Rize footers by critical mass systems

hoosiertom

New Member
Nov 28, 2013
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Rize Footers Ordered

Just ordered a set of Rize footers (by Critical Mass Systems) from Geoff @ Glen Poor Audio.

They should arrive next week.

Tom
SE MI
 
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JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Manila, Philippines
I can't seem to keep my personal stash of RiZEs. They are constantly getting borrowed and none have ever come back. I use them in my bedroom system where I do not have space for PXK or QXK racks. I recently ordered the 8M loudspeaker variant. I'm curious what these will do.
 

hoosiertom

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Nov 28, 2013
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Thanks for the reply.. I was beginning to wonder why there hasn't been any feedback....So, I finally ordered a set....

Stillpoints seems to have the visibility and reviews. Can't wait to try them out

Tom
SE MI
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Thanks for the reply.. I was beginning to wonder why there hasn't been any feedback....So, I finally ordered a set....

Stillpoints seems to have the visibility and reviews. Can't wait to try them out

Tom
SE MI

Congrats. Pls post your findings...enjoy!
 

Suteetat

New Member
Sep 3, 2013
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Bangkok
Funny, my local dealer just lent me a set of Critical Mass Rize. In the past, I tried many cones, feet and platforms for my Playback MPS-5 including Symposium Ultra, Wave Kinetic A10-u8 and ended up with Magico QPods as the best footers (for PD only though, for my preamp and phono, I prefer Wave Kinetics). Preliminary, Critical Mass Rize performs roughly on the same level as QPods, I think. Everything sounds a little more light weight with Critical Mass but with wider stage, more clarity and detail across the board. A little bit more polite overall. I am just trying these for fun though as I have QXK rack on order and I won't need any footers after that.
 

JackD201

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Apr 20, 2010
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Clarity and pitch definition are CMS' forte and that's exactly my preference since projection of space is a hot button for my personal enjoyment. I can easily get more tone colour or additional weight by rolling a pair of tubes and calibrating my low end differently.
 

Suteetat

New Member
Sep 3, 2013
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Forgot to mention, I was told that after installing, I was supposed to wait a couple of days for things to settle. I only listen to my CD source for a couple of hours immediately after installing the footers so I will have to see if things will continue to improve or not.
 
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LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Clarity and pitch definition are CMS' forte and that's exactly my preference since projection of space is a hot button for my personal enjoyment. I can easily get more tone colour or additional weight by rolling a pair of tubes and calibrating my low end differently.

I felt similarly to the Ultra 5s when placed under my power/power supply components...and thus I added HRS Nimbus Couplers in between the components and the Ultra 5...and that extra bit was all I needed to get it spot on (for my system and ears).
 

Suteetat

New Member
Sep 3, 2013
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Bangkok
Oh well, I spoke too soon. So 24H after installing the footers, things are improving quite a bit. The light weight tonal balance is gone. The bass is fuller, the midrange gains a bit more richness but all the detail and soundstage remains impressive as before. If just the footers can do this, I can hardly wait for the rack to arrive!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Oh well, I spoke too soon. So 24H after installing the footers, things are improving quite a bit. The light weight tonal balance is gone. The bass is fuller, the midrange gains a bit more richness but all the detail and soundstage remains impressive as before. If just the footers can do this, I can hardly wait for the rack to arrive!

Good news! Look forward to seeing if improvements continue...
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
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If just the footers can do this, I can hardly wait for the rack to arrive!

Hold on to your hat, it's gonna be a great ride. ;)
 

hoosiertom

New Member
Nov 28, 2013
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0
Oh well, I spoke too soon. So 24H after installing the footers, things are improving quite a bit. The light weight tonal balance is gone. The bass is fuller, the midrange gains a bit more richness but all the detail and soundstage remains impressive as before. If just the footers can do this, I can hardly wait for the rack to arrive!

I's great to hear that the footers are 'settling in" so to speak....

Your rack should blow your mind... keep us in the loop... Rack arrival date ??

All the best,

Tom
SE MI
 

Suteetat

New Member
Sep 3, 2013
42
1
0
Bangkok
I's great to hear that the footers are 'settling in" so to speak....

Your rack should blow your mind... keep us in the loop... Rack arrival date ??

All the best,

Tom
SE MI

Thanks Tom, it probably will be another 2 months. My local dealer just ordered a few racks a month ago and I have to special order amp stands for my Ayon Titan as the Titan won't fit on regular size platform. I was told that it would take two months then another month to ship via container as it would be way too expensive by air.
 

hoosiertom

New Member
Nov 28, 2013
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Rize footers arrived early this A.M.... Previously the only Stillpoints that I could afford are the Min-Risers, which are not directly comparable with the Stillpoint SS footers or the Rize component footers

With only 10 hours of break-in the Rize footers are exhibiting a significant difference. Can't wait to hear how they sound once they settle in with more hours of listening. Wish I knew someone in the SE MI area who had the Stillpoint SS, I'd like to do an A/B comparison.

Initial Impressions:
Music more emotionally involving PRAT
Quite a few undiscovered details from familiar music found
Resolution; more solid/palpable
While not inexpensive, improvement is significant...
Wish I'd tried them earlier !!!


Some demo listening today included:
Nick Drake A Treasury SACD
Ali Farka Toure/ RY Cooder Talking Timbuktu cd
Prokfieff Lt. Kije/ Stravinsky Song of the Nightingale JVC XRCD
Madelaine Peyroux Careless Love cd
Bob Dylan Blood On The Tracks MoFi SACD
Johanna Martzy Bach Sonatas and Partitas Testament cd
AP Living Stereo SACDs:
Resphigi Pines/Fountains of Rome
Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition
Rimsky-Korsakoff Scherazade
Gershwin Rhapsody In Blue/ An American in Paris
Stravinsky Firebird Dorati/LSO Mercury Living Presence SACD
Arnold English, Irish,Scotish & Cornish Dances Lyrita cd

Sun Kil Moon (Mark Kozelek) Admiral Fell Promises caldo verde cd
The Michael Wolff Trio 2 AM cd
Came So Far Captain Luke & blues artists Music Maker Recordings
Keith Jarrett/ Charlie Haden
Jasmine ECM cd
Fairfield Four Standing in the safety Zone WB cd
Nijam Plays Liszt RR HDCD
Kate 7 Anna McGarrigle Heartbeats Accelerating cd
Mighty Sam McClain Give it up to Love JVC XRCD
Art Lande While She Sleeps Blue Coast SACD
Lyle Lovett Joshua Judges Ruth CD
Grateful Dead American Beauty CD
Garcia/Grisman cd
Nancy Bryan Lay Me Down JVC XRCD
Counting Crows August & Everything After AP SACD
& more...
Elgar Enigma Variations RR SACD

More later...


Tom SE MI
 
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hoosiertom

New Member
Nov 28, 2013
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Sorry for the delay... I've been dealing with the ongoing issues in my recovery from stage 4 throat cancer... But I'm on the right side of the grass :D

The Rize footers have been a serious improvement over he less expensive, but over-performing for the price, Stillpoint Ultra Mini risers

The Stillpoint are now under my Candella preamp and have improved the sound further. I still prefer The Rize footers under he Modwright Sony ES 5400 player.

The retrieval of previously unheard details on familiar music is gratifying. Improvements in all ranges and soundstage and thus, enjoyment, is akin to a component upgrade.

As budget allows, I'd like to try more Rize Footers and evaluate them against the Stillpoin Ultra SS.

Back to 2 AM by the Michael Wolff Trio... One of my favorites performances and a superb recording to boot... :)
 

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
1,577
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Midwest fly over state..
I'm as skeptical as they come in this hobby so when someone waxes eloquent about how this or that parted the clouds I move along to something more believable like unicorns or tooth fairies. I have no idea as to the how or the why but my sonics have changed dramatically from the get go and I think for the better so let me explain. First of all I did two things while I had my daughter and son in law captive...they supplied the good lower backs. In addition to adding the footers I removed the little rubber spikes that separate the M/T unit from the bass unit on my VSA VR5 Anniversary speakers and installed 1/2" thick sorbothane discs...5 per speaker, between cabinets so not sure which to credit for the changes. Initially my reaction was "wow something has changed but not sure I can live with it". Micro sounds are much more pronounced now...bell sounds, percussives...etc. and the sonics are much more vivid that what I'm used to being produced by the MAC-VSA synergy. The micros were always there but somewhat recessed. I listened to familiar track after track and still wasn't sure especially with voice sibilance. On instrumentals it's to die for both the high freq and low freq stuff...very very palatable. It's like I upgraded my 501s....it's that dramatic. I'm beginning to come around to believing that I have unlocked the VR5s true potential so will live with this and see how we get along. The only breaking in required is on my part and I seem to be getting there.

CMS Rize footers 2 resized.jpg Sorobthane MT cabinet 2 resized.jpg
 

hoosiertom

New Member
Nov 28, 2013
13
0
0
I'm as skeptical as they come in this hobby so when someone waxes eloquent about how this or that parted the clouds I move along to something more believable like unicorns or tooth fairies. I have no idea as to the how or the why but my sonics have changed dramatically from the get go and I think for the better so let me explain. First of all I did two things while I had my daughter and son in law captive...they supplied the good lower backs. In addition to adding the footers I removed the little rubber spikes that separate the M/T unit from the bass unit on my VSA VR5 Anniversary speakers and installed 1/2" thick sorbothane discs...5 per speaker, between cabinets so not sure which to credit for the changes. Initially my reaction was "wow something has changed but not sure I can live with it". Micro sounds are much more pronounced now...bell sounds, percussives...etc. and the sonics are much more vivid that what I'm used to being produced by the MAC-VSA synergy. The micros were always there but somewhat recessed. I listened to familiar track after track and still wasn't sure especially with voice sibilance. On instrumentals it's to die for both the high freq and low freq stuff...very very palatable. It's like I upgraded my 501s....it's that dramatic. I'm beginning to come around to believing that I have unlocked the VR5s true potential so will live with this and see how we get along. The only breaking in required is on my part and I seem to be getting there.

View attachment 18091 View attachment 18092

I'm glad you're enjoying the Rize footers...

I've got a trio each under my Odyssey Candela preamp and Modwwright Truth-Mod Sony S400ES SACD player :)

The January issue of the Absolute Sound has a very positive review of the Sotto voce equipment stand, Rize footers and other Critical Mass Systems products.

You can bet that I'll be adding more Rize footers as budget allows....Great bang for the buck..

Tom SE MI
 
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bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,434
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London
I'm as skeptical as they come in this hobby so when someone waxes eloquent about how this or that parted the clouds I move along to something more believable like unicorns or tooth fairies. I have no idea as to the how or the why but my sonics have changed dramatically from the get go and I think for the better so let me explain. First of all I did two things while I had my daughter and son in law captive...they supplied the good lower backs. In addition to adding the footers I removed the little rubber spikes that separate the M/T unit from the bass unit on my VSA VR5 Anniversary speakers and installed 1/2" thick sorbothane discs...5 per speaker, between cabinets so not sure which to credit for the changes. Initially my reaction was "wow something has changed but not sure I can live with it". Micro sounds are much more pronounced now...bell sounds, percussives...etc. and the sonics are much more vivid that what I'm used to being produced by the MAC-VSA synergy. The micros were always there but somewhat recessed. I listened to familiar track after track and still wasn't sure especially with voice sibilance. On instrumentals it's to die for both the high freq and low freq stuff...very very palatable. It's like I upgraded my 501s....it's that dramatic. I'm beginning to come around to believing that I have unlocked the VR5s true potential so will live with this and see how we get along. The only breaking in required is on my part and I seem to be getting there.

Now that you believe in these footers, get the Shun Mook Diamond resonators on a 30-day money back trial from The Cable Co, and see the mammoth change they make
 

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