Undecided at this stage, I think I need to experiment with positioning a bit more if nothing else, they like a fair amount of room behind them when compared to my front firing PMC’s.
Overall good but seem to be somewhat more room fussy than the PMC’s ever were. For small(ish) speakers the bottom end is pretty decent on them I’ll say that much and they are fast/accurate, however the tweeter can on occasion present itself as leaning towards harsh/brittle if I’m being picky.
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One-box integrated amp: Soulution 530. Will drive many massive-room-filling speakers.
Just add a source.
That’s a “small system” in these parts.
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The 530 looks larger than our microwave and costs as much as a hundred of them, where do you see small? In our parts of the sane Midwest when we talk small we refer to power, physical size and price,
I will let you know if i can complete the order. Thanks
We’re all different. To me, Isoblue looks like it was made from offcuts found on the woodworking shop floor.
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I remember that being said before, a few years ago, maybe even by your good self. It certainly has a low tech homespun air about it, particularly compared to Fraim and other high tech shiny racks. I guess it depends what you are looking for. I’m certainly not promoting it as better that Fraim and this little thread was never meant to be about racks. The original Isoblue was somewhat basic, being simply stained ash veneer with polished and stained MDF edges. The Special Branch however has really nice veneers and solid edges and is much more of a quality proposition, albeit retaining that essential ‘I knocked it up in my shed’ design.
I wish they did a double length Isoblue in white.
G
It’s all relative. A system build around the 530 would be a lot smaller and also less money than a 500-level system on two Fraim stacks.
The 272/555PS system also costs many multiples of your family’s microwave oven.
So we need to talk in relative terms. Because you are correct, my small bathroom system (Tivoli radio) indeed will not fill a massive room with sound.
There’s a well known audio reviewer, I forget the name @frenchrooster will know. With a very large open plan space with I think stairs going down on one side and stairs going up the opposite side. A wall of windows at the end.
They have I think a valve and vinyl system along one wall, a digital dac/streaming system along another. A cd/sacd system along another and a home cinema system along one wall. All different flavour of zones. That would be my idea of Hi-Fi heaven. Maybe not as such “small” certainly expensive.
But, not a fit for purpose mega system to fill the entire room.
Well I’ve used isoblue for years so clearly not capable of recognising something knocked up from offcuts. But then, visually at least I much prefer it to Fraim, so my aesthetic sensibility is probably shot.
Roger
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An architect should be able to design something like that and find a competent carpenter to build it to meet individual requirements. Just thinking …
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It doesn’t seem that long ago that you were Chief Superintendent of the Fraim police HH.
Why the constant need to knock your previous kit, can’t you just be happy with where you are now in your hifi ‘journey’?
Anyway, hope you’ve finally found peace with your latest hifi set up and that it brings you many years of enjoyment.
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It doesn’t look like there’s a Canadian distributor either. Pity … as that’s the rack I’d most like to get.
Sure. My daughters boyfriend is in fact a product designer, so I’m speaking with him. It just surprises me that their range is limited to one stackable size - longer and lower variants in different finishes (coloured laquer?) could look really modern.
G
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I certainly wasn’t knocking my previous Fraim and have no desire or reason to. It’s a superb rack, always was, always will be, but ultimately it looked out of place in my room, and didn’t fit happily with my small speakers. If people have the space - which I don’t, to have two or three stacks of Fraim, and they like the look, then it’s a good choice for them. It certainly looks impressive, which is the point I was making.
Isoblue is very much a cottage industry, run out of a hifi shop. The problem with the wide ‘double’ racks is that they are hard to level with spikes in the middle, and vibration travels between the power supplies and head units. If they don’t have a central leg they are liable to bend in the middle.
One option would be to speak to Isoblue and see if they can supply two stacks of the standard finish unlaquered. You could then have it primed and sprayed white. That would give solidity and separation, albeit perhaps not the complete ‘bench’ look you seek.
Thanks.
G
I have an old Isoblue rack four levels, which I had my Superuniti in for short period.
The SU got way too hot on the lower shelves for my likings, guess its the same with all Naim boxes containing dac’s.
I have the standard Isoblue height and would need extenders to leave room for air breath to the boxes which are getting warm++
Overall I find the standard Isoblue too low to operate with a bad bag, I’m better off with my QS4 rack although soundwise Isoblue is better.
none in Australia either - but I contacted Isoblue in the Uk and they shipped it to me
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