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Ceramic insulator cone under phono stage shocker!

I have used small ceramic insulator cones underneath my phono stage for quite some time.
Previous phono was a Gold note ph10 and it did not make ANY audible difference I could detect which way up the cones were so I had left them cone upwards.

When I changed my phono to a Manley Chinook I just left the cones same way.
This afternoon I decided to flip them over so cone down just to see.

I honestly could not and cannot believe the difference!
I may have lost a smidge of low bass but everywhere else is improved in spades.
Much more detail, resolution, air, imaging, dynamics.
Just completely shocking how much better a small change has made.

But I am perplexed why such a huge change on the Chinook where I noted nothing on the ph10?

Any theories here?
128x128uberwaltz
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
As long as you’re happy I’m happy 😃 
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
I'm ALWAYS a happy camper Geoff but....
I MAY try your springs under the phono just because......
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
What a tease! 
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
It's good to have a week at home to experiment although the reason for it not so good ... Lol.
So the Cocobolo pen stock worked out really well under the zx7 tape deck.
What I find interesting here is that both tape decks ( Cassette and r2r) appeared to benefit from the exotic wood stock.
Both exhibited similar apparent gain in volume and depth of bass with better dynamics all round.
No idea what that is telling me at all.
slaw's avatar
slaw
20,458 posts
 
@uberwaltz,

I had an idea a while back I thought about trying, just thought I'd share. If you have a high quality wood store/shop in your area, have them shape a half circle piece of (moulding)(flat on the other side) a little larger than the wooded dowel you'll place in it. These pieces would be about 2" long. The dowel should be of smaller diameter than the channel cut into the "moulding" for movement. I suspect this would sound even better than just blanks. It would be an inexpensive enough project to try anyway.
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