Ultra 6 being released

rad

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2010
169
44
1,585
Ohio
$900 for a point? He should have just gone for a cool $1k. Wow.

Has anyone compared with Wave Kinetics which are $800/4?

Thanks

Although I have not tried the Ultra 5's under my components I have used the Ultras ss & I preferred the Wave Kinetics A10-U8 in my system in combination with the SRA Scuttle Rack.
Great value to cost!

On my speakers I use the Ultra 5's & like them alot. It's a bitch changing the footers on large speakers to do comparisons!!!!
Compared to the WK 2NS for speakers I felt there was a bit more control in the bass frequency with the Ultra 5's with my floor / room. Others may have different results.
This is not in any way a knock on the WK footers as they are extremely good.
I originally switched from the Combak Harmonix footers to the Wave Kinetics & then to the Ultra 5's, so that should tell you something..
Bare in mind my comparisons were done with the EA MM3's / Exacts. I have not done a comparison with the EA MM7's.

The Wave Kinetics products are worth a look especially for the cost & in many cases outperform more costly vibration control products.
Just my 2 cents as I could hear the differences!!!!
 

DEV

New Member
Oct 19, 2011
547
6
0
I recently placed my Ultra 5's under my EA MM3's which were already assembled - that was no fun. Would have been allot easier upon initial assembly but I didn't have the correct treaded adapter pces. I'm actually hearing more differences than there were when placed under my MBL 101E's.

To date using this type of devise under my speakers has been my preference over anything else I have tried. Look forward to the comparisons of the 6
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
Although I have not tried the Ultra 5's under my components I have used the Ultras ss & I preferred the Wave Kinetics A10-U8 in my system in combination with the SRA Scuttle Rack.
Great value to cost!

On my speakers I use the Ultra 5's & like them alot. It's a bitch changing the footers on large speakers to do comparisons!!!!
Compared to the WK 2NS for speakers I felt there was a bit more control in the bass frequency with the Ultra 5's with my floor / room. Others may have different results.
This is not in any way a knock on the WK footers as they are extremely good.
I originally switched from the Combak Harmonix footers to the Wave Kinetics & then to the Ultra 5's, so that should tell you something..
Bare in mind my comparisons were done with the EA MM3's / Exacts. I have not done a comparison with the EA MM7's.

The Wave Kinetics products are worth a look especially for the cost & in many cases outperform more costly vibration control products.
Just my 2 cents as I could hear the differences!!!!

Good to know. I have MM3's with Combak Harmonix, and am waiting for a set of 8 Stillpoint 5's to show up at a good used price so I can give them a try....
 

allvinyl

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2013
359
80
935
73
Burnsville, MN
Ultra 6

They don't look much different than the 5's. Looks like the same amount of technology pockets as well. Will these replace the 5's or be an addition to the current line of products?

The Ultra 6 is a new product in the line. It is a single puck of stainless with 5 tech pockets on one side and 1 tech pocket centered on the other side.

John
 

audioarcher

Well-Known Member
May 6, 2012
1,396
51
970
Seattle area
The Ultra 6 is a new product in the line. It is a single puck of stainless with 5 tech pockets on one side and 1 tech pocket centered on the other side.

John

Thanks John. Are the dimensions larger than the 5's? Wider and taller, or about the same?
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
The Ultra 6 is a new product in the line. It is a single puck of stainless with 5 tech pockets on one side and 1 tech pocket centered on the other side.

John

John could you elaborate as to what the proposed use the Ultra 6 has vs that of the ultra 5. What is the purpose and function of that single tech pocket centered on the other side. What might the listener expect when comparing the two
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
Interestingly, this site has the price listed as $1,235.00 per and $1,290 in combo with the Ultra base.

That must be the introduction price for bargain hunters. They can't possibly make a buck selling them for $10,000 for two sets of 4 to the serious speaker optimizers. Scoop them up while you can.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator

zztop7

Member Sponsor
Dec 12, 2012
750
3
0
Edmonds, WA
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Did not John Dalberg-Acton write:
"Points corrupt; absolute points corrupt absolutely.
or something like that. $$$
Dry Humor,
zz.
 

allvinyl

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2013
359
80
935
73
Burnsville, MN
Stillpoints Ultra 6 Use

John could you elaborate as to what the proposed use the Ultra 6 has vs that of the ultra 5. What is the purpose and function of that single tech pocket centered on the other side. What might the listener expect when comparing the two

The Ultra 6 was designed for use on the Grid of an ESS (attach to the grid using the pad of the centered single pocket with the exposed 5 tech pockets on the other side contacting the chassis of the component above).

Or, you can use it stand-alone by attaching a Ultra Base to the exposed single pocket with the exposed 5 tech pockets on the other side contacting the chassis of the component above.

The usage issue is with components that have undulating bottoms of their chassis. This can make it difficult to find 3" diameter of real estate of the chassis bottom on which to contact the 5 tech pockets of the Ultra 6. The Ultra 6 is the same diameter on both sides as that of the non-beveled half of the Ultra 5.

The Ultra 6 is new enough for us, as well, that I have not had the opportunity to audition them in my system. Though, I expect the extra pocket to provide better isolation and enhanced performance as compared to the Ultra 5. I also expect that the degree of improvement is entirely component and system dependent and somewhat difficult to predict without actually listening to them side-by-side.

John
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,522
10,687
3,515
USA
That's not much of a description, is it?

Somehow I expected a real description.

I don't think it is that different from the description of the Ultra 5. I tried those in my system and was advised to try them one side up and if that didn't work, to flip them over and try again. I got better results with the beveled side toward the component bottom. But with speakers, the beveled side had to be toward the floor because the screw insert threads for attaching it to the speaker bottom were not on the beveled side, but the flat side. The advice from this forum was to put the pockets of technology (located in *** beveled side) near the vibrating surface. So, in practice, the vibrating surface means the floor, not the speaker. I concluded that the devices are meant to prevent energy within the vibrating floor from reaching up into the speakers.

This was revised with a second version of the Ultra 5 which has thread inserts on both sides. I don't know which is meant to go up.
 

allvinyl

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2013
359
80
935
73
Burnsville, MN
Ultra 5 Implementation

I don't think it is that different from the description of the Ultra 5. I tried those in my system and was advised to try them one side up and if that didn't work, to flip them over and try again. I got better results with the beveled side toward the component bottom. But with speakers, the beveled side had to be toward the floor because the screw insert threads for attaching it to the speaker bottom were not on the beveled side, but the flat side. The advice from this forum was to put the pockets of technology (located in *** beveled side) near the vibrating surface. So, in practice, the vibrating surface means the floor, not the speaker. I concluded that the devices are meant to prevent energy within the vibrating floor from reaching up into the speakers.

This was revised with a second version of the Ultra 5 which has thread inserts on both sides. I don't know which is meant to go up.

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
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
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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

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.
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
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I tried the Ultra 5s with beveled side facing down toward the floor with a screw insert up to the base of my Magico Mini 2 speakers. The reasoning was that the speaker was being isolated from the vibrations in the floor by the pockets of technology in the beveled half and that the screw insert was facing up into the speaker. For a speaker application, that was the intended orientation, that is, until the devices were modified with screw taps on both halves. Now one could experiment to hear which orientation sounded best.

I was ridiculed by advocates on the forum for trying these under my speakers because the vibration was coming from the speaker not the floor and therefor the pockets of technology should be at the bottom of the speaker between it and the stand. That did not work in my application because my speaker is directly coupled to the stand via three massive ball bearing and cup fittings which is an integral part of the design. By contrast, the Ultra 5 seems to decouple the component from what it sits on. The consensus was that they were designed to be placed between speakers and stands and that the vibrations from the floor could be considered secondary to the vibrations in the speaker itself. My speaker ended up not being an appropriate application.

I wonder if these have ever been tried between upper (tweeter and mid) and lower (bass) speaker modules, like the Wilson Watt/Puppy, which are usually coupled to each other with spikes.

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.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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...I wonder if these have ever been tried between upper (tweeter and mid) and lower (bass) speaker modules, like the Wilson Watt/Puppy, which are usually coupled to each other with spikes.

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.

In my own limited experience with [much] older big Wilsons, there is vibration in the upper modules that when reduced has a great positive effect on the music/signal. However, when i tried Ultra 5s on the back, it was not the right way to use them and it did not work (the Distributor was here).

We ended up using Entreq Vibb Eaters 25lbs on each speaker and they work well...i have them on top now and am trying to see if there is an even better long-term solution that would not only reduce vibrations for the upper modules, but even further reduce the vibration on the back panel of the bass module (which has already been greatly helped by the Ultra 5s).

I also am curious about how the 6 will work, hence my question earlier. Lets see what the advice is from Allvinyl.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Peter,

There is no way you can put ultra fives under any wilson speaker modules including w/p or Sasha for two reasons:
1) the deck the module sits on is slanted towards the front...not flat...similar to your magico issue and your slanted stand tops.
2) the increased height between the bass module and upper module(s) would affect the coherency of the design by making the module higher than the speaker was designed for.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Peter,

There is no way you can put ultra fives under any wilson speaker modules including w/p or Sasha for two reasons:
1) the deck the module sits on is slanted towards the front...not flat...just like you magico issue and your stands.
2) the increased height would affect the coherency of the design by making the module higher than the speaker was designed for.

Yes, the entire Wilson module system is based on set tracks on sides and underneath where you can slide/tilt each module along set tracks...for alignment purposes. I dont even think it is physically possible to actually install the upper modules any other way because the actual side walls of the speaker have these tracks built into them so to put the wall up in the first place, they have to attach to the upper modules.

That said, i am intrigued if underneath the big wilsons 'more' can be done via Ultra 6 or even 2 Ultra 6s...and would it even make that much difference? or whether 2 ultra 6s along the top of the bass cabinet (with weight on top of the Ultra6) might further dampen the bass cabinet vibrations being generated from the drivers themselves. THAT might have a positive affect on both both bass and also the upper modules.
 

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