I heard an early version perhaps the original a couple of years ago in an A B A scenario. I would be interested in reading from the beta testers of the new footers how they sound different from the previous footers.
How has the sound of your systems changed?
Peter,
As I have mentioned in my writings on the CMS2M footers, I have been a beta tester for the originals, the CMS's and now the CMS2M and have talked with Joe many times, not to mention having talked with other footer users and having listened extensively with the other two beta testers, (Steve and Marty and me the Three Amigos) and can say withiout any hesitation that while the break-in is less than a pleasure, once stabilized theswe footers are transformative to the systems that they are used in to the point that I now consider them an essential Component.
I will give you my estimate ot the comparisons between the three iterations of the footers.. The originals were a total uinknown to me, but as I beta tested therm I marveled at their impact on the sound, typically with an hour or two very impressive, albeit not perfect sound quality improvement in the realm of better soundstaging, resolution and ultimately when broken in (28 days for the originals) a much more cohesive sound from the my system, moving it more towards the sound of live performances.
I do not remember the amount of time until the CMS2's came out, which also included a new model the 1.5, but they were much easier to break in and much more refined than the originals. The sonic improvement is best described as every benefit you got with the originals was now amplified substantially, probably just shy of 100% improvement, with a marked increase in cohesiveness. I took advantage of Joe's then upgrade policy and returned all of muy CMS originals for upgrades to CMS2's and bought 8 CMS2 1.5's for my heavy amps (VAC 452"s) and my Taiko Extreme. It is important to note that the CMS 2 where modifications to the original CMS footer with external lasering to identify them as CMS2"s.
The CMS2's are so good that I have various sizes of all of the under every component in my Bucket List System which very high end. I even have them under external power supples. I have written WBF posts about My Bucket List System on a number of occasions saying I could not get the sound I get without the CMS2's throughout.
By virtue of being asked to be one of three Beta Testers for the CMS2M and because I have a very high end system where it is easier to he1.0'sar subtle differences, not to mention having been a beta tester for the original and CMS2's and them extensively, I was a natural choice to be a tester for the CMS2M's. Joe sent me 4 CMS2M 1.0's and 4 CMS2M's 1.5's He specifically asked me to replace the four CMS2's under my Taiko Audio Extrteme, which weigjht 94#'s and put the new 1.0's and after some break-in get back to him with my observations, which was that they were better thand the CMS2 1.5's in every way, but had a substantial break-in period. After about 2 weeks of break-in I already knew that this new technology, (which is a derivative of the LS speaker footer, which I own, but are not installled because Damon and Leif from VSA, who are both good friends at this poinnt and have visited me, wanterd to be present for the modications to my Ultra9's necessary to accommodate the footers.) was superior to the original footer technology and inserted 4 CMSM 1.5's under my Extreme. That level improvement was nothing short of jaw dropping---much bigger improvement than the CMS1's CMS2's made and quite simply something I had to have in my new Bucket List System, even though I am now retired and did not want to spend any more money on my system.
The level of impriovement was so substantial that I ordered another 20 CMS2M 1.5 footers' to suppliment the four I already had from Joe. I can tell you that they are still improving, with periodic digressions, to the point that I do not think I have ever heard a better system and I have had heard a lot. While the rest of my system is still sitting on CMS2's of various sizes, I want all of my core components (mono blocs, preamp, phono pre, music server and DAC are sitting on CMS2M's because they are that good, make that amazing. I have also been leaning on Damon and Leif to get here NJ from Riverside so we modify my 9's to accommodate the LS 1.5 speaker footers, which is the design base for the M series of CMS footers.
I have had company every day since my new footers arrived Thursday and did not want to risk degrading my overall sound by inserting so many new footers at once. But today I am going to put in the other 20 CMS2M's into my system and hope that the break-in I have endured with the 4 under my Extreme will be the same as what will happen the five components that will be up graded, meaning ,my entire signal path will benefit.
Any one using CMS2 footers in their system that have broken in knows that they are as good as any single compoent upgrade, if not better. So I do not know what all of the complaints are about, other than a reflection of those making the complaints, because the sonic benefits are amazing. I credit Joe with keeping the price down for the M's by not having to absorb the trade in cost, and discontinuing the CMS2 series because the M's are only moderately more expensive, but SO SO Much Better.
Keep your eyes open for my post when all of the new M 1.5's are broken in, I cannot conceive at this point what my system will sound like, other than it will clearly be more amazing that it already is, which is beyond my wildest dreams.
I hope that this help