Natural Sound

[dcathro]

I tap it and listen. Then I play music and listen. I keep adjusting until I am happy with the sound. After a while, I learned to correlate the amount of resonance in the plate with what sounds good from the system. I like having the ability to fine tune the sound of the rack to taste. It is subjective.

I find it very interesting that this approach ( tuned high mass ) works for you and David. In the past when I have put equipment on high mass supports (dense wood) it has not worked for me. I have always liked light yet stiff supports.

Recently, however, I have purchased, on recommendation, a commercial Naim Fraim rack which is very different to my past supports, yet has brought improvement.

It shows that there are different ways to climb the mountain.

 

[bazelio]

Wood and steel sound different. There's more to the story than mass. Steel plates have been very effective for me under amplifiers and turn tables.

 

[dcathro]

Wood and steel sound different. There's more to the story than mass. Steel plates have been very effective for me under amplifiers and turn tables.

Haven't tried steel plates, but I have tried stone, granite and Marble - didn't like any of them at the time.

 

[PeterA]

Wood and steel sound different. There's more to the story than mass. Steel plates have been very effective for me under amplifiers and turn tables.

Yes indeed. I remember that we were comparing notes at the time doing the same experiments. Thank you again for the source of the O rings. Steel has much higher mass than wood. All of the these materials sound different. Tuned steel worked best for me.

 

[bazelio]

Ralph,

This simple solution is only possible if we find acceptable to include the current inrush limiter is series with the mains and transformer primary. Many designers - and audiophiles - consider it inadmissible.

Yet you previously spoke of the time delay relay shunting of a resistor or thermistor. It should not need to be "inadmissible" if it gets shunted out. Easier yet, just switch the filament and HT supplies separately.

 

[bazelio]

Yes indeed. I remember that we were comparing notes at the time doing the same experiments. Thank you again for the source of the O rings. Steel has much higher mass than wood. All of the these materials sound different. Tuned steel worked best for me.

Peter, I scrolled back and didn't notice where the need for the new rack arose. Did you upgrade a component that introduced additional power supply boxes?

 

[microstrip]

Yet you previously spoke of the time delay relay shunting of a resistor or thermistor. It should not need to be "inadmissible" if it gets shunted out. Easier yet, just switch the filament and HT supplies separately.

Please read Ralph original post - the main advantage of of the current inrush limiter is simplicity and low price. https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/natural-sound.32867/post-878741 . Shunting it with an external circuit kills the referred points.

 

[PeterA]

Peter, I scrolled back and didn't notice where the need for the new rack arose. Did you upgrade a component that introduced additional power supply boxes?

Yes. I replaced my one box Lamm LP 2.1 Delux with the three box Lamm LP1 Signature. I made this additional rack for the two new power supplies.

 

[PeterA]

Love that stack of 4 van den Hul cartridge boxes by the left speaker!

Tim, yes, there are six cartridges there on the floor, two current vdHs, one older XPP, and three vintage, plus the two on the table. Lots of spares to check for sample variations and keep me busy for quite a while.

 

[PeterA]

I find it very interesting that this approach ( tuned high mass ) works for you and David. In the past when I have put equipment on high mass supports (dense wood) it has not worked for me. I have always liked light yet stiff supports.

Recently, however, I have purchased, on recommendation, a commercial Naim Fraim rack which is very different to my past supports, yet has brought improvement.

It shows that there are different ways to climb the mountain.

dcathro, it works well, and I like having the ability to fine tune to the specific system, room, and taste. Steel has quite a bit more mass than even the densest woods. And they sound different.

Yes, there are certainly different approaches one can choose in this fascinating hobby.

 

[christoph]

Haven't tried steel plates, but I have tried stone, granite and Marble - didn't like any of them at the time.

What is your favorite, then?

 

[dcathro]

What is your favorite, then?

Years ago I used Mana racks.



I also found that light weight rigid timber tables (think nested tables or the Ikea Lak) worked well.



For the past 15 years I have been using Isoblue racks



I have just bought a Naim Fraim and have found that to work very well.

 

[bazelio]

Yes. I replaced my one box Lamm LP 2.1 Delux with the three box Lamm LP1 Signature. I made this additional rack for the two new power supplies.

Did you post any comparative listening notes Peter? This thread is so long and meandering, but I'd search backwards if I know this comparison is back there somewhere!

 

[PeterA]

Did you post any comparative listening notes Peter? This thread is so long and meandering, but I'd search backwards if I know this comparison is back there somewhere!

I share my early impressions in post 4132 and then a friend who heard the system and knows it well shared his impressions in post 4215.

 

[Wavetouch]

@ PeterA Do you have a live recorded video of your audio system? I love to hear your system.​

Alex/Wavetouch

 

[PeterA]

@ PeterA Do you have a live recorded video of your audio system? I love to hear your system.​

Alex/Wavetouch

Hello Alex,

I have many videos scattered about this thread and on the various "video" threads on WBF. This one is of the system as it sounds right now.

 

[tima]

Love the Kuijken as much as the Grumiaux S & P.. Getting a bit harder to find on vinyl.

Johann Sebastian Bach, Sigiswald Kuijken - Sonates et Partitas Pour Violon Seul BWV 1001-1006 (Vinyl, France, 1983) For Sale | Discogs

Shop the 1983 France Vinyl release of Sonates et Partitas Pour Violon Seul BWV 1001-1006 by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sigiswald Kuijken at Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[Wavetouch]

Hello Alex, I have many videos scattered about this thread and on the various "video" threads on WBF. This one is of the system as it sounds right now.

OMG!! The best of the best sound I've heard. Balanced, no brightness, no veil, powerful bass with right amount of mid/high, perfect speed with musicality. I've heard many, so called, world greatest audio systems and your system tops them all. Congrats!
Alex/Wavetouch

 

[PeterA]

OMG!! The best of the best sound I've heard. Balanced, no brightness, no veil, powerful bass with right amount of mid/high, perfect speed with musicality. I've heard many, so called, world greatest audio systems and your system tops them all. Congrats!
Alex/Wavetouch

Thank you Alex. It is only a system video made with a hand-held iPhone, so it only presents a general impression of what I actually hear in the room. It is a tough piece of music with a lot of information, but a good performance and recording. I am glad you like it.

 

[hopkins]

Hello Alex,

I have many videos scattered about this thread and on the various "video" threads on WBF. This one is of the system as it sounds right now.

There are many things to like here, but the tone of the midrange is quite different than what I hear on the album. It could be a lot of reverb in that frequency range. I don't know.

Do you hear the difference with your recording ?