By Michael Miguest
"Good Vibrations" is a song composed and produced by Brian Wilson with words by Mike Love for the American rock band the Beach Boys. Released as a single in October 1966, it was an immediate critical and commercial hit, topping record charts in several countries including the US and UK. Characterized by its complex soundscapes, episodic structure, and subversions of pop music formula, it was the most costly single ever recorded at the time of its release. "Good Vibrations" later became widely acclaimed as one of the greatest masterpieces of rock music.[12]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Vibrations#cite_note-FOOTNOTECandelaria2014130-13
However, vibrations when it comes to your high-end audio system is unequivocally "Bad". This review is for Todd's Amcan Isolation Footers. There’s little to debate about the effects of unwanted vibrations in a high-end system. The audible annoyances of untamed vibrations in your system and listening room can wreak havoc on your entire listening experience. There are a plethora of isolation products marketed to audiophiles claiming to reduce, eliminate or drain vibrations from our audio components. From the utilitarian to the esoteric as well as from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, the options and combinations in the audio marketplace for consumers are almost endless. One of Audio Cognoscenti's missions is to identify and inform audio consumers about audio products that will provide the same efficacy or better than those that are priced at the high end of the audio spectrum, yet sanely priced.
I have been using Black Diamond Racing Cones in my system since the late 1990's. At $60 for a set of 3, I found this tweak affordable. The cones came in the Mk.3 and Mk.4 versions which differed in material structure and manufacturing technique. Subsequent sonic differences also resulted. Neither was supposedly better or worse, they simply worked better in different situations. I experienced increased resolution and transient attack. My bass improved as my bottom end became tauter, better defined and more articulate. To say I had become use to my sound having used this product for almost 20 years would be an understatement.
Over these 2 decades, I read about other isolation products and Stillpoints in my opinion, emerged as the de facto vibration control product of the audio status quo. However, I could not justify this product's cost. In fact, I thought then and still think it is insane. At the same time, my curiosity was piqued by this product that ostensibly would be capable of affording me even greater performance than my BDR cones. I was adamant in my resolve to find a product as effective as Stillpoints with a price point that I was comfortable with.
I was attending a DIY audio group meeting with my very close audio/personal friend who introduced me to this group. We met Todd Kubon for the first time at this listening session. Todd had samples of his products along with a scientific perspective that intrigued me. I expressed my interest in doing a review of his brass footers and he gave me six to experiment with.
I decided to use Todd's footers under my tube Harman Kardon pre-amp and my VTL power amp. I started by replacing my BDR cones only under my pre-amp with Todd's footers leaving the BDR cones under my power amp. As stated earlier, I am very familiar with my system's sound and wanted to hear the difference if any with only the pre-amp using Todd's footers. I listened to my system this way for a week. Todd's isolation footers only under my pre lowered the noise floor allowing me to hear more of the subtle tone and body clues of the various instruments. I also noticed greater gain (enhanced power) along with a greater accuracy and a more detailed soundstage.
I then replaced the BDR cones under my power amp with Todd's footers. I listened to my system with Todd's footers under both my pre and power amps for another week. This combination resulted in greater tonal richness in the presentation of the body of the instruments. There was greater clarity and resolution of very low-level information. My bass dynamics were also improved. Very low bass notes became more audible and more defined. Notes seemed to stop and start more quickly which gave the presentation a greater dynamic agility which conveyed more of the musicians' dynamic expression with a wider, deeper soundstage and a more lifelike reproduction.
In conclusion, I removed Todd's isolation footers and put my BDR cones back under both my pre and power amps and listened for another week to confirm the differences I heard. No Contest! Todd's isolation footers were transformational with regard to my system's musical presentation. It was simply more natural and more musical with Todd's isolation footers.These audio isolation footers are CNC milled in your choice of 303 Stainless Steel, Brass, or pure Copper. The footers are then filled with proprietary silicone, which acts like a spring. The footers are designed to be used either with or without screws. When used without screws the weight of the audio component activates the isolator by compressing the silicone against the cylindrical steel walls. The resulting effect is a blacker, quieter, more accurate and detailed soundstage. This is known as Constant Natural Frequency Isolation (CNF)
www.amcanaudio.com/
"Good Vibrations" is a song composed and produced by Brian Wilson with words by Mike Love for the American rock band the Beach Boys. Released as a single in October 1966, it was an immediate critical and commercial hit, topping record charts in several countries including the US and UK. Characterized by its complex soundscapes, episodic structure, and subversions of pop music formula, it was the most costly single ever recorded at the time of its release. "Good Vibrations" later became widely acclaimed as one of the greatest masterpieces of rock music.[12]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Vibrations#cite_note-FOOTNOTECandelaria2014130-13
However, vibrations when it comes to your high-end audio system is unequivocally "Bad". This review is for Todd's Amcan Isolation Footers. There’s little to debate about the effects of unwanted vibrations in a high-end system. The audible annoyances of untamed vibrations in your system and listening room can wreak havoc on your entire listening experience. There are a plethora of isolation products marketed to audiophiles claiming to reduce, eliminate or drain vibrations from our audio components. From the utilitarian to the esoteric as well as from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, the options and combinations in the audio marketplace for consumers are almost endless. One of Audio Cognoscenti's missions is to identify and inform audio consumers about audio products that will provide the same efficacy or better than those that are priced at the high end of the audio spectrum, yet sanely priced.
I have been using Black Diamond Racing Cones in my system since the late 1990's. At $60 for a set of 3, I found this tweak affordable. The cones came in the Mk.3 and Mk.4 versions which differed in material structure and manufacturing technique. Subsequent sonic differences also resulted. Neither was supposedly better or worse, they simply worked better in different situations. I experienced increased resolution and transient attack. My bass improved as my bottom end became tauter, better defined and more articulate. To say I had become use to my sound having used this product for almost 20 years would be an understatement.
Over these 2 decades, I read about other isolation products and Stillpoints in my opinion, emerged as the de facto vibration control product of the audio status quo. However, I could not justify this product's cost. In fact, I thought then and still think it is insane. At the same time, my curiosity was piqued by this product that ostensibly would be capable of affording me even greater performance than my BDR cones. I was adamant in my resolve to find a product as effective as Stillpoints with a price point that I was comfortable with.
I was attending a DIY audio group meeting with my very close audio/personal friend who introduced me to this group. We met Todd Kubon for the first time at this listening session. Todd had samples of his products along with a scientific perspective that intrigued me. I expressed my interest in doing a review of his brass footers and he gave me six to experiment with.
I decided to use Todd's footers under my tube Harman Kardon pre-amp and my VTL power amp. I started by replacing my BDR cones only under my pre-amp with Todd's footers leaving the BDR cones under my power amp. As stated earlier, I am very familiar with my system's sound and wanted to hear the difference if any with only the pre-amp using Todd's footers. I listened to my system this way for a week. Todd's isolation footers only under my pre lowered the noise floor allowing me to hear more of the subtle tone and body clues of the various instruments. I also noticed greater gain (enhanced power) along with a greater accuracy and a more detailed soundstage.
I then replaced the BDR cones under my power amp with Todd's footers. I listened to my system with Todd's footers under both my pre and power amps for another week. This combination resulted in greater tonal richness in the presentation of the body of the instruments. There was greater clarity and resolution of very low-level information. My bass dynamics were also improved. Very low bass notes became more audible and more defined. Notes seemed to stop and start more quickly which gave the presentation a greater dynamic agility which conveyed more of the musicians' dynamic expression with a wider, deeper soundstage and a more lifelike reproduction.
In conclusion, I removed Todd's isolation footers and put my BDR cones back under both my pre and power amps and listened for another week to confirm the differences I heard. No Contest! Todd's isolation footers were transformational with regard to my system's musical presentation. It was simply more natural and more musical with Todd's isolation footers.These audio isolation footers are CNC milled in your choice of 303 Stainless Steel, Brass, or pure Copper. The footers are then filled with proprietary silicone, which acts like a spring. The footers are designed to be used either with or without screws. When used without screws the weight of the audio component activates the isolator by compressing the silicone against the cylindrical steel walls. The resulting effect is a blacker, quieter, more accurate and detailed soundstage. This is known as Constant Natural Frequency Isolation (CNF)
www.amcanaudio.com/
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