[JenMaher]

zmanbands-
How many feet do you need under one maple platform?

What makes you think the vibration is trapped in the maple block?  All the block does is alter the vibration pattern and frequency, but the physical vibration is still present. 

[Paul_Bui]

Paul-
Remove the cork blocks and try 4 large Cardas Myrtle blocks under the maple platform.  We use the large Cardas block as part of our isolation stands and it does a wonderful job of enhancing midrange and top end detail.  They work great under anything heavy.

Thanks Jen.  I will try the Cardas Myrtle blocks.

[Paul_Bui]

just installing two Reference One at component IEC (CDP and Integrated amp). I am not sure if it's my illusion or not, but noise level is almost none.

Jen,
   i know PE V/IEC is recommended at the component end, but for now, i would like to take use of what i have.  I was wondering if Reference One suppress or open the sound based on your experience.

  May be someone else can jump in.

  I wish cable liberator can be a better quality cable or something that i can DIY with my own cable.

Thanks

Michael,

Following your experience I replaced 193L at the IEC ends of the tube-pre and amp with 2 Ref One's, with another Ref One at the bottom of a duplex next to the main duplex in the audio circuit.  I like what I hear.

[zmanbands]

Jen, four footers under each maple platform work best for ease of installation and stability. But, I based the number I'm asking to demo based on the component weights you gave me. 3 of my mentioned components are under 75 lbs and my power amp is over 100 but less than 150. So I gave 3/3/3/6. for the number needed per your figures. What is the shape and material in the footers you plan to send me?

[michaelv]

just installing two Reference One at component IEC (CDP and Integrated amp). I am not sure if it's my illusion or not, but noise level is almost none.

Jen,
   i know PE V/IEC is recommended at the component end, but for now, i would like to take use of what i have.  I was wondering if Reference One suppress or open the sound based on your experience.

  May be someone else can jump in.

  I wish cable liberator can be a better quality cable or something that i can DIY with my own cable.

Thanks

Michael,

Following your experience I replaced 193L at the IEC ends of the tube-pre and amp with 2 Ref One's, with another Ref One at the bottom of a duplex next to the main duplex in the audio circuit.  I like what I hear.

Paul,
thanks for the opinions.

[michaelv]

Paul-
Remove the cork blocks and try 4 large Cardas Myrtle blocks under the maple platform.  We use the large Cardas block as part of our isolation stands and it does a wonderful job of enhancing midrange and top end detail.  They work great under anything heavy.

Thanks Jen.  I will try the Cardas Myrtle blocks.

You can also try to place Myrtle blocks directly under the components. IMO, directly put under the gear would benefit the best.

 

[JenMaher]

zmanbands-
The feet are based off weight.  I need to know the total weight of the component, brass foot, and stand combined.  Each foot handles a max load of 25 pounds.  Maybe we should wait until Alan comes home and see what he thinks.  I haven't spoken to the manufacture to see if we could have them made again.  Last year we tested exotic wood feet designed by Christopher, but we were never able to talk him into building them fulltime, shame the sound quality was gorgeous on a couple models that he sent.

[JenMaher]

michaelv-
Direct placement never really worked well for us, we really like the combination of brass, myrtle, and acrylic.


Paul-
The Cardas magic is a combination of the materials listed above and PE filtering for the a/c.

[zmanbands]

Total weight of components [component + brass footer cones + maple block + VPI blocks if used]. SACD(60lbs); pre amp(34lbs); pre amp power supply(39lbs); power supply(123lbs).

[JenMaher]

OK.  I will include a set for the SACD player.

[Huck]

I suggest we wait for another few days because the PE takes a good 10 to 12 days to settle down, better to get the first one settled before trying to install the next one.

 Hi: It has been 13 days with just the one PE installed. I don't think I hear any difference since day four of the install! Now where do I install my other 6 PE's?. Thanks,Huck

[zmanbands]

Reference power cord break-in day 21. This is the first time I did not like the sound better. Mostly in the bass. warmer, less defined. less punch. I felt like I wanted to turn the volume up but did not. Caveat: The decos were removed from on top of both speskers.

[JenMaher]

Keith-
Plug the next PE into the PLC.


zmanbands-
Didn't you turn your system off the other day for a storm?  I mentioned at that time the cord will have to stabilize all over again.  Leave it be for the next 8 to 10 days and report your findings.

[Huck]

Keith-
Plug the next PE into the PLC.

DONE Keith

[zmanbands]

Two Q's. Is there an on line shakti incorporated in the reference power cord? What do the footers for my SACD look like and what are they made of?

[JenMaher]

zmanbands-
Shakti's are not used or required in the Reference series.  Different wire geometries require different forms of filtering to control ringing harmonics.  We consider no one product to be a cure all for everything, Shakti's serve a purpose in the Studio Reference line, but are not necessary in the Reference line.  As mentioned over the years, the Reference cable is designed to choke noise above 1.5 KHz and control harmonics below.  The Reference really shines with digital and video components/displays.  The cable isolates, rejects, and absorbs noise traveling in both direction along the length.  Obviously the length is tuned and a minimum length is required to meet our specs, but longer lengths provide double and triple the noise suppression over the standard 6 foot cable, which is why we use the geometry in studios for in-wall applications.  Over the past weeks I have removed all our Studio Reference cabling and PE filters so the a/c could readjust before Alan came home.  I switched out the balanced power conditioner for 115v isolated and rewired the system using our Reference cable and RPC.  The PE V Surge Interrupter and 3 PE V Pro Custom filters are still used in between the wall and isolation transformer, and I left the PE V Plasma cable on the LCD TV because the video looks fabulous and I don't want to change anything.

Reference Set-Up:

Benchmark DAC 1 pre: Reference power cord and Studio Reference XLR IC's.
Crown Studio Reference 2 Amplifier: Stock power cord and Studio Reference SC.
HTPC: Reference RPC Hub, Reference power cord, Studio Reference Network Cable, RAM DVI-HDMI cable (tweaked), and Kimber USB cables.
Server: Reference RPC hub, Reference power cord, Lindy VGA (tweaked), and Kimber USB cables.
External Hard Drives (Server): Reference power cord.
Sony LCD: PE V Plasma power cable.

We use a mix of Soundcare spikes, Audiopoints, Cardas blocks, AM designs feet, and acrylic pending the particular requirement, Alan doesn't put too much stock into feet designs, each offers different tonal colors for tuning.  Too many theories in the hobby all based on non-sense to stick with one type of product over another.  Selection should be based off required application weight and not manufacture mumbo jumbo. 

Alan is on the phone: Pick your poison and understand exactly how it works.  Coupled feet for example should never trap vibration, the concept is based on draining vibration to a lower state.  If you use isolation stands with component coupling feet, then the isolation stand should also have coupling feet.  Vibration should be drained from component to the floor and not the shelf underneath the component or platform. 

Back to required weight, lets look at Audiopoints for example, the 1" Audiopoint has a optimum weight load of 30 pounds, that means you need to use three under a 90 pound component in order to properly damp harmonics and drain vibration.  Anything under 90 pounds  creates a two way valve for the foot, energy travels to the shelf, interacts with the ringing character of the shelf, and the altered ringing character re-enters the component and effects the componentry.  Keep in mind the platform already has it's own ringing character due to the different material, density, and physical weight, the reason why we use natural products in audio design is to try to maintain the original integrity of the musical presentation, of coarse none of this is actually possible, but we try to use the material to highlight different areas within the analog band.  Cork is a wonderful product for soundproofing rooms and damping vibrations, but it's lousy for damping audio components because theoretically cork injects no coloration of it's own.  Audio reproduction is based on perceived coloration, cork rolls off bass and highs to remove the coloration that is built into the circuit design and selected parts.  Rubber is used to counteract the cork because rubber acts as a spring and slows the vibration/frequency speed down, but rubber is notorious for vibrating around 50/60 Hz causing wild coloration harmonics to ride over 60 Hz and actually injects distortion by peaking one frequency over another causing frequency imbalance, not a big deal for a PE treated system because we address this problem by controlling the circuit harmonic, but a non PE circuit will provide oodles of listening frustration because the user will never get the frequency balance right and he/she will spend a fortune in the pursuit of listening happiness.  My comments are not meant to provoke or instigate confrontation, but mentioned as a reminder to be careful about tweak selection and make sure you understand all the ins and outs, I spent a fortune in the 90's trying to figure this all out and eventually I said the hell with it and threw it all in the garbage.  If you spend a fortune on your components try to pick something that will do less harm and inject not added coloration, if you need the tweak to band-aid a poorly designed circuit, then coloration can be a benefit, but understand proper weight load per product can be helpful and remember there are a lot of ways to achieve the same thing.  Talk to you all next week, I expect to be home tomorrow evening and I would like to take a couple days off before filling the orders.  Adios.


The feet are blue.  We contract E.A.R. Medical to mold the feet out of their C-1002 material.  It is the best in the business that we have found for isolating frequency and maintaining low rebound from 50 Hz on up.


NOTE: The Reference One page is completed (http://alanmaherdesigns.com/RO.aspx).

[zmanbands]

Question on RPC installation. Pick as the starting point the cable end of the RPC or the other end. How should I plug in all the components I'm removing from my Belkin PLC. [Power amp/ Velodyne sub/ SACD/ Pre amp with it's power supply/ dual Hammond chokes/ PE/ PE IV]. This leaves one unused outlet. Would a reference one help in it, or plugged in somewhere else in the same audio phase. I have no video in this phase. I have no interest in improving my TV.

[JenMaher]

zmanbands-
RPC AC Plug end: Obviously we have two choices, if memory serves me correctly you prefer to plug the RPC into the Belkin PLC for added surge protection, if that is the case continue as planned, but I would suggest a A/B test with a direct wall install just to see which sounds best.

RPC outlets: As a rule we normally tell clients there are two install configurations when talking about power strips pending desired output.  With a normal power strip placing the power amp in the first receptacle next to the power inlet will provide brighter sounded based on the added resistance for the remaining receptacles.  Installing the amp in the last receptacle normally provides a warmer tonal balance after all the power supplies stabilize around 75 hours.  In our set up I installed the larger power supplies at the end of the strip for ease of install, but I haven't been able to hear or see a difference using this design compared to the typical power strip.

One or two additional Ref One filters can be used on the same circuit if you have an excessive amount of noise on the circuit.  A PE or PE IV (A/B for best sound quality) can be added to the unused receptacle for additional filtering.  I have a Plasma cord with the PE V Pro Custom filtered on the same isolated output and the two filter concepts sound great together.

[zmanbands]

I am concluding that the power amp could go at either end of the RPC if I choose bright or warm and it doesn't matter where I plug in the remaining components, the PE's and the chokes. Correct? I have very little noise that I can "hear", as noise. A very low level hiss which I can only hear If I get within 4 feet of a speaker and I can eliminate that entirely by turning the gain knob back 1/4 turn from max and upping the volume knob. Does this mean I don't need a Reference one?

[vett93]

Jen, on the Purple Heart outlet covers, does it matter what kind of stains they use? They have stains, oil, or polyurethane. Thanks.