Confessions of an Audiophile Junky-I Got Center Stage With Pitch Perfect Sound

joelavrencik

Industry Expert
Nov 15, 2016
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Thank you Micro. These observations seem to be consistent with what Steve writes. Could you describe what you remember about what you perceived of your system's sense of soundstage before the introduction of these footers? Was it also flat and two dimensional or do these footers enhance and improve the sense of stage that you already had before? I ask for this specifically, because I and others now experience a sense of soundstage when listening to my system. If I insert these footers into my system and then remove them, are you saying that the degree of three dimensional staging I now hear will disappear, collapse and be lost? This seems to be what you and Steve are saying, and I am trying to understand if that is true and image how this is possible.

Hi PeterA

I thought I should jump in on this one. The answer to your question is, no. When CS is removed from the system, the system reverts back to the way it was. Nothing more, nothing less.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Hi PeterA

I thought I should jump in on this one. The answer to your question is, no. When CS is removed from the system, the system reverts back to the way it was. Nothing more, nothing less.

Precisely my point. It’s just that the effect with them is just so much better that perhaps as Micro states “we get used to the effect they produce”. It’s just that the effect is so good.
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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Hi PeterA

I thought I should jump in on this one. The answer to your question is, no. When CS is removed from the system, the system reverts back to the way it was. Nothing more, nothing less.

Thank you Joe. That is what I presumed, but I asked Steve and Micro to clarify their listening reports and statements, because their posts seem to suggest something much more profound, ie, a return to a flat and 2-dimensional soundstage. I haven't heard that in my system for years, nor do I think they have.

It seems that these footers are lowering a component's or system's noise floor by either isolating, converting or draining vibrational energy. They may or may not be as effective as any number of other devices that purport to do the same thing. I think they could certainly make incremental improvements to the soundstage and PRAT, as Steve suggests, if they are addressing vibrational energy which usually robs a system of the resolution, or masks it, preventing it from conveying an accurate soundstage.
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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(...) When CS is removed from the system, the system reverts back to the way it was. Nothing more, nothing less.

Unfortunately yes. It could have learned something ... :)
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Thank you Joe. That is what I presumed, but I asked Steve and Micro to clarify their listening reports and statements, because their posts seem to suggest something much more profound, ie, a return to a flat and 2-dimensional soundstage. I haven't heard that in my system for years, nor do I think they have.

It seems that these footers are lowering a component's or system's noise floor by either isolating, converting or draining vibrational energy. They may or may not be as effective as any number of other devices that purport to do the same thing. I think they could certainly make incremental improvements to the soundstage and PRAT, as Steve suggests, if they are addressing vibrational energy which usually robs a system of the resolution, or masks it, preventing it from conveying an accurate soundstage.

Hi Peter

I think either I overstated or you misunderstood.

My comment ws meant to suggest that the sound stage without the feet sound 2 dimensional as compared to when the feet are i. IOW IMO the immersive effect with the sound stage to my ears was more 3 dimensional than without the feet. Perhaps I should have said that the soundstage without the feet sounds less 3 dimensional than with the feet. I hope that makes sense. IOW to my ears the sound stage collapses and the effect isn't subtle

These feet produce something to the soundstage that in my 50 years in this hobby I have never heard. I loved the sound of my system without the feet but once in and you live with them and then remove them only then will you grasp my meaning
 

Tango

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Dear Peter,

As I have stated a long while ago in this thread, that the effects users of CS footers claimed are sounding quite like people who have a very effective grounding or Tripoints in their system. The extreme 3D, the dimensionality of sound as object, the collapse of sound when taken the device out, minus the yo-yo effect before the wow comes. I believe people who have a really high resolution system and use Tripoints are already hearing this kind of things. However, you are very lucky to be able to hear all these things and experience a realism you might have hot heard before you put these magic footers in ..... at a price of only a fraction of what MikeL, I and other Tripoints owners paid.

Lucky you :).
Tang
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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Hi Peter

I think either I overstated or you misunderstood.

My comment ws meant to suggest that the sound stage without the feet sound 2 dimensional as compared to when the feet are i. IOW IMO the immersive effect with the sound stage to my ears was more 3 dimensional than without the feet. Perhaps I should have said that the soundstage without the feet sounds less 3 dimensional than with the feet. I hope that makes sense. IOW to my ears the sound stage collapses and the effect isn't subtle

These feet produce something to the soundstage that in my 50 years in this hobby I have never heard. I loved the sound of my system without the feet but once in and you live with them and then remove them only then will you grasp my meaning

It's like falling in love with your sweetheart; only when she's gone you realise how truly deep your love is.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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I’m still a bit confused on the 4 per component suggestion....self-serving from a sales standpoint (which is okay) ?
My experience using 4 footers that don’t have height adjustment is as follows:

A given component’s weight is not evenly distributed over 4 corners (footers) usually. When you use three footers, you are better able to have even weight distribution over the 3 feet vs 4. Also, not all component bottoms are true and can exhibit a slight warp making one of the footers not make solid contact with the component bottom when you use 4. I experienced this first hand with Stillpoints Ultra 5’s. Ultra SS are height adjustable so it’s easy to get solid contact with all 4 feet in this instance. Thoughts ?
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Great questions Christian

Here's what I know and told to me from Joe

" I recommend using 4 under each component. I did the design work using only 3 and then thought, uh-oh, I better find out what happens when you add the 4th.......better?.........worse?..........same? In all honesty, the 4th foot was the difference between "great" and "breathtaking". Go for breathtaking. It's quite an experience."

As for the concern about the lack of fit of the 4th foot there is information on my website pitchperfectsound.com in the FAQ's that addresses this very issue

Bottom line is there are some components that don't have flat bottoms. There are recommendations to correct this as I can tell you every set of 4 is measured by me using a micrometer so I know it isn't the foot. Having said that we realize that the best solution is a shim and all the orders now will be coming with a set of 4 of very small aluminum shims that will fit directly under the silver button on the bottom. These shims are all of 1/32" tall and will be included in the future orders however most people find a way to reset the placement of the 4 and achieve balance. The shims will be the final answer and have zero effect on the overall sound

I hope that answers your concerns Christian

Breathtaking is where it's at
 

adyc

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Jan 5, 2013
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Great questions Christian

Here's what I know and told to me from Joe

" I recommend using 4 under each component. I did the design work using only 3 and then thought, uh-oh, I better find out what happens when you add the 4th.......better?.........worse?..........same? In all honesty, the 4th foot was the difference between "great" and "breathtaking". Go for breathtaking. It's quite an experience."

As for the concern about the lack of fit of the 4th foot there is information on my website pitchperfectsound.com in the FAQ's that addresses this very issue

Bottom line is there are some components that don't have flat bottoms. There are recommendations to correct this as I can tell you every set of 4 is measured by me using a micrometer so I know it isn't the foot. Having said that we realize that the best solution is a shim and all the orders now will be coming with a set of 4 of very small aluminum shims that will fit directly under the silver button on the bottom. These shims are all of 1/32" tall and will be included in the future orders however most people find a way to reset the placement of the 4 and achieve balance. The shims will be the final answer and have zero effect on the overall sound

I hope that answers your concerns Christian

Breathtaking is where it's at

Yes. That will be very useful. My DAC bottom is definitely not flat.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Yes. That will be very useful. My DAC bottom is definitely not flat.

when you and I talk again about your order please remind me about to be certain I include the shims (unless the time taken to get them professionally cut will be lengthy at which time I suggest sending you the feet and the shims as they become available.

Joe has supplied some shims to date but he wasn't happy with the workmanship and is looking at options to get them cut professionally
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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when you and I talk again about your order please remind me about to be certain I include the shims (unless the time taken to get them professionally cut will be lengthy at which time I suggest sending you the feet and the shims as they become available.

Joe has supplied some shims to date but he wasn't happy with the workmanship and is looking at options to get them cut professionally

For the rare curved bottom pieces, this could be where the OEM adapters would come in. That is at least the case for the CMS RiZE speaker interfaces which come with adapter bolts like the more common M8 size with thread bolts specified for particular loudspeaker makes..
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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Hi Steve,
2 question

these 4 feet is possible to use also under turntable?
I read that all put under electronic,and a stupid question,

If i use under preamp,for exemple for 7 days and listen the result and then i want to try under phono,i have to wait other 7 days to reach the best sound?

Regards
Gianluigi
 

gian60

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2016
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Hi Steve,
2 question

these 4 feet is possible to use also under turntable?
I read that all put under electronic,and a stupid question,

If i use under preamp,for exemple for 7 days and listen the result and then i want to try under phono,i have to wait other 7 days to reach the best sound?

Regards
Gianluigi
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
From what I've read in the thread; not applicable under the turntable.
Best with the digital music sources; CD player, BR player, SACD player, DAC, preamp, amp, phono stage, headphone amp, music server, ... but not the turntable, and neither the speakers...for now, with this model footer. And I'm not sure about the open-reel-tape deck though.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, someone.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Definitely under my Studer as well as my Doshi tape pre

As for the turntable I tend to agree that based on the design of most turntables it is difficult to adequately place the feet however if the bottom of the turntable is flat with 4 simple stock feet I suppose it would be worth giving it a try. I sense a dedicated for designed for TT's may be somewhere in Joe's creative mind

If i use under preamp,for exemple for 7 days and listen the result and then i want to try under phono,i have to wait other 7 days to reach the best sound?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that total break in on these feet is usually 10-14 days
 

Jazzhead

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Aug 26, 2012
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Break in time has increased from 7 days to 14 days . Has there been any further tweaking of the final product to cause this ?
 

joelavrencik

Industry Expert
Nov 15, 2016
331
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158
Chicago
www.criticalmasssystems.com
From what I've read in the thread; not applicable under the turntable.
Best with the digital music sources; CD player, BR player, SACD player, DAC, preamp, amp, phono stage, headphone amp, music server, ... but not the turntable, and neither the speakers...for now, with this model footer. And I'm not sure about the open-reel-tape deck though.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, someone.

Hi NorthStar

We can expand uses in the future, but for now you have it right. Before we announce a new application, we'll make sure CS is properly vetted for performance and other general use considerations within that category. We want to do it right.
 

joelavrencik

Industry Expert
Nov 15, 2016
331
60
158
Chicago
www.criticalmasssystems.com
Break in time has increased from 7 days to 14 days . Has there been any further tweaking of the final product to cause this ?

Hi Jazzhead,

No. Nothing has changed with respect to CS design or functionality. What may be meant is that the settling period for different components is, well, different. The settling period may begin differently in a given system compared to another and end at a different time as well. I hope this helps.
 

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