The importance of proper setup and vibrations control

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I recently finished my CD-PRO transport and replaced with it my previous transport. In the beginning I didn't like the sound, because although very detailed, it had a sonic signature I was not used to and sounded very fatigueing. I changed some supporting platforms under the CD-Pro and introduced more damping (sandwiching damping material between 1/4" aluminum and MDF over sand) and it brought improvement. But still, the sound wasn't to my likening. I changed the AC cord on a player, but to my surprise it didn't do much.

So eventually I figured I did everything I could with tweaking the transport and tried my efforts with DAC. Originally it was resting on 3 spikes and that setup worked well with previous transport. I removed the spikes and sound changed dramatically into opposite direction (less forward, very laid back). So I concluded I needed something in between. My current setup is as per pic, with just one spike supporting the front. It maid so much improvement combined with CD-PRO that it beats everything I've heard before in my system. There is so much more detail (I am truly hearing things on recordings I wasn't aware of before), the sound is much more involving and music sounds like music and not mechanical reproduction with each instrument existing in its own space.

Incidentaly, when I tried to place two spikes on ea. end at the front, the sound changes and is very flat and not desirable.

So my conclusion is, that the proper setup and mechanical interaction between equipment and supporting structure is as much important as circuits and parts implemented themselves. Try it and you might be surprised.;)
 

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So my conclusion is, that the proper setup and mechanical interaction between equipment and supporting structure is as much important as circuits and parts implemented themselves. Try it and you might be surprised.;)
I remember being " :eek: " surprised when I put my LP deck on spikes and placed it on a granite platter directly bolted to the wall. Some time ago, just for the fun of it, I tried putting a wooden plate on the granite as a sandwich idea. It didn't last 5 minutes, sound was totally changed and not for the better - muffled and dark instead of transparant and dynamic. Most real-time CD-transports I have used are just as susceptible to mechanical environment as LP decks and strangely, even the subjective differences are alike.

I'm using a memory buffered multiread CD transport now. Susceptibility is largely gone, but still I can't find such a thing for my LPs :rolleyes:

Remco
 
Peter,
you mamaged to surprise me! the three-spike-one-metal method i used with speakers for years, with big success. I used to place one metal spike under the front baffle center and two spikes or half sheres made from PVC or POM under the backside of the speaker and sonic improvement was as you descibe.

I also use this under my turntable. UNder the CD transport? Why not! :up:
 
Hi Peter,

Thanks for the info/photo. Can you post a couple more, the back side of the arm, maybe an overhead shot? I'm interested in building my own linear tracking tonearm.

Of course, I might be interested in buying your arm if you're selling for the right price ;) I'm in Toronto as you are.

Cheers,
Ron
 
The air is supplied to big black block. There are probably some holes inside a channel which produce enough pressure allowing the arm to slide. And that's all to it. All the other stuff is counterbalance and mechanism helping smooth lifting of the arm.

I've seen an ad in Buy and Sell around this time. Is the guru from Ajax?;)
 
Ah, so you know Arthur :D He told me that he's just getting his system together this week, can you imagine not having a system for almost a whole year :eek: When I saw his system last year, he was still using the Forsell and Jadis. I gave him some tips on his mods regarding his volume control, which he appreciated

Ron
 
Hi Peter,

I have been using a pneumatic table, normally used with scanning electron microscopes, under my cd-player. It is exactly the design used by Rockport Technologies with their Sirius record player -- see photo. It is being driven by air. I can post photos of my own pneumatic table when I have assembled it. The sound is unbelievably coherent.

Thomas B
 

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