[baronbeehive]

I did not try speaker spikes on carpet, but I remember reading that some people would not use the disks under the cones and let the spikes pierce the carpet. When I used the spikes on hardwood I put the disks underneath since I did not want to make holes in the wood, and there still was a good effect.
Re your question regarding hard feet or rubber feet I am sure that other people have the knowledge and can answer you.

Thanks!

It is something I have been puzzled about for a long time. I don't want to hog the thread, but I would just say that years ago when I was learning the Spanish guitar we used to play in a bare room with floorboards and the effect was dramatically good for the acoustic guitar. However this would not apply to listening to music on a hifi system because there were all sorts of reflections off the floors and wall which is why carpets can deaden some of this. I'm still a bit confused about this because usually concert halls also have bare floors, then again some concert halls have terrible acoustics. I suppose the answer is some sort of digital software noise cancellation system.

 

[DecentLevi]

That's interesting!

I've wondered about this, so as I have speakers on mounts directly onto a carpet, that would negate the effect of spikes because the carpet would absorb the music, ie. vibrations.., as well as some of the music dynamics. Going by that it would be better to have hard feet rather than, say rubber feet?

Though I'm not the expert on speaker acoustics and vibration treatments, I would assume the use of a speaker mount (speaker stand?) would negate the need for an isolation cone with pike that you were mentioning like this:

As far as I can tell these are only useful to level out the tilt on devices and can help acoustics of speakers by raising them off the floor a little vs. the speaker box placed directly on something, but not sure if the area where the pike meets the disc has an absorption / dampening properties? If your speaker stand is on carpet I would assume hard or soft bottom of stand wouldn't make any difference, otherwise on a hard surface probably a rubber bottom of it would absorb some frequencies.

It is something I have been puzzled about for a long time. I don't want to hog the thread, but I would just say that years ago when I was learning the Spanish guitar we used to play in a bare room with floorboards and the effect was dramatically good for the acoustic guitar. However this would not apply to listening to music on a hifi system because there were all sorts of reflections off the floors and wall which is why carpets can deaden some of this. I'm still a bit confused about this because usually concert halls also have bare floors, then again some concert halls have terrible acoustics. I suppose the answer is some sort of digital software noise cancellation system.

A guitar may sound benefit from the natural reverberation of a non-acoustically treated room due to the reduced sharpness of initial transients as compared to the initial bang when you hit a snare drum. Concerts and hi-fi stereo systems generally do not use digital noise cancellation because even if this exists, whatever reduction of reverb/delay that processes takes away would be negated when the sound enters back into the acoustic environment which is affected by the way air reflects off of various surfaces and objects in the said room. Here is an excellent video that recommends an affordable DIY acoustic treatment of rooms, as well as better understanding of room acoustics.


For vibration/dampening on my devices (CD transport and upcoming amp), I’ve found a few really good seeming and well reviewed options.

This is the Bright Star IsoNode feet on Audio Advisor that seems to has consistent positive reviews on a broad range of audio equipment from CD players to speakers, amps and even laptops (not sure if that has any practical function?), and its' polymer material seems to be durable and absorbs wide range of vibration.

Then there’s this option, the Vibrapod support cone which seems to be a hybrid solution with vibrations absorbed by both the vinyl material, as well as the ball bearing being able to roll around - but this poses the question of the ball being only able to absorb left-right (horizontal) vibrations(?), and which direction vibrations are emitted from the said device, and whether the ball bearing should be against a hard table vs. on a dampening material; or the other direction making contact on your device itself.

PS - apologies I know this is the Ultrasonic Studios thread, but I thought this may be relevant.

 

[baronbeehive]

Thanks for that!

Where the spike meets the disc does not absorb vibration it is just there to locate the spike and provide a base to protect what's underneath.

This subject is relevant because many people stack their equipment. I know that you can get vibration absorbing stands for example, indeed they come with their sound absorbing materials inside as we know.

Maybe I will experiment if I get the chance to remove the carpet.

All this is an argument for headphones.., but I prefer listening through speakers.

 

[Maxx134]

So is there any rational explanation for pointy feet, aside from unique looks?

 

[baronbeehive]

So is there any rational explanation for pointy feet, aside from unique looks?

Now we're really losing it lol!

 

[DecentLevi]

They can really make a difference under speakers vs. sitting directly on a desk by raising them up a little and absorbing some vibrations causing tighter bass. Various frequency absorbing materials are also reported to be beneficial under tube amps and CD players, absorbing vibrations which effects the frequencies in various ways. I'm just getting into those and was looking for some input there. But there is no universal feet / damping material that does a certain thing, a lot of it is subjective and depends on which component your're using it under and the type of absorption material you're using.

 

[nishan99]

I just got the Oblivion today and I am listening to it with the the ZMF Verite open (verite pads+EQ) with the high impedance switch fed by monoprice THX desktop DAC section.

I am too lazy to get up and turn on the lights for appropriate photo

Spoiler: big ass photo

I don't have any experience with electronics at its price so I don't know how it compare to other options, all I can tell is my own experience compared to my monoprice THX.

It's early impressions so take it for what it's worth

To be honest I doubted myself if I can actually tell any significant differences in electronics after the THX and boy, was I wrong!.

The first things that was very obvious within the first listen before any a/b testing were the bigger stage in all dimensions, denser tones (and bigger sound images) and smoother presentation. The THX is really smooth sounding amp and the Oblivion is even smoother!.

After quite some time I started trying some a/b testing and I confirmed my first impressions. Also the sound out of the THX is noticeably leaner, something I can never say about the Verite.
The THX sounded cleaner with blacker background as expected but the Oblivion didn't sound opposite of that, it's just not as the THX in those categories.

The Oblivion does indeed has explosive dynamics in the mids and highs, electric guitars and horns really jumps at you. It's not a tuning thing because I tried different tracks and I ran sound sweeps multiple times and there is no emphasis in those regions. I actually think this amp is slightly dark sounding giving richer overall presentation.

I didn't test anything except the soundstage, it was just normal listening with some a/b testing whenever I was curious. I will try the Hifiman HE1000se after I spend enough time with the Verite first

 

[Maxx134]

The THX sounded cleaner with blacker background

I remember many years ago being impressed with the same attributes in a big solid state amp (headtrip), only to find out those clean blacks were imparted on specific music which I knew to have ambient details, and were missing.
So having a "clean" sound with very black background is actually a "red flag" for me when it comes to solid-state amps.

 

[nishan99]

Was listening to (YouTube version sucks really hard)


At the last minute I was curious to see how the THX would handle the busy and multiple instruments playing at different locations within the stage. I was shocked!, I didn't know my THX was that inferior!, I thought it would be worse than the Oblivion but it was flat out BAD! handling of the that segment of that track.

The right cello was fading in and out (literally fading, not microdynamic thing) with blurry imaging all over the stage!. The left violin was small and thin with very blurry and vague image, it also wasn't moving within the stage like what the Oblivion did (rising up). The piano in the center was overpowering the rest with the THX, it was not composed and controlled presentation as the Oblivion despite it having double the power!.

I am sorry if it's a primitive post and impressions, a truly case of "no shiit Sherlock it's a $300 vs $1800 comparison", yeah but I totally did not expected the difference is that significant and noticeable. I always heard high end electronics are bad value and "invest your money in headphones instead". But now I think the ratio is actually more close between the two than what I used to believe before. Really enlightening experience!.

 

[SonicTrance]

Another Oblivion finished! This is the first one to the UK!







Now I have some Citadels to build! =)

 

[baronbeehive]

...The right cello was fading in and out (literally fading, not microdynamic thing) with blurry imaging all over the stage!. The left violin was small and thin with very blurry and vague image, it also wasn't moving within the stage like what the Oblivion did (rising up). The piano in the center was overpowering the rest with the THX, it was not composed and controlled presentation as the Oblivion despite it having double the power!.

The piano is definitely centre stage on my gear, (LD and HiFiMan He 500), the dominant instrument, but the cello and violin come through clearly, though further back, that violin rises beautifully towards the end! I'm sure it would be a better presentation on the Oblivion though, because the violin and cello, being further back need good resolve from the amp!

I'm pretty sure Spotify only uses MP3's though.

 

[baronbeehive]

Another Oblivion finished! This is the first one to the UK!

I don't mind an invasion of Oblivions here at all LOL!
.

 

[nishan99]

The piano is definitely centre stage on my gear, (LD and HiFiMan He 500), the dominant instrument, but the cello and violin come through clearly, though further back, that violin rises beautifully towards the end! I'm sure it would be a better presentation on the Oblivion though, because the violin and cello, being further back need good resolve from the amp!

I'm pretty sure Spotify only uses MP3's though.

Yeah the piano should be the dominant instrument but the THX was overpowering it at the cost of others being significantly quieter.

Yeah Spotify premium is lossless too but it's still significantly better than YT videos : )

 

[UntilThen]

Haven't been on here for a while. So much has happen. I didn't know you were getting a Oblivion @nishan99 but as you were a frequent visitor here, I shouldn't have been surprised.

Oblivion does sound different to other amps I've owned or heard before. Most notably, I was wowed by the details and soundstage and how unfatiguing the high frequencies are, despite being very clear. Tonally it's unlike other solid state amps that can sound clinical and lean. The texture that Oblivion produce is very good to my ears. So much so, I prefer it above my Studio Six and Glenn OTL amp. That is a big achievement to my ears because I do like the other 2 amps a lot and I still do. My favourite listening setup these days is with LCD-3f and Oblivion.

Well 3 months of working from home is over. In 2 days time, I'll load up the audio gear, computers, screens into the SUV for the trip back to my office. With Oblivion in tow...

 

[UntilThen]

Another Oblivion finished! This is the first one to the UK!

That Oblivion looks just like mine.