Center Stage 2

Tango

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Mar 12, 2017
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Look at CK Tam signature. You want to know about tweaks, he is the king.

Sincerely,
Tang
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
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that wasn't the question that he asked
I was just expressing my wow on his list of tweaks Steve. He sure has a tremendous experience with tweaks. If you dont want any comment not about the Center Stage feet just let me know. I will delete them.

Kind regards,
Tang
 

CK Tam

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2018
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Hong Kong
You don't need your amps on 24 hours a day. I ran my system for 8 hours every day and played the same demo disk on auto replay. I only listened for the last half hour of each 8 hour session to the same 3-4 tracks on the demo disk to get an idea where I was in the settle in process. So no reason why you can't play at night and turn off the system when you go to work.
Thank you for your reply, understand now.
 

mulveling

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2017
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My wonderful dealer lent me 3 sets of the 1" CS2 feet last week. Unfortunately my system is all vinyl, all tubes, and thus POORLY suited to long background break-in marathons. I even tried hooking up a new Bluesound Node 2i just for this purpose, but it stubbornly refuses to attach to my Wifi - ugh. I rack up about 8-16 hours of listening a week at loud volumes, mostly on weekend nights.

Right off the bat, I've noticed modest but appreciated improvements - better midrange clarity, increased depth and width of soundstage (better 3D effect to the image), improved bass extension and impact. NO downsides. No change in tone. I haven't yet experienced any of the infamous rough patches, and I've had 3 or 4 great listening sessions/nights in a row. But I remain nervous of encountering one of those "bad times" in an upcoming session. Not sure if these feet already had some time on them in a different system - I think they might.

Two sets are under my 110 lbs each tube monoblocks, on the very basic Salamader Synergy amp stands(right next to my big Tannoy Canterbury GR speakers) - I think these amps were thirsty for some better vibration control. And the 3rd set is under the sublime VAC Renaissance SE phono stage on my superb Maxxum rack. Looking forward to hearing some more improvements going forward, but so far I like what I hear!
 
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mulveling

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2017
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Yes, all three sets are the 1.0" size. I realize 1.5" may be more optimal for the amps, but didn't complain when the 1.0" sets were offered up for trial! I've been following the thread and realize that CS2 should have a much less bumpy ride towards settling in, which is a big factor here due to my system's usage. The Clearaudio Master Innovation table (atop CMS Maxxum), ARC Ref 6 (on Maxxum) and AQ Niagara 7000 (on an absolutely awful Lovan stand) are the large components that remain "untreated" in this trial.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
As an aside you suggested that because they have been used elsewhere that is the cause of the shirt settle time. The reality is that once they are removed from under a component and placed under a different one that the settle in starts all over again
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
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La Jolla, Calif USA
As an aside you suggested that because they have been used elsewhere that is the cause of the shirt settle time. The reality is that once they are removed from under a component and placed under a different one that the settle in starts all over again

That’s an interesting point, Steve. Do you have any idea as to why this aspect would occur? I would think if the product has elasticity then maybe that makes some sense, otherwise.....??
 

mulveling

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2017
234
335
168
As an aside you suggested that because they have been used elsewhere that is the cause of the shirt settle time. The reality is that once they are removed from under a component and placed under a different one that the settle in starts all over again
Thanks Steve - my dealer properly warned me of all these aspects. I’m just being hopeful I can continue to enjoy my audition without hitting an “unlistenable” night. During initial install I did the dance: feet in / listen / feet out / listen / feet in / listen - and was quite pleased to hear the positive impact.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Thanks Steve - my dealer properly warned me of all these aspects. I’m just being hopeful I can continue to enjoy my audition without hitting an “unlistenable” night. During initial install I did the dance: feet in / listen / feet out / listen / feet in / listen - and was quite pleased to hear the positive impact.
How many days have you had them in your system
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Best advice I have for you is to put the feet under the components and NOT to remove them. If you truly want to do an A-B-A test leave the feet in for 2 weeks and then remove all of them and replay the same music you had just listened to with the feet in
 

mulveling

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2017
234
335
168
Thanks Steve - I'm doing just that - leaving them untouched for the duration I'll have them (probably two weeks). The A-B-A was only performed briefly during initial installation. I was well advised by my dealer, including the advice to "tough it out" through any rough patches. I'm just pleasantly surprised I haven't heard a downside or a bad session yet - last night's was quite lovely, too (well, sans a Kate Bush reissue I think was overhyped for SQ, but then War on Drugs was gorgeous as usual). If they end up sounding like this, it will be a likely purchase. If they end up even better, it'll be a revelation. I know, I know. Just sharing my experience.
 

CKKeung

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,053
3,172
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Hong Kong
Hello Steve,
Maybe I have missed some of your advice given to CS2 users before.

Would you please tell us the best ways CS2 can be applied to CMS racks and CMS boards?

Some CMS rack/board user friends of mine in Hong Kong would like to know how they can be used together and achieve a synergistic effect.

Many thanks!
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Hello Steve,
Maybe I have missed some of your advice given to CS2 users before.

Would you please tell us the best ways CS2 can be applied to CMS racks and CMS boards?

Some CMS rack/board user friends of mine in Hong Kong would like to know how they can be used together and achieve a synergistic effect.

Many thanks!
Hi CK

All of my components each sit on a CMS rack. There is nothing special to be done other than to place each foot properly under the component. However make sure that the CS foot sits on the interface that Joe sends with each shelf. In other words the CMS interface sits between the bottom of the CS foot and the top of the CMS rack according to Joe this effectively elevates a Black Diamond shelf to MAXXUM and a Maxxum shelf is elevated to Olympus in terms of sonics.
 
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CKKeung

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,053
3,172
1,410
Hong Kong
Hi CK

All of my components each sit on a CMS rack. There is nothing special to be done other than to place each foot properly under the component. However make sure that the CS foot sits on the interface that Joe sends with each shelf. In other words the CMS interface sits between the bottom of the CS foot and the top of the CMS rack according to Joe this effectively elevates a Black Diamond shelf to MAXXUM and a Maxxum shelf is elevated to Olympus in terms of sonics.

Thanks!
 

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