Freako
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Nano-Pad tweak
Freako
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I have listened some more to CD's after applying the above mentioned Nano-Pad vibration killers. Surely I didn't quite know what to expect, and I am in the middle of burning in a new set of speakers, which of course adds an amount of uncertainty.

One thing though is that the soundstage (once again) benefitted a lot from these new "feet". On most of the used CD's, the soundstage is very very deep, and very high and wide, and all instruments stand as solid, clearly defined points of an incredibly natural size and sound. Voices also benefitted, but the size and placement in the soundstage seem more dependant of how close the mic was during the recording. The closer, the bigger the voice in the soundstage. This is surely the case on every system, but this has become much more defined after adding new "feet".

I listened to the following CD's:

Vaughan Williams "A sea symphony"
Faure "Requiem"
Eva Cassidy "Songbird"
Charlie Wood "Flutter and wow"
Donald Fagen "The nightfly"
Janis Ian "Breaking silence"
Dire Straits "On every street"
Roger Waters "Amused to death"
The DALI demo disc (from the speaker manufacturer = DALI = Danish Loudspeaker Industries)

On all of these CD's there is a remarkable improvement when adding the new "feet". For example, on the DALI demo disc there are some outstanding music samples, which made me re-evaluate what I thought was my best CD's. The CD will put your systems to a serious test, I promise you. This CD (and Amused to death) are simply the best I have ever heard on my system. On the latter, the soundstage stretches forever into the distance. If any of you guys would be interested in the DALI demo disc, we could make a deal. I would be willing to ship a copy to the US, if the recipient would promise to copy it and ship the copy to another member of this forum etc. This way we could make a "chain" and none of us would have to pay the postage more than once. Let me know what you think.

I know some of you are going to ask me: "What about your new speakers and the new speaker cable? Ain't they influencing your listening?"

Yes, one can suspect that, but I have listened both with and without the new "feet", and there's a remarkable improvement as far as I can hear.

Please remember that I cannot guarantee you will achieve a similar improvement. But since the price isn't so bad (I paid what equals $10 for each Nano-Pad) I think you might give them a try.

Regards

Edit:

I have changed the design of the vibration killer Nano-Pad feet:

Edit: Leave out step 5; it's not necessary, and the pads stick much better without tape.

Freako
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Yes, you are right, I never stop

Here's my latest experiment. I tried using my marble slabs under the speakers, and of course with my newly invented Nano-Pad feet. This is just grrrreat!

Call me what you like, but geez do I have fun...

It's the best ever from my system yet. I suspect the pads work more or less like BluTak regarding the sticky effect, and I have to say it works wonders. With every tweak the details, the tightness and the soundstage has become still better, but the marble slabs and the sticky little pads tops it. The darkness in the soundstage is simply amazing (now I think I know what you were talking about when you mentioned BluTak, Buddha). I don't know how to describe the total of these tweaks, but if I should try I'd say it's like having a whole other system, and much better at what it's supposed to do. I just can't stop listening to music, and my foot won't sit still...

Buddha
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Now that you haved damped them from below, any way to see if you hear a difference by putting a weight or other damping devicee on top of you CD player or speakers?

I'd be curious to see of you noticed any further difference.

Freako
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It's very late. I will try it tomorrow, and return with the results, if any.

Freako
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OK, I tried to add around 7 lbs of weight on top of each speaker. Listened, removed the weight, listened, added it again and listened some more.

Then I tried to add around 14 lbs on top of the CDP, same procedure.

Then I tried to add weight to both the speakers AND the CDP. 7 lbs on the speakers and approx 10 lbs on top of the CDP.

I spent half an hour on this. If there were changes of any sort, they were so subtle that I couldn't hear them.

Maybe I should add, that my CDP have had weight added on top of it the whole time. I have a piece of granite standing on it, and it weighs around 4,5 - 5 lbs. It's mostly there for decor purposes, and I never heard any difference after adding it a few months ago.

geoffkait
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Quote:
OK, I tried to add around 7 lbs of weight on top of each speaker. Listened, removed the weight, listened, added it again and listened some more.

Then I tried to add around 14 lbs on top of the CDP, same procedure.

Then I tried to add weight to both the speakers AND the CDP. 7 lbs on the speakers and approx 10 lbs on top of the CDP.

I spent half an hour on this. If there were changes of any sort, they were so subtle that I couldn't hear them.

Maybe I should add, that my CDP have had weight added on top of it the whole time. I have a piece of granite standing on it, and it weighs around 4,5 - 5 lbs. It's mostly there for decor purposes, and I never heard any difference after adding it a few months ago.

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall.

Freako
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I heard Grace Slick's voice the second I read that

Now I tried adding 10 lbs on each speaker and also on top of the sub. It's like the sound is a tad bit cleaner now. Since I have hats on all of my speakers I will leave the weights there. Thx for the hint, Buddha

geoffkait
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Quote:
I heard Grace Slick's voice the second I read that

Now I tried adding 10 lbs on each speaker and also on top of the sub. It's like the sound is a tad bit cleaner now. Since I have hats on all of my speakers I will leave the weights there. Thx for the hint, Buddha

Of course it's like the sound is a tad bit cleaner now. It's the placebo effect, silly!

Freako
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That reminds me to take my pills!

ncdrawl
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just put m&ms on the speakers as per Jeff Joseph

Freako
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I don't buy the damned stuff. I never trusted companies with names like Mars Inc.

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