SRA or Symposium?


Hi folks, I've always want to know which base is the most musical: the SRA (Ohio class) or Symposium Ultra? What do you prefer: to use a large base or to use several "feet" under the component? Or are the feet in fact the "poor man's" version of the base?

Chris
dazzdax
Krisgel,
"....Symposium was not nearly as natural sounding. It makes things sound artificially bright.."
Which component were you using with the Symposium & did you use their couplers? Have you tried Symposium's RollerBlocks with their platforms?
So far my experience with the Symposium has been largely positive (& musical) & I do not have access to SRA product in Oz to compare.
FWIW, I was using Maple wood blocks & metal cones/spikes under my components before switching to Symposium which is a significant improvement particularly in the retrieval of details.
Cheers,
Chris,

I have not had access to a Symposium. Previously, I had several less than state-of-the-art isolation systems. Frankly, none were very good.

After months of research last year, including to talking to several designer-makers, I decided on SRA. I am extremely pleased with the results and can give the highest recommendation to SRA.

Ed
Chris,

I agree wholly with Ed (Cipherjuris)...Furthermore, you have a balancing act to do with feet...where do you place them, will it topple, etc...

When i put in my SRA amp stand, the bass tightened up very quickly and nicely...in my untreated room...

Another product that you may wish to consider is the Critical Mass Systems which I am considering next for my Pre and Source...

I have tried HRS Nimbus (not so good), Stillpoints (good), SOund MEchanics (okay), Cardas Blocks (okay)....

instead of looking at individual products, think of your needs...do you want to put your components separately or on a rack...this will help your decision making...

Hope this helps...
Are the SRA bases made of corian like material or very dense material like the one Dave Wilson uses (X-material)? Are sandboxes inferior to the sota bases? Could you also explain why? Sand grains allow movement in all direction of the horizontal plane and they absorb kinetic energy in the vertical plane, so in theory a sandbox should deliver the goods.

Chris
Krisgel - Had the same experience with the Symposiums. If I used the aluminum couplers, the sound was bright. I wondered if I was imagining it, but then tried them with some hard rubber feet under the electronics (from Brown Elec. Labs, that makes the BEL 1001...and this was at the recommendation of my dealer...it's how he told me to set up the Symposiums, but I did it by the book first, out of curiousity) and thought the Symposiums sounded better... the brightness was gone. Glad to hear I'm not the only one that had that experience. Now, I use the Symposium stands but don't use their couplers...just set the equipment on them with the BEL feet, and the sound is pretty clean. Overall, there's some improvement, but it's not night and day.