 12. Do they really work?

They a boxes filled with magic secret stuff. Bad electricity is supposed to go into the box and just disappear into the magic stuff.
Of course they don't work. (and no I didn't try them)

[Tympani]

I removed the stock feet from my Bryston players and DAC. Inserted Vibrapods under each gear, a d Cardas wood cuboids under poweramp. Cheap by comparison. As for whether they made any substantial improvement....who knows....   but they certainly did no harm to my soundstage and resolution.   

I think you answered your own question. With the Stillpoints, there was no lingering doubt. At least in my setup. So many variables out there, so little time...

[alinto]

What's a ground box? See step 8,  11 and 12. Do they really work?

I attended the seminar and was surprised at how effective the tellus grounding box was. I was finally able to buy a used tellus and found that it is a very good tweak in my system. I generally find my system to sound its best late at night. With the tellus i am getting a similar effect (not quite as great) when i listen in day light hours. The system sound clearer and the background quieter. I bought my tellus from a person who bought 2 silver tellus (double the price of the tellus).

[C17FXR]

This is essentially an ad for Stillpoints vibration devices, which in his setup run upwards of $20,000. I am a firm believer in the benefits of Stillpoints. But you can get much of the rewards simply with Ultra SS and Mini supports under components, but without the rack and speaker supports. All my gear, including my Bryston BDP2, BDA3, Cary SLP-05 preamp, and monoblocks sit on Stillpoints. Honestly, the best "tweak" I've ever come across.

I discovered these when Steve McCormack at SMc Audio recommended using their Standoffs inside the DAC he was upgrading. After that I decided to give their Component feet a try under that very DAC just to see how things went. There was a slight improvement but not enough to justify their cost, these were the Ultra SS feet not the mini's they hadn't come out yet. I then came across a deal on a pair and added them to other components in my system.
After reading a white paper (link below) about coupling and decoupling (that's not dating and divorcing by the way ) of loudspeakers I was wondering if the Ultra SS's would work under my speakers.
http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/whitepaper/Genesis_Loudspeaker_Coupling_Decoupling.pdf
I started researching and found I wasn't the only one thinking and doing this, others were finding this little secret too.
It tightened up the image a lot and and added more clarity to my Vandersteens.

Since then I have moved and during set up of my system in my new room I found the best way to discover Stillpoints effectiveness is starting with  the speakers and moving up the chain from there.
I now have them, the Ultra SS and Minis under my amps, preamps and source components.
After reading the above article I think I will start looking into a better grounding system and reducing the vibrations to my cables.

P.S. My amps and preamps now have the component standoffs inside them as well. Yes I know I need to take some down time and update my system on here, its no where near correct anymore.

You got to love this hobby.

Anyway just thought I'd add my two penny's.