System Pics 2019

Such deformed preamp should cost very few pennies I guess. I would give you it in that state without problem.

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Hi davidf,
I too have the T88s and also in the fortunate position of driving them with ND555/552dr/500dr.
Recently I purchased the Townshend Podiums (size 3) and on a recommendation a set of oak cones.
The difference for me and in my room (suspended floor) has been transformational in allowing the T88s to effortlessly sing.
I doubt I will ever go back to spikes and I would respectively suggest if you get the opportunity to try them before making any further box changes give them a go.I wished I had !

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Interesting rusty,but I have hardwood floor on cement base. Not sure if those supports would be as helpful
David

Groovy baby….!

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Get some fun and turn the system around ! Yeah !

You could probably get a similar effect by positioning your RP10 a bit too close to the wood burning stove…

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I love this topic, especially the great pictures of beautiful setups. Today I made some ‘fresh’ pictures of our setup in our living room and in my home office. Both systems sound incredible. :sunglasses:

Our main system is located in the living room, and the whole family enjoys it very much (4, 9, 16 and 18 year old plus ourselves). It currently consists of Dynaudio Contour S 3.4 LE loudspeakers driven by a NAP200, connected with NACA5 speaker cables. The NAP is connected to a Unit Atom that is used as pre-amp and streamer using a Flashbacksales RCA to DIN interlink. The Cambridge Audio CXC is rarely used :blush: as streaming from the Mac Mini with Roon and TIDAL works so well.

The power cables are standard Naim and the mains block is from MusicLine Germany. I have put it ‘hanging’ in the cabinet and it was a very good upgrade over the Brennenstuhl block I used before.

Viewed from another angle.

The NAP200 and the Cambridge Audio CXC which are both located inside the cabinet.

So is the Mac Mini (2011 server i7, 16Gb, 2*750Gb).

The loudspeakers are placed on IsoAcoustics Gaia II isolators, which was a very nice upgrade as well.

When working in the home office, I listen to music on my vintage Kenwood L-1000 system, with B&W 685 S2 loudspeakers on B&W stands, Akai GX-75 cassette recorder and Apple Airport Express Airport streamer.

Best regards,
Richard
The Netherlands

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Love that artwork, @Naimite.

davidf

Yes, it’s always difficult with our hobby there are so many variables, albeit the floor is pretty fundamental.:woozy_face:

I can’t say your experience would be the same as mine, though I thought it worth a reply.

In the past I have run passive systems on solid floors and have friends with active systems on solid floors, but my experience with the podiums is that they just allow the T88s to perform effortlessly with a soundstage that is precise and rock steady in such a way I have not experienced.

It is also interesting the amount of system pictures being posted with other alternatives to spikes,such as the IsoAcoustics Gaia isolators, and if they are all on suspended floors.

Hopefully, fellow members who uses podiums, or similar, with solid floors can comment.

Best wishes

Russ

I found the Gaias to be a great upgrade on my limestone slab / concrete floor. Really sorted out bass boom - but there were improvements to soundstage and detail as well. I don’t think spikes in cups work on solid floors. How can you ever ensure that all eight spikes are perfectly seated in the cup - even assuming a perfect profile match. Any spike seating variances will play out as vibration fed into the floor and back up into the speaker.

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It is difficult to convey the enormity of the difference the podiums, in my case, have made without sounding like a salesman or amateur reviewer.I too found the bass boom was tamed and my natural listening volume was noticeably lower but still retaining micro detail, which previously may have disappeared into the mix.

I have followed the dogma that speakers or their stands sit on spikes for some 35 years and would spend considerable time making sure I had eliminated as much movement as I could. Now, they float on platforms of springs.

I did consider the IsoAcoustic Gaia isolators as they don’t enlarge the speakers footprint and are, in my opinion, aesthetically invisible. However, I was fortunate to purchase the podiums at a very good price and my partner is very understanding.

Great, thanks.

I too found the Townshend Podiums to be quite an improvement. I am on a suspended wood floor, but a
very well constructed one with Wood I-beam construction.

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Probably the best rigorous naim system. Look at the bases of the fraim and free levels.

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I do wonder whether this makes a SQ difference — maybe just OCD (level height)? :wink:

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Always think if the system was playing an Eric Clapton album and he had them under his amp wouldn’t it sound just amazing :wink:

Better isolation from the floor I guess.

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Hi Rustyneedle.

Is that ironing boards behind the speakers by any chance? ATB Peter

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PeterR

Not entirely, one is an ironing board the other a ladder covered with blankets.

A very crude attempt to absorb the bass hitting the rear wall, but it does give me an indication of what to expect when I do eventually address the issue of room treatment.

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I’ve added stainless steel ball bearings and nuts under my 10mm glass shelves for a bit more isolation. $72 from the engineering shop. Glass shelves were about $100/each.

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