Yes indeed. This would be my concern also. I seems to me that the site is moving in this general direction. It is pretty easy to see what a thread is all about by seeing the participation of those who have commercial interests. There is a fine line to tread here, imo, and going a bit too far might very well turn members off. Once could also simply decide not to read those threads, but as you write, there will be more to sift through.
Confessions of an Audiophile Junky-I Got Center Stage With Pitch Perfect Sound
- Thread starter Steve Williams
- Start date
Yes indeed. This would be my concern also. I seems to me that the site is moving in this general direction. It is pretty easy to see what a thread is all about by seeing the participation of those who have commercial interests. There is a fine line to tread here, imo, and going a bit too far might very well turn members off. Once could also simply decide not to read those threads, but as you write, there will be more to sift through.
Steve, I realize that CS is the only product you represent, but could you answer the question I asked in my previous post? Are you the sole channel worldwide through which one can purchase these footers at the retail/consumer level? I understand that companies can buy them in bulk as OEM products to install under their components. You say that you are the international distributor. I think of a distributor as someone who imports and then sells at wholesale a product to a retail seller and then sells to the consumer. Do distributors usually have direct contact with the customer or are you following some new direct sales model? You seem to be acting more as sole direct seller for the manufacturer, which to me distinguishes your business from that of a guy like Elliot whom I assume is both a distributor/importer and a traditional dealer representing multiple brands and product lines.
Hi Peter
Honestly, the best way to get a handle on the differences (IMO) given the product supply circumstances is as follows:
Assumptions: 12 CS / 3 Qpods
Work solely with the digital signal path.
We want to work in the same direction the signal moves. Network device to network device.
Place 4 CS under the DAC, and 4 CS under the preamp.
If the next step is a stereo amp, 4 go under that. If the next step is monoblocks, hold the last 4 out, or put them under the preamp power supply if there is one. If there is no preamp power supply, for sure put them under the server. If none of this is there, put the last 4 aside.
Pull out every other similar device in the signal path (Stillpoints, Qpods, Harmonix, whatever, it all comes out)
So, now we have a pretty clear shot down the signal path with all CS.
Let that cook until it's settled in.
When you're confident you have everything settled, pull the CS out from under the DAC and replace them with the Qpods. The Qpods will drive the signal and I guarantee you something will change as a result. I suggest picking maybe 1 or 2 or 3 pieces of music you know intimately and playing them in the same rotation for about 2 hours after you make the change while you're sitting and listening. You will clearly hear the sonics shifting. That will tell you the difference.
You could do the same thing if a cdp were the source.
Perhaps, I should take this one. Yes, Steve is.......both. I don't want to get too far into our business plan (or anyone else's), but the idea is to keep the cost down. There are markets that can be well-served by a single source. There are at least 2 markets where this may not be the case, and Steve could distribute to another outlet in those markets. So, the arrangement has built in flexibility, but Steve sits at the apex no matter the model. I hope this answer is sufficient.
+1
When Steve and I made the decision to offer banner ads to select manufacturers and distributors whose products we use or know well ourselves we should have deleted the Terms of Service provision which prohibits manufacturers from writing about and promoting their products. Overturning that provision is consistent with permitting advertising on WBF.
I personally have always enjoyed it when manufacturers themselves join WBF and found it valuable when manufacturers answer members' questions directly. Offering banner advertisements has prompted several additional manufacturers to register WBF accounts and to write to and respond to members directly.
In such a unique and small industry I think it is both very fun and very helpful for us to have this direct communication with manufacturers and distributors.
CenterStage, day 0 + 45 minutes:
Trying to recover from the withdrawal of the Constellation Audio Centaur II + Virgo III, I re-inserted my usual components and masochistically - yes, audiophiles like to suffer - re-listened to the same recordings that I had listened with the CA combo. Curiously the best combination I can get now is DCS-Vivaldi - cj GAT - ARC REF250 at 4 ohm - XLF all wired with Opus, TA XL + PLMM2x power cables.
The Misa Criola http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?13407-Constellation-Audio&p=475519&viewfull=1#post475519 entered the stage . It is great music, but a lot was missing. A few hours warm-up improved things a bit, but after the clear and powerful CA's the Mercedes Sosa voice seemed thicker and bass too round. Harmonia Mundi great recordings did seem not so fluid any more ...
As a recently arrived box with CenterStage feet was showing in my desk, I decided to insert them under the GAT. A thirty second affair, expecting now to wait for a few days for the miraculous effect. Well - not needed. The differences were immediate upon start - the tonality of the voice become more clear, bass decay and depth unproved immediately. The spatial and tonal improvements were easily perceived, small instruments sprinkled more freely. A nice thing is that I could A/B it immediately - I inserted thin plates under the GAT feet, bypassing the CenterStage that do not touch the GAT bottom plate anymore, and it returned to the "thicker" sound. Fortunately not for long, I have now returned to the CenterStage feet.
Surely the tubes did not become the CA SS, but it clearly went a bit in that direction in some aspects, bringing some clear improvements. Really bizarre devices ...
Trying to recover from the withdrawal of the Constellation Audio Centaur II + Virgo III, I re-inserted my usual components and masochistically - yes, audiophiles like to suffer - re-listened to the same recordings that I had listened with the CA combo. Curiously the best combination I can get now is DCS-Vivaldi - cj GAT - ARC REF250 at 4 ohm - XLF all wired with Opus, TA XL + PLMM2x power cables.
The Misa Criola http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?13407-Constellation-Audio&p=475519&viewfull=1#post475519 entered the stage . It is great music, but a lot was missing. A few hours warm-up improved things a bit, but after the clear and powerful CA's the Mercedes Sosa voice seemed thicker and bass too round. Harmonia Mundi great recordings did seem not so fluid any more ...
As a recently arrived box with CenterStage feet was showing in my desk, I decided to insert them under the GAT. A thirty second affair, expecting now to wait for a few days for the miraculous effect. Well - not needed. The differences were immediate upon start - the tonality of the voice become more clear, bass decay and depth unproved immediately. The spatial and tonal improvements were easily perceived, small instruments sprinkled more freely. A nice thing is that I could A/B it immediately - I inserted thin plates under the GAT feet, bypassing the CenterStage that do not touch the GAT bottom plate anymore, and it returned to the "thicker" sound. Fortunately not for long, I have now returned to the CenterStage feet.
Surely the tubes did not become the CA SS, but it clearly went a bit in that direction in some aspects, bringing some clear improvements. Really bizarre devices ...
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Interesting Micro. will wait a bit longer for your 7 day report. what footers were you using before or are you just comparing vs the stk feet? I use Stillpoints V's under my GAT and they sound wonderful, especially in cleaning up the thicker sound you mention.
Can you turn the centrestage fee around so we don't have to see the garish large, for the almost blind CENTRESTAGE logos
you can't even see them under the components as they are only 13/16" tall but of course you can turn them around
I also like that. However, I suspect once the trolls start with their nonsensical questions and hostile attitudes the manufacturers will think it isn’t worth the grief.
Interesting Micro. will wait a bit longer for your 7 day report. what footers were you using before or are you just comparing vs the stk feet? I use Stillpoints V's under my GAT and they sound wonderful, especially in cleaning up the thicker sound you mention.
Can you turn the centrestage fee around so we don't have to see the garish large, for the almost blind CENTRESTAGE logos
Interesting indeed...on the CJ GAT 2, I use HRS couplers and HRS M3X shelf underneath. On top, I use 2 HRS damping plates plus Artesania damping plate. I also use EAT tube dampers. I noticed, Micro, you are using the red tube rings from CJ...I have to say, after a lot of back and forth, i took those out. Both on the ACT 2 as well as the GAT and now GAT 2. The EAT tube dampers cost 19 bucks or so, and they worked (for me) much better.
Hi LL21
Just a quick comment about using damping plates with CS under your components. We would advise against using damping plates at least for the 1st 14 days of settling. We're trying to bring out the very highest level of engineering DNA native to the component. We feel that allowing the component to operate as released by the manufacturer is the best way to go. If damping plates are applied down the road, we ask that you please pay very close attention to soundstage changes over a 5 to 7 day period after application. In short, it's not where you start that is important, it's where you end up. And this could possibly be a with a spatially and dynamically constrained sound stage that restricts the immersion effect and puts the "wall" back onto the front plane of the loudspeakers.
Hi Joe,
Thank you. I very much appreciate that manufacturers who are passionate and clearly experts will take the time out of running a business to speak with members of Steve and Ron's forum.
Yes, I sense that you have designed something that requires time to adjust to the intrinsic movement of the unit (as originally designed). Very very intriguing.
The HRS equipment operates as an 'isolation sandwich' which is something I have made quite a lot of use of. 14-16 sandwiches at last count. If I were to move to CS, I would (as with HRS or Artesania) look at implementing as per manufacturer.
Thank you for allowing me the latitude to comment!
I always feel compelled to say that none of my comments are intended to diminish the work of my contemporaries. We all do it differently, and get different results as a rule. I respect their work.
Hi microstrip
Thank you so much for trying CS. Yes! The DAC would be the perfect place for the next 4. I'd still expect degradation of the soundstage for a long period. If you don't experience this I need to know your secret......
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