Incredible Stillpoints

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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Though we've been fiddling with the Entreq grounding boxes for a couple of years, it's been several months since I've had any of it in my system. Additionally, in that interim I have installed a Shunyata Hydra A/V, Typhon, and attendant PCs. When we receive our shipment from Sweden, Paul wants me to take some of it home and reassess it in the system. I think it's only fair that I re-do that again before I comment as it has been months since I've used it and I've also made several changes to the system.

John

Thanks John
 

rbbert

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Dec 12, 2010
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So who of you Ultra 5 on carpet users have installed the spikes?
 

Jazzhead

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Aug 26, 2012
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Discussions galore on the the Ultra 5 , not so much on the ESS rack . Any users around here ?
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
So who of you Ultra 5 on carpet users have installed the spikes?

not I

I am quite content with my Ultra 5's under my speakers. I even have them bevel side down against the carpet and have had no issues
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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not I

I am quite content with my Ultra 5's under my speakers. I even have them bevel side down against the carpet and have had no issues

same here...beveled side down on the carpet. My 5's were the older ones w/o the thread on the beveled side. If I had those I might have had beveled side up towards the speaker bottom. I'm not losing any sleep over it however.
 

the sound of Tao

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Jul 18, 2014
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Cyclops stack

A few weeks ago I trialled what I have come to lovingly now refer to as the Cyclops stack... I hoped to get some kind of marginal gain over the previous arrangement where the pair of Cyclops were sitting separately on their 4 x Ultra 5s. Given how good it was sounding I wasn't expecting much.

I'd have to say now that it has proven probably the most significant step up that I have had from Stillpoints since getting everything up on Ultra 5s system wide. Not sure it actually doubles the performance but it certainly effectively doubles the U5s involved in power delivery.

The way I read the benefits now trickling (or coursing) through the system is that the Cyclops below seems to get not only the benefit of the additional mass loading by having another Cyclops on top it is also having 4 additional Ultra 5s working for it (4 above and 4 below) while the Cyclops up top now effectively gets 8 x Ultra 5s working underneath it. The better isolated components up top feed into a much better isolated amp below.

Beyond this the Chord, Shindo and Magtech not only are getting extraordinarily dynamic track level power performance in terms of the energy fed to them from the Shunyata conditioners it is also making less work required for each of the following components own sets of Ultra 5s.

At the end of all this individual power conditioning and component isolation the Maggie 20.7s are also up on their 4 x Ultra 5s just letting through the thunderous dynamics that Ultra5s can bring over the SS and minis giving extraordinary signal dynamics, speed and resolution due to what seems a 'sum greater than the total of individual parts' kind of revelatory composite low noise floor. All that ceramic and steel upstream making music well beyond what I had imagined possible given the nature of the relatively modest individual components.

Going all Ultra 5 has been a bit of a test of faith in investment in terms of infrastructure as part of the system cost but that said it certainly has proven way more than worth it.

Ultra 5s are not plug and play for components and need a lot of playing with use of mass loading to make work. Certainly in some ways potentially a bit controversial as an approach but I have to say given the shift in system sound it really has been a resounding win. All up some 30 Ultra 5s employed in the setup but probably most of all now really loving the Cyclops stack! Next up trying thread adaptors for the U5s direct into the Cyclops.

Warning do not try this approach at home without discussing it with your significant other first... they will probably notice!

Graham

Cyclops Stack.JPG
 
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Jazzhead

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Tao ..... plain amazing !!!!!!!!!
 

the sound of Tao

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Thanks Jazz, think I've maybe been pushing the boundaries a bit with the shiny things tho in this case it worked good.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Great stuff Tao!!! Great to read and learn your experiences here...quite the effort!

In my own case, i have put each component (9 boxes from source to amp), the speaker cable network boxes and the Sub in its own 'isolation sandwich' comprised of Auralex platforms, Ultra 5s or HRS M3X/Nimbus underneath and HRS/Artesania Damping Plates on top (in a few cases with as much as 70lbs of brass weights on top). I also have an isolation sandwich for my big Wilsons (though i am still working on a much bigger/better mass damping solution for these).
 

the sound of Tao

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LL - I did take a fair measure of inspiration from your earlier explorations with the sandwich before having a go at the stack. It has been an eye opener to see how trickle down from the conditioners has played throughout the system. John's hierarchy of implementation speakers first then conditioners is making perfect sense.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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LL - I did take a fair measure of inspiration from your earlier explorations with the sandwich before having a go at the stack. It has been an eye opener to see how trickle down from the conditioners has played throughout the system. John's hierarchy of implementation speakers first then conditioners is making perfect sense.

Wow...i am glad to have been helpful. And yes, totally agree...i have learned a TON after first trying Stillpoints/HRS in my system. Mechanical isolation has been a tremendous experience and very rewarding. And i am still learning which is great.
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Speaking of adapters that screw in, the bottom of one of my Alexias has a tight threading. I can't screw a Stillpoint into it - it goes a 1/4" and gets stuck. Very stuck. I can't even screw in the Wilson spike without it getting stuck at the same point. The speaker came like this and I was able to use an allen wrench on the spike to force it in, but the Stillpoint adapters don't have this feature.

Any thoughts?

Anyone have tips on removing stuck Stillpoint adapters?

I agree Floyd. I wouldn't expect problems screwing the adapter into the Ultra 5 as the exact size is known but not so sure about exact sizes for what the other end is going into. Of my 8, I had 2 that required some muscle and finesse to get them screwed in. I commented at the time that it would be good to have the Allen head insert on the other end as well

Fortunately the adapters are inexpensive but I caution you re possible stripping of the Wilson tap site

You can't do this with the Wilson adapters as the ends are different sizes and not reversible.

This is precisely why I have used the Wilson Diodes into the underside of the speaker and the Stillpoints with adaptor as a replacement for the spikes.

I do not have the worry of stripping the Wilson speaker tap thread and very easy to remove the Stillpoints.

I found sound quality is clearer when diode is not coupled to underside of speaker and Stillpoints not touching Wilson Diode. YMMV


8265780761_617388902b_b.jpg


8266850646_43fec87ef4_b.jpg
 

allvinyl

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Apr 10, 2013
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Stillpoints Adapter Stuck

This is precisely why I have used the Wilson Diodes into the underside of the speaker and the Stillpoints with adaptor as a replacement for the spikes.

I do not have the worry of stripping the Wilson speaker tap thread and very easy to remove the Stillpoints.

I found sound quality is clearer when diode is not coupled to underside of speaker and Stillpoints not touching Wilson Diode. YMMV

Though we do not document this with our products (we should), it is always advisable to use a "anti seize" compound when using stainless. This is especially true when using stainless on stainless.

John
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
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Finally got around to installing 8 Ultra 5's under my evolution acoustics MM3. Not at all disappointed (I also set low expectations for "tweaks" - it they work really well its a big bonus). More articulate low and mid-bass, throwing bigger image and better decay. I can almost justify spending this type of money on "footers", but just to be on the safe side I won't tell my wife what they sell for (even if I got a killer deal from from Steve on a used set).
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Finally got around to installing 8 Ultra 5's under my evolution acoustics MM3. Not at all disappointed (I also set low expectations for "tweaks" - it they work really well its a big bonus). More articulate low and mid-bass, throwing bigger image and better decay. I can almost justify spending this type of money on "footers", but just to be on the safe side I won't tell my wife what they sell for (even if I got a killer deal from from Steve on a used set).

Glad you're enjoying them Erik.

They were quite a revelation for me when I put them under my speakers. I have the new Ultra 6's now under my amp and power supply. These came from under my amp before the Ultra 6's
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Finally got around to installing 8 Ultra 5's under my evolution acoustics MM3. Not at all disappointed (I also set low expectations for "tweaks" - it they work really well its a big bonus). More articulate low and mid-bass, throwing bigger image and better decay. I can almost justify spending this type of money on "footers", but just to be on the safe side I won't tell my wife what they sell for (even if I got a killer deal from from Steve on a used set).

Congrats. That's a pretty big set of speakers that already has a lot of adjustability...so if you're getting better low and midbass articulation and better decay, that is quite impressive. Enjoy.
 

skljesus

New Member
Jun 18, 2016
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Stillpoints under Weiss

I agree with you all. I have stillpoints mini to My preamplifier and drive and they are really good. I live in Sweden and they are rediciliusly expensive here, I buy them from other countries. I have never tried under my speakers but Im curius about how the ultra ss will work. Next I Will buy mini to My weiss-dac.

Read your post. I own the Weiss man 301.
Have you purchase your Stillpoints as you were intending to ?
If yes, where have you positioned the Stillpoints. I have the minis. Just can't get the positioning right, so despite the expenditure, I have no real benefit.
Please advise.
Thanks
 

Krelle

Well-Known Member
Aug 5, 2013
167
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Stockholm Sweden
Hello skljesus! Im sorry I missed your question. Yes I used 4 under dac and and 4 under preamplifier before. I used Two in the back then one in the middle and then one in the middle in the front. I thought that worked well. Now I use all 8 under My "bookshelf " speakers, between speakers and stands. They work even better there. Take care, regards Krelle
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,376
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Hi gents,

I have just accepted an invitation to replace Stillpoints U5s with U6s under my Zanden Transport PSU and Burmester 948 Ref Power Conditioner. I decided if I did not hear a difference in 30 seconds, they were going back in the box and off to the Distributor. Although I could trade in...it is expensive...and hey, how much better could a U6 than a U5 anyway? Subtle nuances were not where i wanted to focus time for something so costly.

I continue to learn about how important isolation, power, PSUs in particular are towards great, clear sound. The 8 U6s are staying.

HEALTH NOTE: I still use HRS Nimbus Couplers between the underside of equipment and the top of the Ultra 6s/Ultra Bases. That is a must-have for me in my system.

Nevertheless, improvements in bass and deep bass articulation...and when the bass notes get heavy...now, there is a lot less interference with the uppers and mids...the uppers and mids seem far freer of the bass hits which means you get clarity of both...particularly fun in deep house/electronic.

But equally, Glenn Gould gives a lot more balanced presentation in left hand and right hand on the pianos.

I am still finetuning placement underneath the Burmester as I found last time (and again now) that this matters a lot. But more than a pleasant surprise.
 

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