I have just completed a 9 month experiment comparing the impact of Stillpoint's to spikes under components and my speakers (Martin Logan Montis and JL F113 subwoofers). My findings will no doubt surprise no one who has done a similar comparison and evaluation, but, never the less I thought I would post my results because the end results led to such an improvement in my system that I want to share the results with anyone interested and especially ML owners, or anyone with a planar speaker.
I used Stillpoint Ultra SS and Ultra Mini for my Stillpoint comparisons and a series of spikes from Tip Toes, to Nordost to ML to my lifelong assortment from previous purchases. My equipment is on a heavy metal VTI rack on spikes on a hardwood floor. My speakers and subs are on the same hardwood floor. My electronics are BAT VK 32 SE tube preamp, Spectral DMA 260 amp, Meitner DAC, Oppo transport with an Ariston/SME V/Sepctral Reference on a Townsend isolation base on a separate extremely heavy (500 lbs) stand. My system's power is totally Shunyataized with a Triton, Typhon and a combination of Alpha Digital, Alpha HC, Anaconda, etc coming from 3 dedicated 20 amp circuits with Shunyata receptacles. My signal cables are MA-X MIT's. The speaker wire is MIT Oracle Matrix 90’s.
I will divide my experiment results into three groups: 1) component results; 2) Martin Login Montis results; and 3) JL F113 results
1) Component results were exactly what one would expect—the magnitude of improvement varied with the component involved, despite the fact that each shelf of the rack has its own spikes to serve as another stage of vibration control. My tubed preamp benefitted the most with the Stillpoint Ultra mini’s, although not as much as one might hope considering the price of $375 for three. However, having made this statement about the price, I am sufficiently an audiophile that even the small gain made it impossible for me to consider taking them out for use elsewhere. My optical transport seemed to benefit equally and much more than my DAC or amp.
2) When I first got my Martin Logan Montis’, I set them up using the stock spikes and legs which result in a back rake of about 7 degrees, which makes no sense to me since I bought them so get the razor sharp imaging that planar and planar electrostats can provide. To my taste, unless the screen of the Martin Logan is perpendicular to the floor, one is introducing propagation and image distortion that defeats the whole purpose of the screen. Obviously ML agrees because the screen on the Neolith is perpendicular to the floor.
Unfortunately, in addition to a second down-firing woofer (a detriment to my taste) one of the few points of distinction between the Montis and Summit X is the ability, on the Summit, to alter the angle of the screen by changing the length of the front and back feet that the spikes screw into. Although ML offered to sell me the Summit X feet that would allow me to get within 1 degree of perpendicular, at $68 each, I decided to try to do it on my own. Besides, 1 degree is not good enough, although I could have adjusted that out with the threads on the spikes.
Because the threaded screws on the spikes are not long enough, I could not obtain a firm enough anchor to truly stabilize the speaker because the rear screws only had about 1-2 threads on their sockets. The net result was insufficient stability when playing some bass and mid-bass heavy material like Dead Can Dance and The Art of Noise.
So I bought 8 Stillpoint Ultra’s and adapters for each of the 4 ML sockets on each speaker ( This was prior to the spike option). Never having had Stillpoints in my system before, prior to installing them on the ML’s, I put 4 under each of JL F113’s without the adapters and was blown away, but more on that latter. I then inserted the threaded adapters and put them into the ML’s and was barely able to get the screens truly perpendicular due to the Stillpoint adapter length.
The ML’s were more stable than with the ML spikes, but took very little to move them on hardwood floors. The sound improvement was barely noticeable, if present at all Unfortunately, my cleaning woman does not understand the concept of “no butt into the speakers when vacuuming”, meaning every week I had to re-aim them despite markings on the floor-truly a pain. Since the feet are $250 each and I needed either 6 or 8 for my JL’s, I lived with this configuration for about 6 months, until my audio OCD returned (a mixed blessing!)
After a particularly bad vacuuming session with my cleaning lady and Marty leaning on me, I called Martin Logan to see what I could do short of spending $2k+ on spiked Stillpoint’s for the ML’s and move the ones I already owned, which could not accept spikes, to the JL’s. I want to say that the people at ML service are wonderful, as they have been since I bought my first CLS’s when they first came out. When I explained my situation, they made the comment, “You have just told us what kind of listener you are since you want them perpendicular. You must be an audiophile who wants the full potential of the speaker”. Their comment put a smile on my face and groan in my gut because they were right!
I came up with an idea that they said should work and would probably be better than me buying replacement feet for the back of each speaker. I put the stock spikes on the ML's with some changes (no legs in front - spikes directly into the woofer cabinet set on the lowest setting and spikes into the legs in the rear, with the spikes extended as far as possible while insuring stability). This allowed for my preferred 0 angle rake on the screens, which I believe is essential.
The change was huge top to bottom, and that was compared to the ML's on Stillpoints, threaded into the ML's using Stillpoint adapters, not the legs that come with ML's. Everything became 2-3 layers clearer and much more distinct. Wonderful and beyond my memory and hopes. A must. (Note, I had tried this before late at night and got a different end result! I am sure that I am not the only audiophile on this site who has done the “same” experiment twice with different outcome!!!!!!)
While the sound of whatever source material was so much better, this change also helped me better determine the differences between various power cords for the ML’s. I had experimented with many, but to keep things short I will say that the difference is nothing short of amazing compared to the stock cords. To my taste Shunyata is the way to go. I tried 4 different PC’s from Shunyata and two from other after market vendors and concluded that for the best results one needs the Zitron circuitry and digital filtration, like in the Alpha Digital and Z-PC 10, compared to a plain Zitron. To my taste do not even waste your time with other brands.
3) Equally impressive to the impact of removing the non-spiked Stillpoints from my ML’s was moving the Stllpoints from the ML's to the JL F113's. I put four Ultra SS Stillpoint’s, merely sitting under each JL in the corners (just pressure mounted with no ability to screw them in. While position does change the sound, every position is better than the JL’s without the Stillpoint’s.
The bass changed so much it almost sounded like a different and better part of the music rather than merely tighter bass, which it was because the improvement (tighter and more articulate sound) did not stop at the 38 hz cut-off of the woof, but the improvements extended, with decreasing impact, but same qualitative improvement up to probably around 250 hz, if not higher.
I am quite familiar with Marty’s twin JL Gothams in a far superior room driven by a somewhat better preamp and better transport, but the essentially the same Meitner DAC and same MIT cables, Shunyata Triton and PC’s. Despite the edges in Marty’s system and room, I believe that the Stillpoint addition to my F113’s certainly give me equal and probably better bass.
So in summary, this experiment provided such an improvement, that my system sounds completely different and better than it did previously. I do not want to think about what it would sound like with spiked Stillpoint’s because the money necessary for that experiment is earmarked for a new Shunyata Sigma Digital cord for my DAC.
My final take away is it is all about the experience and in this case shifting existing equipment truly enhanced my listening experience.
I used Stillpoint Ultra SS and Ultra Mini for my Stillpoint comparisons and a series of spikes from Tip Toes, to Nordost to ML to my lifelong assortment from previous purchases. My equipment is on a heavy metal VTI rack on spikes on a hardwood floor. My speakers and subs are on the same hardwood floor. My electronics are BAT VK 32 SE tube preamp, Spectral DMA 260 amp, Meitner DAC, Oppo transport with an Ariston/SME V/Sepctral Reference on a Townsend isolation base on a separate extremely heavy (500 lbs) stand. My system's power is totally Shunyataized with a Triton, Typhon and a combination of Alpha Digital, Alpha HC, Anaconda, etc coming from 3 dedicated 20 amp circuits with Shunyata receptacles. My signal cables are MA-X MIT's. The speaker wire is MIT Oracle Matrix 90’s.
I will divide my experiment results into three groups: 1) component results; 2) Martin Login Montis results; and 3) JL F113 results
1) Component results were exactly what one would expect—the magnitude of improvement varied with the component involved, despite the fact that each shelf of the rack has its own spikes to serve as another stage of vibration control. My tubed preamp benefitted the most with the Stillpoint Ultra mini’s, although not as much as one might hope considering the price of $375 for three. However, having made this statement about the price, I am sufficiently an audiophile that even the small gain made it impossible for me to consider taking them out for use elsewhere. My optical transport seemed to benefit equally and much more than my DAC or amp.
2) When I first got my Martin Logan Montis’, I set them up using the stock spikes and legs which result in a back rake of about 7 degrees, which makes no sense to me since I bought them so get the razor sharp imaging that planar and planar electrostats can provide. To my taste, unless the screen of the Martin Logan is perpendicular to the floor, one is introducing propagation and image distortion that defeats the whole purpose of the screen. Obviously ML agrees because the screen on the Neolith is perpendicular to the floor.
Unfortunately, in addition to a second down-firing woofer (a detriment to my taste) one of the few points of distinction between the Montis and Summit X is the ability, on the Summit, to alter the angle of the screen by changing the length of the front and back feet that the spikes screw into. Although ML offered to sell me the Summit X feet that would allow me to get within 1 degree of perpendicular, at $68 each, I decided to try to do it on my own. Besides, 1 degree is not good enough, although I could have adjusted that out with the threads on the spikes.
Because the threaded screws on the spikes are not long enough, I could not obtain a firm enough anchor to truly stabilize the speaker because the rear screws only had about 1-2 threads on their sockets. The net result was insufficient stability when playing some bass and mid-bass heavy material like Dead Can Dance and The Art of Noise.
So I bought 8 Stillpoint Ultra’s and adapters for each of the 4 ML sockets on each speaker ( This was prior to the spike option). Never having had Stillpoints in my system before, prior to installing them on the ML’s, I put 4 under each of JL F113’s without the adapters and was blown away, but more on that latter. I then inserted the threaded adapters and put them into the ML’s and was barely able to get the screens truly perpendicular due to the Stillpoint adapter length.
The ML’s were more stable than with the ML spikes, but took very little to move them on hardwood floors. The sound improvement was barely noticeable, if present at all Unfortunately, my cleaning woman does not understand the concept of “no butt into the speakers when vacuuming”, meaning every week I had to re-aim them despite markings on the floor-truly a pain. Since the feet are $250 each and I needed either 6 or 8 for my JL’s, I lived with this configuration for about 6 months, until my audio OCD returned (a mixed blessing!)
After a particularly bad vacuuming session with my cleaning lady and Marty leaning on me, I called Martin Logan to see what I could do short of spending $2k+ on spiked Stillpoint’s for the ML’s and move the ones I already owned, which could not accept spikes, to the JL’s. I want to say that the people at ML service are wonderful, as they have been since I bought my first CLS’s when they first came out. When I explained my situation, they made the comment, “You have just told us what kind of listener you are since you want them perpendicular. You must be an audiophile who wants the full potential of the speaker”. Their comment put a smile on my face and groan in my gut because they were right!
I came up with an idea that they said should work and would probably be better than me buying replacement feet for the back of each speaker. I put the stock spikes on the ML's with some changes (no legs in front - spikes directly into the woofer cabinet set on the lowest setting and spikes into the legs in the rear, with the spikes extended as far as possible while insuring stability). This allowed for my preferred 0 angle rake on the screens, which I believe is essential.
The change was huge top to bottom, and that was compared to the ML's on Stillpoints, threaded into the ML's using Stillpoint adapters, not the legs that come with ML's. Everything became 2-3 layers clearer and much more distinct. Wonderful and beyond my memory and hopes. A must. (Note, I had tried this before late at night and got a different end result! I am sure that I am not the only audiophile on this site who has done the “same” experiment twice with different outcome!!!!!!)
While the sound of whatever source material was so much better, this change also helped me better determine the differences between various power cords for the ML’s. I had experimented with many, but to keep things short I will say that the difference is nothing short of amazing compared to the stock cords. To my taste Shunyata is the way to go. I tried 4 different PC’s from Shunyata and two from other after market vendors and concluded that for the best results one needs the Zitron circuitry and digital filtration, like in the Alpha Digital and Z-PC 10, compared to a plain Zitron. To my taste do not even waste your time with other brands.
3) Equally impressive to the impact of removing the non-spiked Stillpoints from my ML’s was moving the Stllpoints from the ML's to the JL F113's. I put four Ultra SS Stillpoint’s, merely sitting under each JL in the corners (just pressure mounted with no ability to screw them in. While position does change the sound, every position is better than the JL’s without the Stillpoint’s.
The bass changed so much it almost sounded like a different and better part of the music rather than merely tighter bass, which it was because the improvement (tighter and more articulate sound) did not stop at the 38 hz cut-off of the woof, but the improvements extended, with decreasing impact, but same qualitative improvement up to probably around 250 hz, if not higher.
I am quite familiar with Marty’s twin JL Gothams in a far superior room driven by a somewhat better preamp and better transport, but the essentially the same Meitner DAC and same MIT cables, Shunyata Triton and PC’s. Despite the edges in Marty’s system and room, I believe that the Stillpoint addition to my F113’s certainly give me equal and probably better bass.
So in summary, this experiment provided such an improvement, that my system sounds completely different and better than it did previously. I do not want to think about what it would sound like with spiked Stillpoint’s because the money necessary for that experiment is earmarked for a new Shunyata Sigma Digital cord for my DAC.
My final take away is it is all about the experience and in this case shifting existing equipment truly enhanced my listening experience.