Stack Audio AUVA speaker isolation pods have had unanimous rave reviews, beating the IsoAcoustics offerings. Indeed some forum members are using them, and I too have just taken delivery of the AUVA 70s to use under my ATC SCM 40A active speakers.
However, the Stack Audio EQ equipment isolation pucks have also gained a hugely positive reputation, again beating competitor offerings. These are used under sources and amps on racks and equipment furniture (in place of, or next to, standard equipment feet) to offer further isolation from internally and externally generated vibrations.
I was wondering if any of you are using these EQs under Naim gear.
I know received wisdom is not to mess with the standard feet on Naim boxes, but the new SA EQs appear to be game-changers and take a new approach.
Another bonus is the SA EQ isolation pucks are very reasonably priced.
This reminds me that I’ve got a set of them - Stack Audio were a bit late on an order for a set of Auva 70 speaker isolators (very impressed with them), and so included some equipment isolators as well. Given that my 555 isn’t on the top shelf of my Fraim, I had put them aside to try at some point in the future, and then promptly forgot…
I have tried Auva EQs under all Naim boxes I’ve owned recently. The ND555 did not like them. The 333 lost some low end impact. The 332 works extremely well with the Auvas and is my current setup - better than other isolation solutions I’ve tried - more low end, more instrument separation. The NAP350s also work well with the Auvas, with improved imaging. The Auvas did not make a significant enough difference to the power supplies (555PS and NPX300) which both responded better to the Zazen. The Zazens also were an incredible improvement for the digital sources, both 333 and more importantly, the ND555, which is quite fussy with isolation. For the ND555, the significantly increased soundstage width was a very welcome surprise with the Zazen.
I replaced my Stack Audio AUVA EQ’s (full refund) with Factor One’s OMEX Symphony 2S isolation feet under all my components after an impromptu comparison trial.
The AUVA’s are very good, yet the OMEX’ are a further step up in vibration control.
Hi NigelB, I use the Stack AUVA EQs extensively; under the NDX 2, PS 555, network switch and its Farad 3 power supply and think they are great isolators.
As you said, they are very reasonably priced and some decent offers from Stack on the auction site.
Josh Stephenson is a gent and recently offered a discount when I needed to order different inserts to match equipment weight.
And they’ve just launched a (rather pricey) Isolation Shelf too…….
Very tempting as the wood veneer looks a good match for Fraim’s dark stained cherry finish and not much more/about the same as adding Naim cups/balls/glass/etc. to FraimLite. Might be a bit of a dimensional challenge though.
I’m using Stack feet below my kit which includes a CD5XS, used as a transport feeding Chord Upscaler and TT2 DAC. I think they bring about a subtle and worthwhile improvement but the most obvious change for me was the elimination of some annoying low level hum from the transformer once placed correctly. Worth a home trial would be my recommendation.
Good for you but I would guess the Stack feet did most probably not really cure the issue. The transformer is still vibrating away at a less obvious frequency. Now I am not one to bother too much about all this vibration business but if you do and if you use expensive mechanical vibration eliminating/shifting accessories (Stack) I would guess you do, you may want to investigate other methods such as a DC blocker (cheap/simple) or specialist voltage stabilizers (expensive) if you think your mains is fluctuating/too high. These are likely the cause of your transformer hum.
The transformer him was low level so not a real issue. But the fact it was eliminated by the Stack feet was a bonus. A DC blocker would have indeed been the first choice were the problem more significant.
Have you tried the ZaZen also under the 332? As in both the 333 and the 332 on a ZaZen? Did you try the ZaZen I or II? I believe Iso Acoustics recommends the II.
Zazen I for the ND555, Zazen II for the 300 series boxes. Yes I tied it under the 332, I did not notice too much of an improvement, while I did with the AUVAs so I kept the AUVAs there. I think this might also depend on what you are placing the Zazens or the AUVAs on - in my case it’s walnut shelves.
Of all combinations that you tried would you say that the NPX300 benefits be the least from isolation platforms or did the ZaZen still bring quite an improvement to it?
In terms of hierarchy, I’ve found that digital sources (anything with an oscillator) benefit the most from isolation, as keeping external vibrations away helps reduce clock jitter. Analog stages (like those with op-amps, e.g. pre and power amps) seem to benefit as well, though to a slightly lesser degree.
The power supply itself benefits the least from being protected from room vibrations. However, keep in mind that power supplies with large transformers, like the NPX300, generate their own mechanical vibration. While putting pucks under a power supply might not make the power supply perform better, it can stop the transformer’s vibrations from transferring into your rack and messing with your sensitive source components. So depending on placement of the power supply vs. other components, this might be very beneficial or not at all.