The potential sliding is not between the Stillpoints and the speaker but the Stillpoints and the carpet (floor).
Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams
- Thread starter steve williams
- Start date
The potential sliding is not between the Stillpoints and the speaker but the Stillpoints and the carpet (floor).
Sorry, just noticed what you quoted - seems like a different situation. My response doesn't apply in this case.
This is correct, and most of us who have done this have set it up this way. However, in observing that Ultra 5s placed under components will easily slide around at first...and then 2 days later be 'cemented' in position...the same thing seemed to happen with my Ultra 5s. In a word, I recalibrated my sub later in the afternoon after the Ultra 5s were first installed...and found 2 days later I had to do it again. I suspected it might have had something to do with the settling in.
I was later told by the Stillpoints Distributor that it might [partly] have something to do with the ceramic balls inside and how the 2 halves of the Ultra 5 compress the ceramic balls. This made some sense to me...but it still did not explain why the Ultra 5 stuck solidly to my equipment rack...which in every single case it has after 2 days.
I am back
Yes I ordered the Wilson adapter for each of the Ultra 5's and screwed them in just like spikes but left a credit card thickness between the top the the Ultra 5 and bottom of the speaker
Yes I ordered the Wilson adapter for each of the Ultra 5's and screwed them in just like spikes but left a credit card thickness between the top the the Ultra 5 and bottom of the speaker
OK guys, I don't know about you but I can't put on one song and make a quick evaluation.
I did listen for 2 hours however and yes this is another WTF moment in my audio history
Here are my initial impressions
For my ears in my system all of the magic is at the bottom end, i.e. low bass and midbass with the low bass being remarkable. Many of my go to albums have all sounded blurred and bloated at the very bottom. Bass guitars oft time sounded muddy.Listening to La Cancion De Manuel that Gary Koh turned me onto there are parts with a bass (guitar) that previously just sounded bloated and blurred. Today however I could hear every damn string on that instrument with no problem
I understand what Christian said about the soundstage. It does sound fuller with a lot of air around those strings playing the bottom octave. Midbass was remarkable but what I can't really figure out yet is the apparent ease of the music. It seems effortless,airy and open.
In spite of all this my first impression suggested a softening to the sound. The sharpness I had in some sounds was now slightly softer, less edge if that makes sense
Any how, I am going to stop for now after my first impressions. It is the low and mid bass that are simply amazing and now a fuller soundstage with a lot of air around the strings
I have more demo music to listen to but yes I can see why many are having the same experience
I did listen for 2 hours however and yes this is another WTF moment in my audio history
Here are my initial impressions
For my ears in my system all of the magic is at the bottom end, i.e. low bass and midbass with the low bass being remarkable. Many of my go to albums have all sounded blurred and bloated at the very bottom. Bass guitars oft time sounded muddy.Listening to La Cancion De Manuel that Gary Koh turned me onto there are parts with a bass (guitar) that previously just sounded bloated and blurred. Today however I could hear every damn string on that instrument with no problem
I understand what Christian said about the soundstage. It does sound fuller with a lot of air around those strings playing the bottom octave. Midbass was remarkable but what I can't really figure out yet is the apparent ease of the music. It seems effortless,airy and open.
In spite of all this my first impression suggested a softening to the sound. The sharpness I had in some sounds was now slightly softer, less edge if that makes sense
Any how, I am going to stop for now after my first impressions. It is the low and mid bass that are simply amazing and now a fuller soundstage with a lot of air around the strings
I have more demo music to listen to but yes I can see why many are having the same experience
Here is what John (allvinyl) PM'ed me earlier this week
Attaching the Ultra SS allows for leaving a gap between the two surfaces providing a more difficult path for the vibration energy to travel. You should first tighten the adapter or set screw into the Ultra SS, then screw that assembly into the speaker. There only needs to be a space as thick as a credit card to achieve the desired results. If you decide against attaching the Ultras to the speakers, try setting them under the speakers both ways. One way may provide sonic benefits over the other.
John Tverdik
Operations Manager
Stillpoints"
So it's possible that flipping them over and not screwing them in could sound better; OTOH, for you Steve that may not be practical...
Attaching the Ultra SS allows for leaving a gap between the two surfaces providing a more difficult path for the vibration energy to travel. You should first tighten the adapter or set screw into the Ultra SS, then screw that assembly into the speaker. There only needs to be a space as thick as a credit card to achieve the desired results. If you decide against attaching the Ultras to the speakers, try setting them under the speakers both ways. One way may provide sonic benefits over the other.
John Tverdik
Operations Manager
Stillpoints"
So it's possible that flipping them over and not screwing them in could sound better; OTOH, for you Steve that may not be practical...
Yes, it does make sense. I had the same impression of softening when I placed them under some components. I've never had them under speakers so I can't address that aspect.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Congratulations, Steve! Methinks that I need to make another visit to Casa oneobgyn
Just in case anyone's wondering what Steve's talking about:
The last track's fabulous for gauging bass articulation.
Congratulations, Steve! Methinks that I need to make another visit to Casa oneobgyn
Just in case anyone's wondering what Steve's talking about:
View attachment 14026
The last track's fabulous for gauging bass articulation.
Gary since you left that demo disk I think I have worn out all of its digits and yes that track for bass articulation is amazing but it has always bothered me on my system with that bloated deep bass. Today I honestly heard every string
Thanks, Steve. This is what I was hoping to hear. Improving bass articulation is my biggest wish so I'm looking forward to trying them.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Most of the music on that disk are not demo tracks, but music to design by. Goes to show how much un-recovered resolution there is in redbook digital - even from the early 90's pop/rock music
I'm glad that you found more bass articulation in your system through a cheap (in the context of your system anyway) tweak. I know of audiophiles who would gone through a round or more of loudspeaker/DAC/cable/amplifier upgrades trying (and sometimes failing) to do what you just did.
I absolutely believe you heard every string there!!
I'm glad that you found more bass articulation in your system through a cheap (in the context of your system anyway) tweak. I know of audiophiles who would gone through a round or more of loudspeaker/DAC/cable/amplifier upgrades trying (and sometimes failing) to do what you just did.
I absolutely believe you heard every string there!!
One thing that I must admit...I am bothered somewhat by the increase in speaker height and hence a slight increase in distance from tweeter to ear at the sitting position. I feel that the soundstage height has risen giving a slight increase to singers' mouths
I want this to settle in for a few days and then I probably will move my upper mid bass module as well as the tweeter module forward one click. I did this before when I went from the rollers to spikes. The mouth was just too high. It resolved then by moving forward one click
I want this to settle in for a few days and then I probably will move my upper mid bass module as well as the tweeter module forward one click. I did this before when I went from the rollers to spikes. The mouth was just too high. It resolved then by moving forward one click
One thing you might want to try, if moving the modules doesn't work, is to get some good material (MAPLE wood, etc) and have it cut and stained to a color that works for you, and put these inserts under the four corners of your chair so that you are raising your ears off the floor the same distance that the increased ULTRAS raised the speaker of the floor. You can even have a slotted cut out made in the inserts that the chair sits in, so it acts as a barrier, to keep the chair from moving when ever you get up, etc.
Moving the upper midbass and tweeter modules forward one click will solve the problem
Steve, a quick question.. I have a friend who uses the Stillpoints under his Vandersteen 7's. He noted that with four under each speaker, that his Vandy's rocked a little (both side to side and front to back). He was also using the speakers on a 2nd story, like yours. Do you have any rocking of the speakers on the floor?
Stillpoint Ultra 5's do rock a wee bit. Under relarively light speakers like Vandersteen 7's, you can rock them a bit... With 650lb. Wilson's. not so much
I can't budge mine.
Christian you should try moving your upper modules forward one click
Christian, I think the Vandy 7's weigh 170lbs each..not exactly lightweight, albeit not 650 lbs either.
