Anyone use 3rd party isolation feet under the Naim boxes in a Naim Fraim? If yes, what do you use and what benefits did they bring?
Well…the answer is yes and no! To explain. I have Stillpoints under my 552, 555 head unit and Superline phono stage. These have helped in firming things up but I recall Naim were not in favour of any extra support under the CD head unit.
I now have serious consideration for two Fraims and have not got round to discussing this extra support. My dealer uses Fraim’s for all of his boxes (apart from the LP12 on a wall shelf) with no isolation feet. This makes me think isolation feet are a no-no.
Why did you buy a Fraim?
Well, you can most often push things bit further in this hobby and since vibration is Naims worst enemy I’m interested in if investing some more in this is worth considering. I use Fraim Lite.
For the Naim kit with full suspension systems (CDS, CDI, CDS2, CDS3, CD555, NDS, ND555, NAC552, Superline…) I would definitely avoid using anything under them as the metal feet are specifically designed to work with the suspension - using anything else risks the opposite. Just be sure that all four feet are firmly sure and sure on the glass as even the tiniest amount of rocking will ruin the performance. Naim supply wafer thin shims to ensure you get everything perfectly planted.
Even for the other kit, I would think long and hard before using anything but the standard feet - after all they were designed to work optimally this way by Naim. What may sound “better” to you one day, may just be masking issues elsewhere…
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Hi Richard, I have dense rubber pads that are used under washing machines supporting my Nova. I did that when I was having heat issues with the AQ cables. I saw sorbothane is not good to use. What about rubber?
Impossible to say without trying it in your particular circumstances, on that particular kit on that particular surface or shelf.
As Ricard said, However for a play springs work rather well particularly under digital things like a 272. Just place them under your box feet and know the difference. You may like it you may not. I find most 3rd party isolation feet take more than they give and I always ended up back where I started. Have fun.
Mmm I added Isoacouatic pucks under my stand mount speakers. I believe it sucked the life and energy out of the music. Sure, more defined mids due to more defined/ less bass but I lost the emotions in music so back went sorbothane feet there.
I don’t hear a negative impact and the space allows air circulation, plus allows me to slide my hand under to check the heat. The NACA5s and the Powerline helped with the heat so that may not be a problem (isn’t? I’m listening at 28 on the volume dial and the unit is cool) now. You mentioned the units with full suspension systems which function best sitting on a solid surface. The Nova I assume isn’t one. Also can you clarify, is there a sorbathane issue? Too soft?
No, the Nova is not one with a sprung and mass loaded suspension system.
I’ve tried sorbothane on Naim kit and personally I either didn’t like it, or felt it didn’t do anything notably good compared to the stock feet. I have used it with some good effect under my Marantz PMD671 PCM recorder though. Whether that’s down to vibration absorbtion or just raising the recorder top above the DAC or other kit, I don’t know.
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Thank you. So apparently the comment I’d heard was rumor. OK…well, as my Nova sounds fantastic I’ll leave the pads. My hope is they absorb some household vibration.
Like you, I use sorbothane pads under the feet of my Nova. Again, like you, not especially for sound quality differences, but for improved ventilation. Seems to be fine and had them them lying around spare, so I thought, why not?
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I’ll note my pads are rubber tho…
I briefly tried Sorbothane and didn’t like it. Just made things sound unnatural.
I don’t think my system or ears are resolving enough to notice any difference tbh.
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Another bonus of the sorbothane feet I failed to state last time is, in addition to improved ventilation, it creates a gap where I can slide my SSD drive under the rear of my Nova to save space.
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I use glass shelves on three sets of stainless steel ball bearings and nuts for my NDX2 and 252 levels on a Fraim Lite. Sounds all rather nice to me.
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