Stillpoints Ultra Vs - Wilson X1/Grand Slamms

How much difference does it make whether you have 3 or 4 Stillpoint Ultra 5's underneath each speaker?

I ask because a friend has offered to lend me his Ultra 5's to try under my speakers but he only has 6...
 
It would seem based on previous posts re orientation that it would be best to have the norrower side of the 5's in contact with the speakers..or am I confused?

In my system, the speakers have the Ultra 5s with the narrow side to the Floor. The reason is that the wider side of the Ultra 5 is where the screw goes in that then allows you to screw the entire Ultra 5 up into the base of the speaker itself...mandatory i would say for any heavy speaker. Just make sure not to screw it all the way tightly up against the underside of the speaker.

As for leaving an Ultra 5 on top of a component, then i found on my own before hearing from the Manufacturer (Allvinyl) that the narrow side down on top of the component was best. In fact, the distributor put it on top of my components wider base side down...and after he left, i played around a bit and found i preferred them with narrow side down and called him the next day to tell him.

Good luck.
 
How much difference does it make whether you have 3 or 4 Stillpoint Ultra 5's underneath each speaker?

I ask because a friend has offered to lend me his Ultra 5's to try under my speakers but he only has 6...

Can you screw those 3 into the speaker and be stable? or are you just resting the speaker on the 3? Recommend screwing them in...but Turntable has done otherwise and is very happy. The distributor said 4 is better than 3...i would imagine that is largely true. However, having also heard the Ultra 5 placed on top of certain areas on the transport...and sound worse...i suppose there is a chance 3 is better than 4. Instinctively, though, i doubt it...and would be inclined to bet 4 is better than 3.

Look forward to your impressions with the 3...if you can screw them in, that would be preferable. In my case, they put 4 on the Left speaker (before installing on the Right speaker) and i compared left channel to right...and despite having slightly different elements of the music coming thru each speaker...it was very, very clear the Left channel (with Ultra 5s screwed in)...was superior. Perhaps you could try that...by installing 4 of the 6 on only 1 speaker, and comparing L to R speaker.
 
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Can you screw those 3 into the speaker and be stable? or are you just resting the speaker on the 3? Recommend screwing them in...but Turntable has done otherwise and is very happy. The distributor said 4 is better than 3...i would imagine that is largely true. However, having also heard the Ultra 5 placed on top of certain areas on the transport...and sound worse...i suppose there is a chance 3 is better than 4. Instinctively, though, i doubt it...and would be inclined to bet 4 is better than 3.

Look forward to your impressions with the 3...if you can screw them in, that would be preferable. In my case, they put 4 on the Left speaker (before installing on the Right speaker) and i compared left channel to right...and despite having slightly different elements of the music coming thru each speaker...it was very, very clear the Left channel (with Ultra 5s screwed in)...was superior. Perhaps you could try that...by installing 4 of the 6 on only 1 speaker, and comparing L to R speaker.

Thanks for the response. In my case it'll be on Sashas so I can either screw 2 in and just use one 'loose' (and hope not to have an accident!) or try 4 just on one speaker like you suggested (I wouldn't have thought that was a good way to go but since you experienced it, I might do that).

I'm getting them tomorrow night - and at the same time Jim Smith is arriving to voice my system; should be a fun weekend!
 
Please let us know the difference that Jim Smith makes in the sound of your stereo system.
 
Thanks for the response. In my case it'll be on Sashas so I can either screw 2 in and just use one 'loose' (and hope not to have an accident!) or try 4 just on one speaker like you suggested (I wouldn't have thought that was a good way to go but since you experienced it, I might do that).

I'm getting them tomorrow night - and at the same time Jim Smith is arriving to voice my system; should be a fun weekend!
Floyd- might be fun to take some pics and eventually do a write up of the voicing process, assuming Jim doesn't have an objection.
Have fun!
 
Thanks for the response. In my case it'll be on Sashas so I can either screw 2 in and just use one 'loose' (and hope not to have an accident!) or try 4 just on one speaker like you suggested (I wouldn't have thought that was a good way to go but since you experienced it, I might do that).

I'm getting them tomorrow night - and at the same time Jim Smith is arriving to voice my system; should be a fun weekend!

Sounds good, but be careful with screwing in 2 and resting on the 3rd...they will likely be different heights. I would personally prefer you go for 4 properly screwed in...remember dont screw all the way tight...see the photos here which both Turntable and I have provided. Important. Turntable screwed his in tight and removed them when he found it muddy...and then remembered about leaving space...and now he has put them back in and kept them in permanently. Also, the Stillpoints have adaptor screws for every kind of screw width...there is an adaptor screw to fit into Wilson speakers as well. Hopefully, you can get them, or your friend will have them if he had Wilsons.
 
Please let us know the difference that Jim Smith makes in the sound of your stereo system.

Jim Smith came and voiced my system to my room in April, 2011. Here is a link to my write-up. It describes the results.

http:///Users/peterayer/Desktop/Jim Smith's RoomPlay

All I can say is that it made a profound improvement. And for the cost of the service, it is the highest value improvement that I have ever made to the enjoyment of my system. Floyd is familiar with the result and with that at my friend's house, down the street. The two of us are responsible in part for convincing Floyd to do Jim's RoomPlay service. Not only was my result excellent, spending the weekend with Jim and learning directly from someone so experienced was a real pleasure. Jim is a wonderful person and I strongly recommend his service.

Floyd should have much to say next week.
 
Jim Smith came and voiced my system to my room in April, 2011. Here is a link to my write-up. It describes the results.

http:///Users/peterayer/Desktop/Jim Smith's RoomPlay

All I can say is that it made a profound improvement. And for the cost of the service, it is the highest value improvement that I have ever made to the enjoyment of my system. Floyd is familiar with the result and with that at my friend's house, down the street. The two of us are responsible in part for convincing Floyd to do Jim's RoomPlay service. Not only was my result excellent, spending the weekend with Jim and learning directly from someone so experienced was a real pleasure. Jim is a wonderful person and I strongly recommend his service.

Floyd should have much to say next week.

Hi Peter - good to know! In fact, i tried to read your write-up, but the link does not work. Could you possibly re-post it? (unless i got it wrong somehow...i just clicked on it.)
 
Floyd- might be fun to take some pics and eventually do a write up of the voicing process, assuming Jim doesn't have an objection.
Have fun!

I'll see what I can do. I expect that I'll be moving the speakers around while he directs me but I could be wrong. Either way I'll provide feedback.

I'm very curious how this will turn out. I've spent many weekends trying to voice the speakers myself. While I'm not that methodical about it, I am fascinated by how much difference small movements make and I've often been misled because of a gain in one area only to eventually realize the loss in another. I somehow feel my speakers have been everywhere in my room, but of course I'm probably wrong. I'm also very curious to learn where the best listening position is - and how far it is from where I currently listen, etc. All in all it will be very educational.
 
I'll see what I can do. I expect that I'll be moving the speakers around while he directs me but I could be wrong. Either way I'll provide feedback.

I'm very curious how this will turn out. I've spent many weekends trying to voice the speakers myself. While I'm not that methodical about it, I am fascinated by how much difference small movements make and I've often been misled because of a gain in one area only to eventually realize the loss in another. I somehow feel my speakers have been everywhere in my room, but of course I'm probably wrong. I'm also very curious to learn where the best listening position is - and how far it is from where I currently listen, etc. All in all it will be very educational.

That is why I use masking tape to mark where they are and where they have been as you move them around.
 
That is why I use masking tape to mark where they are and where they have been as you move them around.

Oh I do that all right. I use blue painter tape and at any given time there are at least 4 sets of tape marks. While I like to experiment, I would never do it without the safety net of being able to move them back to exactly where they were. :)
 
Jim Smith came and voiced my system to my room in April, 2011. Here is a link to my write-up. It describes the results.

http:///Users/peterayer/Desktop/Jim Smith's RoomPlay

All I can say is that it made a profound improvement. And for the cost of the service, it is the highest value improvement that I have ever made to the enjoyment of my system. Floyd is familiar with the result and with that at my friend's house, down the street. The two of us are responsible in part for convincing Floyd to do Jim's RoomPlay service. Not only was my result excellent, spending the weekend with Jim and learning directly from someone so experienced was a real pleasure. Jim is a wonderful person and I strongly recommend his service.

Floyd should have much to say next week.

I could not post a link to my write-up of Jim's RoomPlay session, so I posted it under the "Member's Reviews" section. It can be viewed there. Thanks, Peter
 
I'll see what I can do. I expect that I'll be moving the speakers around while he directs me but I could be wrong. Either way I'll provide feedback.

I'm very curious how this will turn out. I've spent many weekends trying to voice the speakers myself. While I'm not that methodical about it, I am fascinated by how much difference small movements make and I've often been misled because of a gain in one area only to eventually realize the loss in another. I somehow feel my speakers have been everywhere in my room, but of course I'm probably wrong. I'm also very curious to learn where the best listening position is - and how far it is from where I currently listen, etc. All in all it will be very educational.

I have access to a fellow that Wilson sends around the globe to setup speakers. He is very focused on room setup before speaker setup. If interested, let me know and I can put you in contact with him.
 
Just letting everyone know that Jim Smith postponed the voicing session for two weeks on account of the Boston bombings (manhunt was going on the day he was supposed to arrive).
 
I have access to a fellow that Wilson sends around the globe to setup speakers. He is very focused on room setup before speaker setup. If interested, let me know and I can put you in contact with him.

I have voiced quite a few Wilson systems, including a number done by their people and/or dealers that employed the WASP system.

Of those, I suppose my favorite set-ups were done by Peter McGrath at Wilson, whom I've known since the 70's. A classy guy, and he can hear.

They do a nice job.

Re the postponement, I admit to being sufficiently unsure of the conditions that I postponed my flight into Boston last Friday. Looking forward to seeing MadFloyd on Friday the 3rd!
 
getting back on the stillpoints topic. Sadly ($$$$$), I can confirm that the LP1 seems to improve any source component it is placed on top of. I just tried them on my amps. Next up, putting the Ultra 5's under the amps and lp1's on the top.
 

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