Which table would you want in your home?

Hi Steve,

Just to be clear, although I've never heard the ESS I don't for a second doubt that the table is effective (I use stillpoints under some of my own kit btw) and my original post contains no express or implied opinion as to its efficacy. In the context of a high end system I can even see the table being good "value" if that is defined by reference to be degree of benefit.

Just a tongue in cheek reflection on the 'apparent' disconnect between materials value and cost. You can buy a car for £6.5k too

Glad you're enjoying it!

Lee

 

I am afraid I remain incredulous, perfect item for a double blind test.

 

...we could ask Roy Gregory?

 

The crown prince of FOO.

 

A fool and his money....

Not implying you're a fool, but i know i'd never spend £1000 on isoltation no matter how rich i got.

 

I spent about £700 on my double width granite/hardwood HNE rack. Looks very nice I think.

I don't think a thousand is that bad. I don't see hifi racks that look nice and solid much below 500ish.

6.5k is a huge sum, and frankly you could get some serious hifi for that.. but snoop didn't pay that, and if he chose to good luck to him also.

 

Congratulation snoop.

Where are the Mana fans?

 

I had an HNE custom built rack with Finite Elemente Cerabase footers prior to changing to the Stillpoints ESS rack.

I was astonished by how much improvement could be gained by just changing the support for my individual components.

I believed that a substantial platform like the HNE granite and wood rack could not reasonably be improved upon but I was gobsmacked by how much more of the music was let through by substituting the Stillpoints rack.

I know there will always be those that will scoff at some of the prices we hi fi OCD obsessives will spend in pursuit of our hobby, but hey, I can afford it, the mortgage is paid off, I don't have kids to support and there are no pockets in a shroud (i.e. you can't take it with you!).

Seriously though, Stillpoints technology is founded on sound (excuse the pun) engineering principles and introduced into a system of high resolution components, will work it's magic and let you hear the difference in sound quality.

I listen to music every day for many hours and I never for one minute regret my substantial investment in hi fi.

 

...on the flipside I'm suffering at the moment financially for my "art", but in common with Snoop don't regret a penny for the reward of escapism/immersion in music. I don't get holidays, and seem to live "Groundhog Weeks", at least i have something tangible to show for my labours, which a lot of friends have said, and unlike some things if you are are careful and don't get into the diminishing returns trap - the more you invest the more you get back.

I've stopped buying kit now and am paying it off a little at a time. I have been through a very difficult period in life, and okay the financial aspect has been sapping, but without this wonderful hobby this period would have been so much worse. In terms of addictions, fine music is one of the better ones. I have the key to a secret garden almost. If I could get a Townshend rack at a fair price secondhand and had the cash, I say why not? - there definitely seems to be something in it, I've just dipped my toe.

I had some of those ixos sorbothane pads under a valve pre-amp and was astonished what a difference it made for just £20! Latterly I spoke to the manufacturer and he agreed that isolation was always his weak point! I think it somewhat depends on listening volume though, as in my flat (unless I get the occasional day off) I rarely get chance to crank it up enough to vibrate anything!

 

Mght be.

The engineering looks quite clever though.

imo of course.

 

Wll said that man.

"I was gobsmacked by how much more of the music was let through by substituting the Stillpoints rack."

yup

It happened to me.

 

Quite right. There's even a manufacturer of laboratory instrumentation in the USA that uses Stillpoints OEM technology. If Stillpoints can improve the resolution of a FTIR analyser, then clearly the same applies to audio. In the world of laboratory instrumentation, such things are measurable, by the way. I use Stillpoints in my system (not the rack, though) and am happy that they do what the tin says. For all the (many, it seems) carpers out there, just ask yourselves how much you've frittered away on expensive equipment upgrades, when (just maybe) a Stillpoints rack might have brought about a more satisfying outcome. At the very least the ESS rack is less hideous than most other offerings.

 

I find them fascinating personally.

 

Snoop

Nice to see the bass traps you have in the corners.

Have you tried acoustic treatment at the first point of reflection (above the radiator, and behind your hifi)?

I found this made a considerable difference and was very worthwhile.

 

Acustica Applicata, the Italian manufacturers of the DaaD devices, supply a free of charge service to anyone. I sent them an accurate plan of my room, detailing furniture dimensions, curtains, radiators etc, together with measurements of the speaker and listening position. They sent by return a computer generated plan based on my room model with recommendations for which model DaaD's I needed and their placement. I now have 14 pieces and they are arranged as in the photos below. What is not shown are two 80cm high DaaD2's (the smallest) which are stacked vertically in front of the plasma screen with the diffraction side pointing towards the display and the absorbtion side facing into the room towards the listening position. The overall effect is to counteract room resonances and to solidify the soundstage. Again, expensive but well worth the effort.

 

...at least they look good, I've considered if I move to a larger place tiling the back of the wall with those "large tile" sound panels, and I've seen some for about £40, since my rooms always have too much laminate and white walls, I get too much bass with something supposedly as bass light as a quad esl57!

I haven't tried stillpoints but might, if you are on a budget the ixos sorbothane chocks are brilliant.

 

Blimey David - did you buy one?

 

Corky

how the hell are you?

my dear chap, I'm trying to work out how to pay for the next £70 fill up of diesel (65 any way) let alone 6.5 grands worth of hifi rack.

so.......thats a no, correct

 

Ha ha! Hello David!
Sorry guys - not trying to hijack the thread!

Had a misshap up on the moors on m/cycle - 2 weeks in hospital and, 2 operations on my dominant hand and restricted mobility for 6+ weeks...

2 weeks to go

How about you?

Yes, a struggle isn't it... I wonder what happens to hi fi economics at the high end at times like this; I think I read in Hi Fi press that it has little effect on the top or the bottom, but hits the middle hard

 

Unlucky Corky.

Hope you are better soon.

I'm ok thanks.

I wonder what happens to hi fi economics at the high end at times like this;


yes i wonder


I think I read in Hi Fi press that it has little effect on the top or the bottom, but hits the middle hard


I could beleive that.