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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 13, 2014 20:20:03 GMT
Builders !
Have the T shirt
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Post by brian2957 on Sept 13, 2014 21:56:07 GMT
It will be interesting to see if the RDC cones do their thing on a concrete floor Martin.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 13, 2014 22:24:13 GMT
I'll know by midweek, Brian!
There's the best part of 100kg on the rack, so I hope it means the RDCs will soak up the vibes while the rack remains 'immovable'. |
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 14, 2014 6:09:09 GMT
How many contact points on the floor do you have, 6 ?
Assume you will have RDCs under the kit and the rack. I wonder if that will be adding effect or multiplying .......
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Post by jandl100 on Sept 14, 2014 6:29:06 GMT
...... I wonder if that will be adding effect or multiplying ....... Or taking it too far.
I do find that a mix of kit often works better than staying with a single type - the benefits of 1 type of sound quality get exaggerated with reinforcement and can end up going OTT and sounding unnatural. - a nice bit of airy bloom can become vague and wishy-washy if accumulated, for example. Similarly, the definition provided by spikes can become etched and hard if taken too far. Or so it seems to me. 
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Post by MartinT on Sept 14, 2014 9:56:48 GMT
The rack has 6 feet, so approximately 15kg per foot. The RDC1s are rated at 25kg each, so no problem there. I agree that there can be too much of good thing, but the RDCs have always sounded pretty neutral. In any case, solid connection is causing a problem so I need some more 'lossiness' somewhere along the chain.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 14, 2014 10:30:44 GMT
...... I wonder if that will be adding effect or multiplying ....... Or taking it too far.
I do find that a mix of kit often works better than staying with a single type - the benefits of 1 type of sound quality get exaggerated with reinforcement and can end up going OTT and sounding unnatural. - a nice bit of airy bloom can become vague and wishy-washy if accumulated, for example. Similarly, the definition provided by spikes can become etched and hard if taken too far. Or so it seems to me.
I think my racks will be too much for the 25kg limit per cone and they also sit on Mana soundbases. So all sorts going on there |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 10:51:51 GMT
I've just received the parts so it's upheaval time again tonight!
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 17, 2014 12:11:25 GMT
We wait to hear what you hear ......
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 13:37:29 GMT
Wish I could just levitate it, with all the equipment in place, and change the footers. It would take 10 mins to do the lot!
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 17, 2014 14:33:25 GMT
There is something that will do that Pallet truck |
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Post by ChrisB on Sept 17, 2014 18:08:51 GMT
TAS Signature Audiophile Component Footers£12.99 from Halfords and Screwfix or £1,299 (each) from selected audio dealers 
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 18:40:05 GMT
LOL! Now then...
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 19:04:24 GMT
Success (but not immediately)!
I'm now a real expert at rapid disassembly and setting up of my system rack, but I won't be sorry if I don't have to do it again for a long time. The RDC1s with M8 thread went onto my 'long nut' modification to the legs of the Solid Tech without issue. I used an M8 'penny washer' between the nut and RDC in order to spread the load properly across the rear surface of each cone. I hand tightened them as I didn't want to take any kind of tool to them. Back right-side up, I placed the Solid Tech carefully back to its registered position and everything levelled up nicely, with no wobble at all. Of course, the carpet is now taking up some compressed slack, helping to isolate between the concrete and rack.
Rebuilding, balancing and cable dressing were the same as before, but I was even tidier this time as I've learned how each cable wants to naturally fall. Even despite not giving the components a good warm-up, I could tell that things sounded good with that characteristic (or rather, characterless) revealing nature of the RDCs. So far so good, and CD sounded great on a quick listen. However, playing a record gave me no further margin of bass feedback than I had before. Anything over 51-52dB setting on the preamp and deep throbbing bass feedback built up when playing a record. Damn!
Thinking about the problem a little more, it's clear that the RDCs are doing their job in conducting away midrange vibrations but they can do nothing for very low frequencies as they simply aren't compliant enough, even with the Cups and Combi Bases. Either they would need to be far more compliant or the system rack far heavier. So what do I have lying around that's very compliant? Aha! I take one look at the dejected and abandoned Techniboots and have an idea. Now these things are very squidgy, even more so that the Deflex Superpods. More importantly, they are exactly the right shape for me to try - upside down!
So, bizarre as this setup may appear (and it does look odd), I jacked up the deck and placed each RDC Combi Base on an upside-down Techniboot. The entire assembly is now very pliant (but still well damped) since the Technics is a heavy deck. Most importantly - it works! Isolation is now improved by at least 9dB since I can play the same record at a setting of 60dB (my highest level when playing records) without any feedback. Amazing! The hollow underside of the Techniboot I think is the secret here, the deck effectively resting on the four rims.
I am very pleased as the sound is still very good and cleaner than with the Isonoe/Techniboot combination. Meanwhile the RDCs on the system rack have worked their magic on the rest of the system, too. Ry Cooder BTYD is truly wonderful again and (being mastered at a low level) sounds great at my preferred volume. |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 19:20:24 GMT
Hoo wee we're back in business!! I just played James Newton Howard's E Minor Shuffle and it damn nearly took my head off, so tight and potent are the drums. Probably the best recording of drums I have in my entire collection, and it sounds better than it ever has before.
I think my rack/isolation issues are done. Time for some more music. |
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Post by brian2957 on Sept 17, 2014 19:39:42 GMT
I scratched my head a couple of times then had a chuckle to myself Martin . Only an audiophile would do something like this and I've tried things like this many times and reaped the benefits occasionally . Well done sir , glad you're happy ( for another little while anyway  ) |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 19:56:17 GMT
Heh, heh, I don't mind how I arrived at it, the results are well worth the effort. Playing Phil Collin's I Don't Care Anymore on CD just now, the sense of space around his drumming and the raw anger in his voice are simply epic. Damn that I have to go to bed tonight!
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 17, 2014 20:06:24 GMT
I wondered about Isonoes on RDC cones, mostly because RDC cones on their own point down, will do the Techniboots not much good.
Those RDC saucer jobbies get around that of course
Utter madness this makes music sound better - or perhaps this is a 'developing technology'
Not down to age of hifi industry but the resources given in the years it has been going
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 21:08:39 GMT
You're going to have to come over again, Mike. I need a recalibration and, anyway, we do enjoy swapping music. Just one evening, couple or three hours.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2014 21:16:07 GMT
System as it stands tonight (apologies for the grain, just my phone camera)...
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