More mooks, awesome tweaks

bonzo75

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Hi, that could possibly be because
1. You have already had a big difference. Have you tried to take out the ultra from under your pre, then check of ultra under dac is more dramatic?
2. Because the dac is lighter, and smaller, than the pre? The Shun mook guy would recommend the mini resonators for something this light
You could
1. Compare under your power with and without SRA. Let us know how it compares to the SRA too.
2. When you try different positions under the dac, you could have two in the front, one at the back, and then one in the front, two at the back. You can try to push them out to the corners and the edge, it's ok if part of them pops out, it is not required all stays under the chassis.
 

Audiophile Bill

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I received some more discs taking my total to 42 now. My latest placement has been increasing the number at the first side reflections which locks voices and central image in more. In fact it gives more of a stable image full stop with vinyl. I added 4 to my turntable - 3 around platter as per Mook instruction and 1 on arm board. On the turntable using this placement actually provides more detail and resolution rather than adding any warmth that I expected. Finally added more to rear reflections each side which expanded soundstage. I know some of you might think I am nuts but honestly these really do increase the realism of my large scale classical recordings. Getting some ultras tomorrow for phono stage so am looking forward to that.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Hi all,

I got my 2nd set of ultras and have been playing around last 2 days optimising the system after much playing around I settled with them on my phono stage rather than oppo. The Oppo is not so ideal cos of uneven bottom of case and loads of screws and bits. However it did sound much better on the oppo after Bonzo reminded me that I need to put the configuration in such a way that one sits under the cd mech and 2 at the back. Anyway i moved them under my BMC mcci now replacing some Stillpoints ss ultras. The sound has taken on a meatier density with more weight which suits my orchestral tastes perfectly. The Stillpoints are under my t't power supply now and have also improved my sound.

I have listened to both sets of products now on most components and they have their own relative strengths in different places. Stillpoints are super neutral and tend to increase dynamic explosiveness and detail resolution whereas Mooks add weight, meat, density and tonal colour. Without using a cliche, Stillpoints are like muscle ss amp, and Mooks are like set 300b amp. I still prefer ultra 5s under tt as I want the added speed, resolution and dynamics.
 

bonzo75

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Did you try mooks under TT?
 

spiritofmusic

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Bonzo, you're going to struggle practically putting Mooks under a tt, or spkrs for that matter. For one, the platter/arm must be perfectly stable/level, and this is going to be an effort bound for failure using 3 separate Mooks under tt feet that by their nature can easily move in relation to each other during install, and prone to disturbance/collapse once installed. One could use the Mook Ebony board I guess, place 3 Mooks under the board, and the tt on the board. Then you have the issue of the relation of the motor pod to the platter which again is going to be a struggle w/Mooks. If you're skeptical of my thought, try some Mooks under your spkrs, and invite some people to lean on them, and you'll see what I mean.
For me the practical choice is a Spiers And Robertson air shelf/table where stability is not an issue, but isolation down to 2.5Hz is covered.
Will be Mooking everything else other than tt and spkrs you'll be glad to know.
 

bonzo75

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Like I said, I don't see why they can't be under the TT, and Martin has put them under, the website shows a pic of them under a TT. Platforms are a different thing, but mooks are as stable or unstable as any three separate supports, like stillpoints. As for leaning over, I am quite sure anything on supports, if it is light enough, can fall off.

By that logic, CDPs and amps should all fall off, while they are perfectly stable. The mooks are not at all prone to disturbance or collapse once installed. I get your point about the install, you might need help from another guy if the TT is too heavy, or ungainly, but not otherwise.

That said, if I had TT, I might go platform, but just wanted to clarify that there is no reason not to.

Edit: Bill has already tried it under his TT.
 
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spiritofmusic

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I'm not sure they are as stable as Stillpoints. One either utilises them steel thread up or down, meaning balancing a precarious item on points, whereas SPs have a broader surface contact of, what, 1-2" diameter both ends. There is minimal chance of the tt being unstable w/SPs. My contention is that it doesn't matter if your dac slips on a rack shelf, v.little chance of actual damage, but a tt slipping risks fatal damage to arm/cart. If you really are so sure stability is not an issue, we could try the Mooks under your spkrs and see how safe you feel having 70kg plus balanced on 3-4 points.
And relation of separate motor pod is an issue. You would need to use different sizes of Mooks to the lighter pod v heavier tt chassis, and this would lead to a discontinuity in height btwn pod and tt. Not desirable.
No, I believe for Mooks to be at all practical w/tts, re stability and maintaining motor pod/tt continuity, a shelf or board would be necc btwn the tt and the Mooks - the Shun Ebony ideal. And motor would need to be integral w/chassis allowing the same size of Mook to be used all 'round.
 
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Argonaut

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I have listened to both sets of products now on most components and they have their own relative strengths in different places. Stillpoints are super neutral and tend to increase dynamic explosiveness and detail resolution whereas Mooks add weight, meat, density and tonal colour. Without using a cliche, Stillpoints are like muscle ss amp, and Mooks are like set 300b amp. I still prefer ultra 5s under tt as I want the added speed, resolution and dynamics.

I would quite concur with your considerations AB, and for my part would venture a little further in recommending the use of Shun Mook as footed support directly in contact with the equipment, the combination then situated upon an Stillpoints ESS rack.I find this combination to impart a Hybrid effect of the two technologies, the Shun Mook's imparting harmonic weight and body to the base and mid's, whilst retaining the leading edge clarity and dynamics of the Stillpoints.
 

spiritofmusic

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Harlequin, in my system I'm going to utilise Shun Mooks under each component, mated to a Symposium Acoustics Isis rack. Cdp/pre and psu/monos/transformer/3 Entreq grounding boxes all this way. My only exceptions will be my spkrs which I don't trust on point supports like Mooks, and instead go on Symposium Acoustics Rollerblocks Jnrs/Svelte Shelf, and my tt which again I'm worried about stability and motor pod height discontinuity via Mooks, and will instead go on a Northwest Analog single tier spiked slate table/Spiers And Robertson air rolling diaphragm shelf/Symposium Acoustics Ultra shelf.
 

cuntigh

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Harlequin, in my system I'm going to utilise Shun Mooks under each component, mated to a Symposium Acoustics Isis rack. Cdp/pre and psu/monos/transformer/3 Entreq grounding boxes all this way. My only exceptions will be my spkrs which I don't trust on point supports like Mooks, and instead go on Symposium Acoustics Rollerblocks Jnrs/Svelte Shelf, and my tt which again I'm worried about stability and motor pod height discontinuity via Mooks, and will instead go on a Northwest Analog single tier spiked slate table/Spiers And Robertson air rolling diaphragm shelf/Symposium Acoustics Ultra shelf.

Spirit,
Do you have the same Shun Mooks model under each component or do you use different models second weigt or dimensions ? Please can you detail ?
 

Audiophile Bill

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Just to add some comments on the tt stability issue. The Mooks are super stable under my Kuzma Reference. They are more stable than with Stillpoints ss ultras but not ultra 5s. Down to basic physics - the surface area in contact with the base tt plinth with Mooks is massive and thus LESS prone to toppling than ss ultras unless used as feet screwed into chassis. The ultra5s have a small hole in the top where the kuzma feet insert by half a mm so are even more sturdy. I would not want to "balance" speakers on either product. I use Stillpoints on my speakers because they screw in and can't by definition move.

I really don't think there is a black and white answer here as I believe it is all about system balance. I think I know them well enough to be able to recommend what product would suit a system based on the current sound preferences. Going all Stillpoints in my system does not suit since I use big ss muscle amps and want more body and bloom but still maintaining speed and dynamics. Like the previous poster suggests, I too feel a hybrid approach would likely be best in most systems unless your system is extreme in either direction - either too analytical, cold and neutral or too warm, slow and not dynamic.
 

bonzo75

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Spirit,
Do you have the same Shun Mooks model under each component or do you use different models second weigt or dimensions ? Please can you detail ?

He still has to buy them. I had lent him two of my sets, one ultra which he tried under CDP and Entreq, and one Giant under his transformer. The Giants I gave him actually were mistakenly from different giant sets and uneven in height, so I think maybe that's why he felt they were unstable.
 

bonzo75

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Just to add some comments on the tt stability issue. The Mooks are super stable under my Kuzma Reference. They are more stable than with Stillpoints ss ultras but not ultra 5s. Down to basic physics - the surface area in contact with the base tt plinth with Mooks is massive and thus LESS prone to toppling than ss ultras unless used as feet screwed into chassis. The ultra5s have a small hole in the top where the kuzma feet insert by half a mm so are even more sturdy. I would not want to "balance" speakers on either product. I use Stillpoints on my speakers because they screw in and can't by definition move.

I really don't think there is a black and white answer here as I believe it is all about system balance. I think I know them well enough to be able to recommend what product would suit a system based on the current sound preferences. Going all Stillpoints in my system does not suit since I use big ss muscle amps and want more body and bloom but still maintaining speed and dynamics. Like the previous poster suggests, I too feel a hybrid approach would likely be best in most systems unless your system is extreme in either direction - either too analytical, cold and neutral or too warm, slow and not dynamic.

Next time I will bring over the Giants to your place.
 

Audiophile Bill

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spiritofmusic

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Bill, have decided to Mook over time: cdp, 2 chassis preamp, 2x monos, bpt, 3x Entreq boxes; obv only where Mooking provides a significant benefit. The short trial I had Mooking just the bpt and Entreq was significant to say the least. However re tt, and spkrs, I'm not going Mooks. Spkrs will stay on Symposium Acoustics Rollerblocks/Svelte shelves, and tt going on a seriously OTT combination of: NorthWest Analogue spiked single tier slate stand>Spiers And Robertson air shelf>Symposium Acoustics Ultra shelf.
I still contend Mooks just not practical re stability on spkrs, and motor pod/tt plinth height continuity challenging w/Mooks in my rig. That's just me.
 

Argonaut

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I would quite concur with your considerations AB, and for my part would venture a little further in recommending the use of Shun Mook as footed support directly in contact with the equipment, the combination then situated upon an Stillpoints ESS rack.I find this combination to impart a Hybrid effect of the two technologies, the Shun Mook's imparting harmonic weight and body to the base and mid's, whilst retaining the leading edge clarity and dynamics of the Stillpoints.

As I was saying~
image.jpg
 

bonzo75

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Hi what are those three on top? Are you using them as dampers?
 

bonzo75

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