A world first? Passive v active isolation platforms test

[XV-1]

After Marc's positive experience of Stacore products, I have ordered two Basic+ platforms for my monoblokcs and advanced platform for my DAC. The platforms have arrived. I have spent one week of listening with these platforms.

A little bit background of my room. I am living in suburb and away from traffic. My listening room is in the ground floor with marble flooring.

I first put my monoblocks on the advanced platform. Pump in air and do the levelling. I do not expect much improvement as I am living in a quiet area. However, I am so wrong. From the first note, I notice the bass of the sound has tightened and less bloated. It is faster and more articulate. In other words, the bass becomes more accurate. The music becomes more foot tapping. I can't believe isolation on my monblocks has so much influence on the bass quality. I suspect Stacore platforms does an excellent job of isolating vibrations from the speakers.

After a few days, I put my DAC on the advanced platform. This time, there is no change in bass quality. However, midrange becomes purer. The voice becomes more addictive to listen. Keep on listening track after track. I echo all Marc's positive experiences on these platforms.

Vibrations isolation is a real deal. The effects are as great or more than cable upgrade. It is also much cheaper. Stacore platforms are winners. Now, I am thinking to add more platforms under my external crossover boxes.

thanks for the update. Great to hear the thought of another satisfied user.

 

[spiritofmusic]

ADYC, BOOM BOOM!
No, that's not a contradiction in terms re vibn isoln LOL.
But what we Brits say when a joyous suprise is reciprocated, a kind of verbal congratulatory slap on the back.
I'm afraid I'm infected w the Stacore organism.
It's been SO revealing, and SO expressive, it's taken all the major impvts wrought by serious expense and effort creating my new acoustic and running dedicated power to my rig, to another level.
First I get the room which opens up intelligibility and calm, then the dedicated power which opens up those lower octaves and eliminated hash.
And now the Stacore under transformer and cdp (soon to be the tt) continues down the minimising of noise flr and application of control to bass grip, imaging and detail retrieval.
An across the board upstick.
ADYC, fascinating to hear major benefits on monoblocks, once I Stacore my pre and cdp, the monos will be next.

 

[Stacore]

Hey Adyc,

Thank you very much for your feedback and kind words! Very glad we are working as expected in your system.
Your Aries Cerat's look simply gorgeous (I posted your pic our fb)
I have a soft spot for big amps with transmitting tubes, esp. those little known as 812,813,814
Was designing and breadboarding some myself even.
Very curious what they do sonically.

Keep on listening track after track.

This is a very clear sign we are working

Enjoy and thanks again!

Edit: A little correction, the platforms under your monoblocks are Basic+ not Advanced

 

[Stacore]

Congratulations. I noticed similar improvements when I installed Vibraplane platforms under my SS mono blocks.

I keep wondering what it is in SS equipment that is so sensitive to vibrations.
I must say I don't understand it clearly. One suspect are big caps, another, esp. after
Marc's experiments, transformers. A wilder speculation would be a piezoelectric effect
in semiconductors.

Cheers,

 

[spiritofmusic]

Well it's got to be something pretty fundamental, Stacore-ing the transformer and cdp kind of stabilise the sound allowing a degree of control that allows bass grip and imaging to just unfold.
With my potentially vibration heavy tube pre and monos liable to gain commensurate impvts, Stacore-ing out my tube gear makes a lot of sense.

 

[adyc]

These platforms are wonderful beasts. They take my system to another level. My Aries Cerat mono are already sounding excellent. But putting them on Stacore is another level. Just listening to Vivaldi concerto and Brahms piano concerto. The layout of the orchestra is so clear.

Vibrations seems number 1 enemy to tube equipments. Marc, you should put stacore platforms under all your tube gears ASAP.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Can you wire me the funds, I'm a little short as it is LOL
It's on the "to do" list
Stacores X 4 or 5
Sablon Reserva Elites pwr cords
Umpteen SR Black fuses
Furutech NCF IEC inlets
$5k streamer/dac option
Ultrasonic lp cleaner
Luckily, no big time component changes
It'll happen...

 

[Husk]

I have just ordered 2 Basic+'s and 1 Advanced for my VAC 450 Monos and my Dac for Oct delivery. Thanks Spirit for all the feedback on Stacore. They are super people to deal with.

 

[Stacore]

Actually Husk's mod may be interesting to other people as well - the control panel moved to the front due to a limited access to the sides of the platform

 

[spiritofmusic]

Husk, v happy to pass on the word.
For me, I only really want to spend my hard earned w boutique-type companies offering real engineering at not stupid prices w excellent customer relations and real passion for their products.
That's included Symposium Acoustics in the past and currently Sablon Audio cables.
And now v much Stacore.
They really get my vote.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Dear Jarek,

I would think it would be more convenient in almost all set-ups for the controls to be on the front of the unit?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Marc, adyc,

I look forward to seeing the Stacore platforms "in action" when I visit Marc. I am thinking about a Stacore underneath each of the VTL MB-750s.

Used as amp stands, adyc, do you place the Stacore directly on the floor?

I understand you use a bicycle pump to feed air into the valve on the Stacore, but what do you do then?

How do you level the platform?

What do the three toggle switches do?

Thank you, gentlemen.

 

[adyc]

Dear Jarek,

I would think it would be more convenient in almost all set-ups for the controls to be on the front of the unit?

The controls are on the short side of the platform. My monoblock width is shorter than the depth. So the current control arrangement is fine. If your equipment width is larger than the depth, you may request to place control on the longer side of the platform.

 

[adyc]

Marc, adyc,

I look forward to seeing the Stacore platforms "in action" when I visit Marc. I am thinking about a Stacore underneath each of the VTL MB-750s.

Used as amp stands, adyc, do you place the Stacore directly on the floor?

I understand you use a bicycle pump to feed air into the valve on the Stacore, but what do you do then?

How do you level the platform?

What do the three toggle switches do?

Thank you, gentlemen.

Yes. I placed the Basic+ platforms directly on my marble floor. You use air pump to lift the platform about 5mm above the ground. In my case, the pressure is around 4.5 bar for monoblock and 2.5 bar for DAC. Due to weight distribution, the platform is likely not level. You then toggle the switches and use the cap to release the air to level the platforms. It is quite easy but takes some time to learn the tricks.

 

[Stacore]

Dear Jarek,

I would think it would be more convenient in almost all set-ups for the controls to be on the front of the unit?

Hi Ron,

Thank you for your interest! Until Husk's rack we have never encountered
any problem with a side access to the platform, esp. that you need to
access the controls only every 2-3 months.

Side placement is here more of a product philosophy. We want our platforms
to reflect visually what they do sonically: Just do their job and disappear. As I once put it,
"we don't shout, we don't have to". As most equipment is placed longer side facing to the listener,
our minimalistic front panel does not "shout" visually and blends smoothly with virtually anything
you put on the platform. Put it simply: It makes the platform more universal in the aesthetic sense.

Cheers,

 

[Stacore]

Yes. I placed the Basic+ platforms directly on my marble floor. You use air pump to lift the platform about 5mm above the ground. In my case, the pressure is around 4.5 bar for monoblock and 2.5 bar for DAC. Due to weight distribution, the platform is likely not level. You then toggle the switches and use the cap to release the air to level the platforms. It is quite easy but takes some time to learn the tricks.

This is one of those actions that is more difficult to explain than actually perform
We will make a short movie showing how to do it plus from this batch on we add a dedicated release valve to make the process even easier (no need to disconnect a pump to release the air).

Adyc, I would even try lowering the platform to some 3mm above the ground.

Cheers

 

[adyc]

This is one of those actions that is more difficult to explain than actually perform
We will make a short movie showing how to do it plus from this batch on we add a dedicated release valve to make the process even easier (no need to disconnect a pump to release the air).

Adyc, I would even try lowering the platform to some 3mm above the ground.

Cheers

Understand the 3mm recommendation. By the time I finish the levelling, I release quite a bit of air and the platform is around 3mm above the ground.

 

[Stacore]

Ok got it. It was 5mm before the leveling. Very good!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ron, join the club!
When you meet up w me here at the chapel, I'll either have my tt reinstalled on the Stacore, or my cdp will be on it.
It'll be great to give you a first hand experience of what the Stacore can do.

 

[Speedskater]

I keep wondering what it is in SS equipment that is so sensitive to vibrations.
................................................................
Cheers,

I wounder also!
Vacuum tubes and phono cartridges, of course. Add in boutique capacitors. But modern solid state electronics? With high gain mic and MC cartridge circuits excepted.
Does anyone ever do any real testing?
Make a DIY shaker table out of a subwoofer. Then play a marching band thru the sub, while you record a string quartet thru the component under test.