[michaelv]

Hi,
 Currently, i use cardas blocks under my cdp and integrated amp . THe blocks rest on mdf shelf. I get a good result. However, i see lot of people using maple wood for turn table. What about SS stuffs?  Does it really make any improvement? I would like to take another step by putting maple wood under cardas blocks. Just wondering if anyone does the same thing ...

thanks.

[rollo]

Hi,
 Currently, i use cardas blocks under my cdp and integrated amp . THe blocks rest on mdf shelf. I get a good result. However, i see lot of people using maple wood for turn table. What about SS stuffs?  Does it really make any improvement? I would like to take another step by putting maple wood under cardas blocks. Just wondering if anyone does the same thing ...

thanks.

   
 The only way to tell is by using IN YOUR SYSTEM period. If you like what is does buy it .If not try something else. Everythimg makes a sonic difference, it is wether YOU like the results.

  rollo

[BRILEY804]

Agree with Rollo.   

 There are people that will use granite slabs under their equipment, others will use bicycle intertubes and make a isolation platform for their gear, different kinds of wood can be used., racket balls cut in half are suppose to work also.....the options that are out there are almost endless .         

Experiment with different things, as many of these tweeks only cost a few dollars.

It all boils down to what you think made the most difference in your system.

[tanchiro58]

Hi,

I put three large Shun-Mook footers between my tube amp and a large one and half maple platform and four DH super cones between my tube preamp and another maple platform. Technically all my sources components like DAC and SB3 are on the bamboo plates which are also on maple platforms. My music sounds wonderfully I have ever listened. I will place my horn speakers on the maple platforms too when I get them in the future (actually my subwoofer is on platform and the bass is deep and tight). Good luck to try them out.

[gooberdude]

before doing anything, try setting an empty album cover OR some thin but rigid papers under your wood blocks (directly on top of the shelf)...MDF sounds terrible, try something simple to isolate your gear from it.   This will allow the wood blocks to do their thing better too.   let everything settle for a day.

If you have normal sized components, see if 2 album covers laid side-by-side can fit on your shelves..make sure they don't touch though.   poster board from an arts store might be good too as well as normal cardboard.  i've not tried either...

I use 4 maple platforms in my rig & find them to work better than i ever anticipated or read about...but its not an 'across the board' tweak for most. 

experimentation is half the fun in this hobby, and MOST of the frustration!

In order for the boards to do their thing effectively, its important to incorporate coupling & isolation & damping all at once.   not easy or cheap or necessary unless you are after 'the ultimate' performance.

paper is pretty darn cheap though.  aa   
For my phono preamp, which is a crucial piece of gear in my rig, 2 LP covers did the same as a $120 isolated maple platfrom.   I wish that was the case for all my stuff!!

My phono preamp & my cdp just sit on LP covers.  the change was audible & welcome indeed.

i also have a bunch of mapleshade's 2" maple blocks.  these are effective to a degree, but just a temporary fix to issues that their brass feet handled 100%.    their feet haven't done anything positive to my cd player though...

In my experience, analog gear benefits the most from this type of tonewood damping...



matt

[michaelv]

Thanks all. Using LP cover is a good idea and i will try.

[Thebiker]

Album covers....isn't that what we used back in the day to clean our .

Ah well, my Woodstock generational roots are showing again

[gooberdude]

My rack definitely looks like a throwback to the 70's with all the LP covers strewn about.   i like tweaks but often they come & go...the LP covers will stay in place until i'm deaf & done with this hobby!

Michael V, consider that your wood blocks are coupling the component to the shelf below.  The Lp covers add a simple layer of isolation which, somehow, is musical to my ears.  If your shelves are MDF or glass or stone or anything but real tonewood, the LP covers or some similar material might do good things...its easy enough to test this one out.

If what you discover is that this (& any other tweak) sounds good to you, look into why it happens.  I'm a big fan of coupling, but to me, it has to be followed with isolation.  Otherwise you are coupling the component directly to a surface that isn't musical...unless of course, your shelf sounds good right from the start.  But, if it did, you probably wouldn't have the footers in the 1st place.   

I started out with inexpensive wood blocks but quickly graduated to the expensive pointed brass footers from Mapleshade.  I don't use them under my CDP (just LP covers there) but underneath all my analog gear they work great...just wish these things didn't cost so much so others would be tempted to experiment.


matt

[michaelv]

I just realize that i don't have LP. So i may look for some other covers and try out.
Right now, i hear more tight bass, big soundstage, and the high is a bit edgy.  My shelf is a cheap one. I bought it a while ago from Bestbuy for $120.   Therefore, I'm thinking of replacing it with a better stand (probably Target hi-fi CL430 or VTI). 

Even though i am happy with the sound, i still search for tweak and it may make my gear sounds better.

Gooberdude, question: Do you mean that i should couple the cdp onto some sort of maple board and the whole thing rest on isolation device such as soft footer?

thanks.