Wood blocks underneath components?? snake oil?

Pops, I must warn you against using oak. The acorns act as mini diffusors, plus they are known to lose their leaves in the winter. Stick w/pine. You're on the right track though.

I've found that pine -- yes, pine -- makes a huge difference in the spatial presentation of my system. In fact, I recently took out the wall (non load -bearing) adjacent to my listening seat so that I could erect a pine tree I cut down. Occasionally it rustles, but the sonic trade-off is well worth it.

Albert,

Funny you ask because this song sounds especially good with the tree in place, as do the old blues standards "Shake Yo' Limbs for Me" and "Ain't No Money Tree, Baby." Go figure.