This is in response to a few queries I have been getting about my experience in the world of accessories and don't mind sharing my experiences...
I turned to this part of the system after initially assembling what I feel have been a good source, amplifiers, speakers, subwoofers and cables. After lacklustre experience with locally made racks and stands using MDF and several DYI masterpieces, I decided to go after accessories that would be excellent but within my means.
First, a Solid Tech Rack of Silence, one of the best there is but costing a bit. It is a 3-shelf rack with the top and bottom ones fixed and the middle one suspended. With my CD player on the fixed shelf and tube preamp on the suspended shelf, the change was unbelievable. Next I added a set of Solid Tech Feet of Silence and another of Finite Elemente spider ceraballs under the equipment and they were even better. The feet of silence work very well under the preamp whereas the ceraballs do great under the CDP, and opposite results are observed when put the other way.
The power amp initially in the Rack of Silence sounded a bit lean with the solidity of notes diminishing though space among instruments increases. Not good enough for my tastes. My search for the Holy Grail continued and ended when I got a single AS-1 stand from Taoc of Japan after several communications about its greatness with some of the staff of Positive Feedback. With Taoc's TITE feet under the power amp sitting on the AS-1 stand, my power amp regained its solidity and supremacy and I realise that heavy equipment like power amplifiers need more solid bases compared to the Rack of Silence. The latter is exemplary for vibration-prone equipment like CDP, tube preamp etc.
Since the Taoc stands are only moderately expensive, I got a 4-shelf AS-4 rack from them on which rest my HT equipment like DVD player, surround sound processor, multichannel amp etc. Meanwhile, I also got a set of myrtle wood blocks from Ayre which I use to support my cables.
The only other addition has been a Furutech demagnetiser which I use for every CD either before or after playing, and a Ayre/Cardas CD called Irrational but Efficacious, one which I run at least every week for system warm-up.
I am quite happy with what I have and feel they are money well spent. But as I mentioned in the beginning, all these came after my basic system was in place, not before.
If someone is interested to know about Solid Tech, Finite Elemente, Taoc etc, a visit to their websites is recommended. I also believe now there are distributors in India for some of these, I am not sure. The reason is that when I look in Vandersteen speakers website, I find an Indian distributor mentioned there, some Innovative Technology or something in Mumbai, but I never got any response from the telephone numbers listed. So you never know what is what!!!
Thank you for your patient reading.
> murali
I turned to this part of the system after initially assembling what I feel have been a good source, amplifiers, speakers, subwoofers and cables. After lacklustre experience with locally made racks and stands using MDF and several DYI masterpieces, I decided to go after accessories that would be excellent but within my means.
First, a Solid Tech Rack of Silence, one of the best there is but costing a bit. It is a 3-shelf rack with the top and bottom ones fixed and the middle one suspended. With my CD player on the fixed shelf and tube preamp on the suspended shelf, the change was unbelievable. Next I added a set of Solid Tech Feet of Silence and another of Finite Elemente spider ceraballs under the equipment and they were even better. The feet of silence work very well under the preamp whereas the ceraballs do great under the CDP, and opposite results are observed when put the other way.
The power amp initially in the Rack of Silence sounded a bit lean with the solidity of notes diminishing though space among instruments increases. Not good enough for my tastes. My search for the Holy Grail continued and ended when I got a single AS-1 stand from Taoc of Japan after several communications about its greatness with some of the staff of Positive Feedback. With Taoc's TITE feet under the power amp sitting on the AS-1 stand, my power amp regained its solidity and supremacy and I realise that heavy equipment like power amplifiers need more solid bases compared to the Rack of Silence. The latter is exemplary for vibration-prone equipment like CDP, tube preamp etc.
Since the Taoc stands are only moderately expensive, I got a 4-shelf AS-4 rack from them on which rest my HT equipment like DVD player, surround sound processor, multichannel amp etc. Meanwhile, I also got a set of myrtle wood blocks from Ayre which I use to support my cables.
The only other addition has been a Furutech demagnetiser which I use for every CD either before or after playing, and a Ayre/Cardas CD called Irrational but Efficacious, one which I run at least every week for system warm-up.
I am quite happy with what I have and feel they are money well spent. But as I mentioned in the beginning, all these came after my basic system was in place, not before.
If someone is interested to know about Solid Tech, Finite Elemente, Taoc etc, a visit to their websites is recommended. I also believe now there are distributors in India for some of these, I am not sure. The reason is that when I look in Vandersteen speakers website, I find an Indian distributor mentioned there, some Innovative Technology or something in Mumbai, but I never got any response from the telephone numbers listed. So you never know what is what!!!
Thank you for your patient reading.
> murali
