I was inspired to make this post because of the posts by @Ricky64 in this thread: Preamp shootout...Predictions on which will be the best?
to paraphrase, he had a skilled audiophile come over with a number of inexpensive tweaks that significantly improved his very Class A system. One of the was Myrtle Wood Blocks (they could be Cardas Golden Cuboid Myrtlewood blocks?). I've tried them, they can really do great things, especially with digital gear IMHO. But I also experiment with other non-audiophile products to great effect. I thought I would list them here, if anybody is interested in trying them. They are all considered tone woods.
I have literally boxes and boxes of high end footers, shelves, and materials I've used over the years. Two enduring favorites are Shun Mook Diamond resonators and recently the AV RoomService EVPs.
First off are Red Alder blocks. Red Alder is used by guitar designers, in particular for solid body electric instruments. It is considered a strong tone wood that livens up the sound. These can be found with a bit of searching, as this is the wood that is used often in Jenga Blocks. As Jenga blocks they are made to be very precisely flat and regular, which is great for footers. I bought a box of these, and I use them under small power supplies and digital equipment. Things that I normally wouldn't spend a lot of time or money on for footers. But they do add a bit of life and sparkle in the midrange and high end, also smoothing out digital glare and clearing up wooliness. I bought 60 blocks for less than $20, and they are great except for the logo, which is not on all sides. But I figure if I want to smarten them up I could sand off the burned image. Xtreme J - Wooden Stacking game
The second wood is Mpingo (or Blackwood) and Ebony is used in many audiophile products. It has a reputation in audio for bringing out the silkiness of string instruments, enhancing the wooden signature of many instrument, and adding a density of tone, especially to the treble where it can add density. Shun Mook products are famous for using Mpingo. The good news is that now Mpingo is actually being cultivated in Africa, so is being exploited less in parks etc. You can find Ebony and Mpingo sold in pen or knife handle blanks for very reasonable cost. All of the samples I've bought have turned out to be Mpingo even if listed as Ebony. I find these blanks to be a good size, as you get greater contact with the bottom of your equipment, and the larger mass of wood, influences the sound more. Though I bought some of them with the thought of cutting them into more cubic pieces, I find I like the the sonics using the larger pieces better. I find that the thinner ones work great in combination with other footers like the EVPs, With the rectangle on top of the EVP and contacting the equipment.
2Pcs Black Ebony Lumber Wood Timber Handle Plate for Musical Instruments - $9.99 (a pen blank)
Black Ebony Wood Lumber Blank DIY MAterial - $12.15 each (a knife handle blank)
to paraphrase, he had a skilled audiophile come over with a number of inexpensive tweaks that significantly improved his very Class A system. One of the was Myrtle Wood Blocks (they could be Cardas Golden Cuboid Myrtlewood blocks?). I've tried them, they can really do great things, especially with digital gear IMHO. But I also experiment with other non-audiophile products to great effect. I thought I would list them here, if anybody is interested in trying them. They are all considered tone woods.
I have literally boxes and boxes of high end footers, shelves, and materials I've used over the years. Two enduring favorites are Shun Mook Diamond resonators and recently the AV RoomService EVPs.
First off are Red Alder blocks. Red Alder is used by guitar designers, in particular for solid body electric instruments. It is considered a strong tone wood that livens up the sound. These can be found with a bit of searching, as this is the wood that is used often in Jenga Blocks. As Jenga blocks they are made to be very precisely flat and regular, which is great for footers. I bought a box of these, and I use them under small power supplies and digital equipment. Things that I normally wouldn't spend a lot of time or money on for footers. But they do add a bit of life and sparkle in the midrange and high end, also smoothing out digital glare and clearing up wooliness. I bought 60 blocks for less than $20, and they are great except for the logo, which is not on all sides. But I figure if I want to smarten them up I could sand off the burned image. Xtreme J - Wooden Stacking game
The second wood is Mpingo (or Blackwood) and Ebony is used in many audiophile products. It has a reputation in audio for bringing out the silkiness of string instruments, enhancing the wooden signature of many instrument, and adding a density of tone, especially to the treble where it can add density. Shun Mook products are famous for using Mpingo. The good news is that now Mpingo is actually being cultivated in Africa, so is being exploited less in parks etc. You can find Ebony and Mpingo sold in pen or knife handle blanks for very reasonable cost. All of the samples I've bought have turned out to be Mpingo even if listed as Ebony. I find these blanks to be a good size, as you get greater contact with the bottom of your equipment, and the larger mass of wood, influences the sound more. Though I bought some of them with the thought of cutting them into more cubic pieces, I find I like the the sonics using the larger pieces better. I find that the thinner ones work great in combination with other footers like the EVPs, With the rectangle on top of the EVP and contacting the equipment.
2Pcs Black Ebony Lumber Wood Timber Handle Plate for Musical Instruments - $9.99 (a pen blank)
Black Ebony Wood Lumber Blank DIY MAterial - $12.15 each (a knife handle blank)
Last edited:
