Ultra 6 being released

[John49]

M

Yes, the 1/2-20 tap was added to the beveled half so that users can attach them to speakers or components using either side up using one of our adapters. This is important for a few reasons:
1) the beveled half contains the tech pockets and we've found in many instances, the closer the tech pocket to the component being isolated, the better the performance
2) we encourage experimenting because we have also found in some cases the other way around is best. You really need to listen to both to find out which is best in your application.
3) we make a spike that can help stabilize the Ultra 5 on thick, carpeted surfaces.

Also, having a tap on both sides allows for component attachment and use of a Ultra Base underneath to improve performance and stability(if you can't or don't want to use the spike).

John

Thank you John...that was very useful.

 

[allvinyl]

Ultra 6 Implementation

...

With the Ultra 6, it appears that the 5 pockets of technology are designed to be flush against the underside of a component bottom to drain energy from the component. I don't understand how this would work in a speaker application. With the Ultra 5, the device was meant to be slightly separated from the speaker bottom by perhaps a credit card width. With the Ultra 6, if the pockets face up to the speaker bottom - towards the vibration - separating them from the bottom of the speaker by a turn of the thread would render them ineffective. And reversing them so that the 5 pockets of technology face the floor would not work if you add a spike. And the one pocket of technology on the top would not make contact with the speaker bottom either if the device is threaded into the speaker bottom with a screw leaving a gap or space.

So perhaps this design with pockets of technology on top and bottom is most effective under components and not meant for a speaker application if it is also used with spikes or screws.

A few points:
1) Yes, the Ultra 6 was designed more for component isolation than for speaker isolation. Specifically, for use on the Grid rails of an ESS rack. The issue, then, is whether or not the component chassis bottom is undulating or flat. Best performance will obviously be realized when all 5 pads rest against the chassis with even pressure against all 5 pads.
2) The Ultra 6 could only be attached to a speaker using the single tech pocket pad. It has a 1/4-20 tap. The pads on the other side are not tapped, nor is the puck's center as on the Ultra 5.
3) Attaching the Ultra 6 to a speaker; yes, you would have to use single pad but you want to leave a space between the pad and speaker's surface above. Doing so provides a disrupted, rather than straight, path for the vibration to travel resulting in quicker and more effective dissipation of the vibration energy. It is the same reason you back the Hard Hat of the Ultra SS away from the pad. You don't want those 2 surfaces touching.

John

 

[allvinyl]

Ultra 5 & 6 Implementation

John,

Always appreciate your advice here...thank you. For those who use Ultra 5s screwed under big Wilsons...what is your view on the fact that the Wilson itself generates its own vibrations (particularly those bass cabinets on top of which sit the upper modules)...and the main tech pockets are not against the underside of the speaker.

OTOH, it is good that it 'defends' against the floor...but how about facing BOTH sides...floor AND underside of the speaker? Is this possible? Just curious if you think 4 Ultra 5s' worth of technology place against the underside of the speaker could dramatically reduce the speaker's internally-generated vibration or not.

Can the Ultra 6s help in this regard? Can you place them back to back underneath...5 face the underside of the space...on top of another Ultra 6 facing the floor? i know...crazy...just curious to learn how you all think about these.

First, John, Lloyd, and everyone, you are welcome. I am glad to contribute, hopefully helpful tidbits. It is helpful for me,as well, because we all have different ideas that should be explored.

There is no reason you couldn't create a sandwich of Ultra 5s or Ultra 6s. In the case of the U6 sandwich, I don't have any empirical evidence that it would specifically address a speaker's internal vibrations, if I understand your one question correctly. Additionally, I think the sandwich would work very well on speakers that sit on a hard surface. But, I believe carpet will present an issue of uneven loading of the tech pockets degrading performance. Also, I never recommend using any of our product for speakers without attaching them. It's just not worth the risk, to my way of thinking...

John

 

[LL21]

First, John, Lloyd, and everyone, you are welcome. I am glad to contribute, hopefully helpful tidbits. It is helpful for me,as well, because we all have different ideas that should be explored.

There is no reason you couldn't create a sandwich of Ultra 5s or Ultra 6s. In the case of the U6 sandwich, I don't have any empirical evidence that it would specifically address a speaker's internal vibrations, if I understand your one question correctly. Additionally, I think the sandwich would work very well on speakers that sit on a hard surface. But, I believe carpet will present an issue of uneven loading of the tech pockets degrading performance. Also, I never recommend using any of our product for speakers without attaching them. It's just not worth the risk, to my way of thinking...

John

Thank you. I think i will speak with your Distributor here in the UK who knows the system well (and my speakers). We will discuss if there is something that the 6s can be figured to do that would have a good chance of significantly outperforming the 5s.

I also feel that a sandwich of Ultra 6s would have to be securely attached to each other...ANYTHING sliding on top is dangerous, let alone speakers. I suppose one could place an Ultra 6 with the 5 tech pockets touching the underside of the main speaker ...and have the other side of the Ultra 6 then screwed into an Ultra 5 which then sits on the floor??

Yeesh...this is starting to sound crazy in any practical sense...but at least on a forum its just fun to ask...

 

[ack]

Better pictures

 

[LL21]

Thanks Ack! How many of these modules are now inside a 6?

 

[allvinyl]

Ultra 6 Implementation

Thanks Ack! How many of these modules are now inside a 6?

Hi Lloyd - as the name suggests there are 6 technology pockets in each Ultra 6. As illustrated in the first picture 'ack' provided, a technology pocket with a 1/4-20 tapped pad (as is the case under the Hard Hat of the Ultra SS) is centered on the side opposite the side with the 5 tech pockets around the circumference of the part. The U6 is not designed for use under speakers, but rather for use under components, either with a Ultra Base attached or without Ultra Base attached to a Grid shelf on a ESS rack. The Ultra 6 retails for $899 without Ultra Base, $939 with Ultra Base.

John

 

[LL21]

Hi Lloyd - as the name suggests there are 6 technology pockets in each Ultra 6. As illustrated in the first picture 'ack' provided, a technology pocket with a 1/4-20 tapped pad (as is the case under the Hard Hat of the Ultra SS) is centered on the side opposite the side with the 5 tech pockets around the circumference of the part. The U6 is not designed for use under speakers, but rather for use under components, either with a Ultra Base attached or without Ultra Base attached to a Grid shelf on a ESS rack. The Ultra 6 retails for $899 without Ultra Base, $939 with Ultra Base.

John

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[oldaudiodude]

The Ultra 6 is our newest product. This was design to give electronics the best possible resolution available today. We wanted to take our ESS rack to new heights and push the state of the art in instrument reproduction. Our Ultra 5 was robustly design with a heavy duty interface. Originally design for a grand Piano then taken to speakers and electronics. It's interface works extremely well with weight and pressures of loudspeakers. But the design had limits in it's performance when used with electronics. We also wanted to reduce the amount of space the foot ate up in our rack frames. While very similar in how it works to the Ultra 5 and LPI , it is a completely different product with small changes that allows the design to release more information into your listening room. The bass, image , soundstage, and midrange resolution are in a league by themselves. In time we will have a couple of wood interfaces to work with our Ultra products and yes one of our favorites is a tri laminated bamboo..

 

[Steve williams]

Bruce

Thanks for chiming in and first off welcome to WBF. Your expertise here in answering all things Stillpoints will be greatly appreciated by membership

 

[adyc]

The Ultra 6 is our newest product. This was design to give electronics the best possible resolution available today. We wanted to take our ESS rack to new heights and push the state of the art in instrument reproduction. Our Ultra 5 was robustly design with a heavy duty interface. Originally design for a grand Piano then taken to speakers and electronics. It's interface works extremely well with weight and pressures of loudspeakers. But the design had limits in it's performance when used with electronics. We also wanted to reduce the amount of space the foot ate up in our rack frames. While very similar in how it works to the Ultra 5 and LPI , it is a completely different product with small changes that allows the design to release more information into your listening room. The bass, image , soundstage, and midrange resolution are in a league by themselves. In time we will have a couple of wood interfaces to work with our Ultra products and yes one of our favorites is a tri laminated bamboo..

Can you let know us a bit more of the wood interfaces?

 

[LL21]

The Ultra 6 is our newest product. This was design to give electronics the best possible resolution available today. We wanted to take our ESS rack to new heights and push the state of the art in instrument reproduction. Our Ultra 5 was robustly design with a heavy duty interface. Originally design for a grand Piano then taken to speakers and electronics. It's interface works extremely well with weight and pressures of loudspeakers. But the design had limits in it's performance when used with electronics. We also wanted to reduce the amount of space the foot ate up in our rack frames. While very similar in how it works to the Ultra 5 and LPI , it is a completely different product with small changes that allows the design to release more information into your listening room. The bass, image , soundstage, and midrange resolution are in a league by themselves. In time we will have a couple of wood interfaces to work with our Ultra products and yes one of our favorites is a tri laminated bamboo..

Great to see you here...i own 28 Ultra 5 and an LPI. I also own 4 Apertures...all fantastic. Question: if you have curved walls, can the apertures be custom-made to follow the curvature of the wall?

 

[oldaudiodude]

A curved Aperture would be very expensive. We currently struggle to bring this product in at it's current price. However one could make a mount that could work on a curved wall.

 

[Steve williams]

I remain fascinated with Stillpoints now having a total of 20 Ultra 5's under my speakers and amps. It had always ben my goal to use Ultra 5's under my pair of Fathom subs. However having read Bruce's description that the Ultra 6's were designed to be placed under components rather than speakers, I just ordered 6 Ultra 6's for under my amps and plan on moving the 6 ultra 5's currently there to under my JL Audio Fathom subs

My amp is a dual mono dual power supply 4 box unit so I presently have a total of 12 Ultra 5's under my amp. I ordered only 6 Ultra 6's (for now) as I want to see if truly there is a difference when placed under my amp. I seemed to get the best return on investment when I placed the Ultra 5's under each power supply so this is where I will try initially. If the sonic benefits derived are indeed what Bruce is advocating, I will buy another 6 Ultra 6's for under the amp itself. I have been told by Bruce that 3 Ultra 6's will outperform 4 Ultra 5's (food for thought)

The Ultra 6's with bases have been shipped and I will have these by next week

 

[Jazzhead]

P

I remain fascinated with Stillpoints now having a total of 20 Ultra 5's under my speakers and amps. It had always ben my goal to use Ultra 5's under my pair of Fathom subs. However having read Bruce's description that the Ultra 6's were designed to be placed under components rather than speakers, I just ordered 6 Ultra 6's for under my amps and plan on moving the 6 ultra 5's currently there to under my JL Audio Fathom subs

My amp is a dual mono dual power supply 4 box unit so I presently have a total of 12 Ultra 5's under my amp. I ordered only 6 Ultra 6's (for now) as I want to see if truly there is a difference when placed under my amp. I seemed to get the best return on investment when I placed the Ultra 5's under each power supply so this is where I will try initially. If the sonic benefits derived are indeed what Bruce is advocating, I will buy another 6 Ultra 6's for under the amp itself. I have been told by Bruce that 3 Ultra 6's will outperform 4 Ultra 5's (food for thought)

The Ultra 6's with bases have been shipped and I will have these by next week

Look forward to your observations with great interest .

 

[edorr]

If anyone wants to offload 8 ultra 5's shoot me a PM. I might be interested at the right price - which is really low .

 

[Steve williams]

some initial thoughts re the Ultra 6's under my amp's power supplies can be seen here

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...Steve-Williams&p=310388&viewfull=1#post310388


edorr, it looks like I will have 6 Ultra 5's if you're interested

 

[rockitman]

it looks like I will have 6 Ultra 5's if you're interested

Lol....you are a bad influence. ?

 

[edorr]

OK. I scooped up Steve's set of 6, and just scored another 2 and the threaded inserts. I'll be trying these under my EA MM3s. One question. I have carpet on concrete. Any thoughts about if I should try to spike them through the carpet, or just place them on the carpet?

 

[LL21]

OK. I scooped up Steve's set of 6, and just scored another 2 and the threaded inserts. I'll be trying these under my EA MM3s. One question. I have carpet on concrete. Any thoughts about if I should try to spike them through the carpet, or just place them on the carpet?

I have spoken with several owners who put them straight onto the carpet and had success...try XV-1 here and ask him.