Vibrations and cable network boxes

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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So now I have had a chance to really listen to the isolated networks. I also switched back to placing them on the floor for a few days and then returned them back to the Vibraplanes. The difference is interesting. Up on the isolation, the sound is a bit more focused and clean. Details and dynamics are slightly more clear and violins and piano sound more like what I hear at the symphony. But it also reveals better the flaws in less than great recordings. On the floor, the bass seems warmer and slightly bigger or "fatter". There is a bit more color and euphonic character to the sound which is extremely pleasant, but it is a bit slower and I think slightly less accurate. It is also a more forgiving sound. Both ways sound very good, and if I did not hear both, I would not know the difference and could easily live with either.

I have little experience with tubes in my system, though I have heard plenty of other systems with tubes. The difference I hear when the network boxes are not isolated and sitting on the floor is similar to the way people describe adding a tubed component into the system chain. "It adds just the right amount of warmth, body and midrange bloom. It is so smooth and lovely sounding. Very musical and less analytical, etc. etc." I don't want to debate tubes vs SS, but that should help describe the differences I hear.

I am biased toward a cleaner, more accurate sound, so for the time being, I will leave the networks up on the Vibraplanes. But I can see wanting to try them on the floor again in the future for a slightly different sound.

I wonder if you will be able to 'chase down' if there is something else in the system (with the isolation on for your network boxes) that may alleviate some of the hard ride of your analytical character. It may very well be that the music itself is hard...the rest of your system may well be mellifluous.

The only reason I say this is because when I placed my Gryphon amp up on an Auralex isolation platform, I got a lot more space in between my notes, and the soundstage pushed back several feet...I loved that. I knew my floor was 'terrible' for vibration. But the treble hardened and it really really irritated me to have to have some benefit and also to go backwards elsewhere. Then, when I damped the top of the Gryphon with an Artesania damper and about 20kg of brass weights...so the amp was basically in an 'isolation sandwich' the sweetness and purity of tone not only returned...it was purer without the 'noise' from my floor. so clearly the initial experiment (for me) was worth doing as it led to the ensuing 'chase' to find where the other bits of improvement lay.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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I wonder if you will be able to 'chase down' if there is something else in the system (with the isolation on for your network boxes) that may alleviate some of the hard ride of your analytical character. It may very well be that the music itself is hard...the rest of your system may well be mellifluous.

so clearly the initial experiment (for me) was worth doing as it led to the ensuing 'chase' to find where the other bits of improvement lay.

Yes, what you write makes sense and the increased transparency may indeed help me to pursue other improvements. I am trying to chase down noise for example and this may help that pursuit. But I hear no "hard ride of your analytical character" which I need to alleviate. What I'm hearing sounds to me to be slightly more accurate and like real music. "Analytical" seems to have a negative connotation, like "sterile". I prefer "accurate". I'm not hearing anything negative. The system is slightly less forgiving now and therefor reveals better slight problems in some recordings. So, yes, it may be on some records "that the music itself is hard".
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Yes, what you write makes sense and the increased transparency may indeed help me to pursue other improvements. I am trying to chase down noise for example and this may help that pursuit. But I hear no "hard ride of your analytical character" which I need to alleviate. What I'm hearing sounds to me to be slightly more accurate and like real music. "Analytical" seems to have a negative connotation, like "sterile". I prefer "accurate". I'm not hearing anything negative. The system is slightly less forgiving now and therefor reveals better slight problems in some recordings. So, yes, it may be on some records "that the music itself is hard".

Hey...its what we all live for. Congrats. And I hear you on the use of the term analytical...I find it a positive in the right situation as well. In my case, the original X1s (which I own) are a bit of a microscope...actually that was the actual word Martin Colloms used in his review in July 1994 (I have it and refer to it from time to time)...'acting as a microscope all the way back through the reproduction chain' I think is what he actually wrote. Because I know the speakers highly analytical and somewhat unforgiving presentation of whatever signal it is fed, I have been very very careful about the 'voicing' of my signal (Zanden, CJ, Gryphon, Transparent). But in the end, because I like those components, something highly analytical is actually a nice thing because I feel like I get to really hear that voice. (as compared to my earlier SF Strads, where it too was voicing the signal...which I think in retrospect was a bit much at times.)
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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I did try the lion book ends on top of the networks thinking it would dampen vibrations through mass. This was in addition to the networks being placed on top of a paperback book and bubble wrap. I found that the lion book ends did not make a difference and they looked kind of silly. The bubble wrap made a very subtle improvement.

Now up on the Vibraplanes, the improvement seems less subtle, but still not significant on most music. By comparison, the turntable and amps were immediately and significantly improved. I need some more time to sort out the differences for the networks.

These cables, and components in general, are designed (and voiced) to sound one way, and I'm sure the guys up at Transparent were not listening to these while isolated on Vibraplanes....

FWIW, I use Entreq Vibb Eaters on top of mine...big ones. I happened to have them lying around while we were putting them up in the Wilson upper modules...and I thought based on this thread...try it. They have stayed. Our floor vibrates a lot and the entire system has now some kind of isolation from the floor incl speakers. Solidity of image, note...same as found elsewhere in the system.
 

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