Andy from Signals just left after installing some amps earlier this evening. And chatted about many things including the demo,s they have done recently with/without perk and carpet. Its quite a big improvement being on carpet or at least not directly to solid floor. I am sure with time some one may find a better floor interface.
I have never heard the ReFlex Lite. I have only compared the ReFlex Ultra G3 with the standard vs the PEEK base. I believe the standard and PEEK-based G3 both have the same design PEEK feet.
Ah, sorry Nigel, I misunderstood your reply to Stevew earlier.
Geoff of acoustica got me to stick my mains block on an inverted plastic takeaway tub (no peek involved!). Surprising improvement
Hi, Tim, which mains block are you currently using, since Pete doesn’t seem overly keen on the MusicWorks G3?
Begs the question, why doesn’t it come with a piece of carpet stuck to the bottom?! Perhaps that will be the Ultimate version, yours for a mere £1500…
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wire world matrix 2 - Pete clearly doesn’t think Geoff is right on the plastic tub support for it though
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On Pete’s recommendation, I bought two sets of cheap and cheerful sorbothane hemispheres to put under my Reflex Lite and Cisco switch.
Any slight improvement is likely down to my imagination, though they can’t have done any harm in reducing vibration. 
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I have a suspicion that most of Naim’s U.K. dealers have undergone extensive training in human psychology!
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It certainly sounds like something that would be all in the mind - how can whether or not the block is on carpet on on a hard surface possibly make a difference? But now I’ve tried it on the carpet and on a very heavy piece of granite, I know that it does. I wasn’t expecting it to, but the difference was huge. The whole soundstage contracted widthways and moved forward of the speakers, and become much more in your face. Really quite bizarre. It’s almost like two different pairs of speakers, the change was so dramatic. I know people will laughter at that, but it’s the best way I can describe it.
I imagine it’s all about vibration, which both the block and Powerlines are designed to address. With the carpet, the block floats supported only by its four little feet, effectively decoupled from the floor. Placed on a hard surface such as granite, or on the floor, the block becomes coupled to a very substantial mass, rather than floating. Who knows? Anyway, anyone using this block on a hard floor should get some carpet or foam and try it.
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What was the soundstage like before the G3 by comparison?
Phil
It was basically the same. The G3 improved the detail, involvement and musical flow, with no negatives. I just plonked it on the carpet to test it. Then I got thinking - it has four feet so presumably it should rest only on them - hence getting the granite. How wrong I was. Had the G3 sounded like it did on the granite when I first tried it, there is no way I would have bought it.
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This thread will get me sticking foam under my Graham’s Hydra !
The long awaited Naim approved carpet has finally materialzed.
HH is one of this forum’s most trusted and experienced ‘reporters’ but still it is still brave of him to explain what a dramatic effect simply moving the G3 from a carpet to a granite surface has on SQ.
I must admit I was a little hesitant in starting this thread at all, but such was the affect of the un-PEEK’d G3 on so many aspects of music reproduced in my home, I thought I should indeed raise the subject of the G3 again.
Then I thought…. 'dare I say in this fine place how much difference the addition of a piece of plastic (the PEEK base plate) makes the G3’s ‘performance?’ Even more of the same from a piece of plastic, really? Surely then if I tell people said bit of plastic costs £300, I will be flamed and drummed out of this place, branded a loony.
Thankfully others have also recognised what the G3, and the addition of its funky sparkly base plate, can do to music. That HH now reports the effect of the surface this sits on, shows me we there is so much we don’t understand about how to get the best from our systems.
It is baffling and interesting at the same time, but at least I can allow myself a sigh of relief that I don’t need the assistance of the men in white coats.
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When I was talking to MusicWorks a little while ago and told them I was going to try the granite, they said that they preferred the block on carpet and that that has how they use it themselves. I’m going to redeploy it beneath my switch, or maybe just add some feet and use it as a chopping board.
If it is a granite chopping board, as I put under my Olsen block. then you may find upgrading from Tesco granite to Waitrose granite impressive. I’m going to try it back on the carpet tonight. Is Axminster OK, I don’t have audiophile carpet? What about wall mounting, I have audiophile wall paper (Soundsorba)?
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I have found 100% wool Axminster is best. A plain biscuit colour is the most neutral sounding. Heavy patters in the carpet tends to destroy the soundstage.
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It’s no ordinary granite chopping board. I had it made by a local stone company, who did our kitchen worktops. It’s 20mm thick, as used for splash backs and windowsills. Still makes the reflex Ultra sound crap though.
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Ah! so that’s why Totoro now has such a startled expression!