I don't have much time to post this note. I just wanted to give you a quick report from the front. I've heard Vuk's system with the Mana Reference Table (a.k.a. Phase 2). Here are my basic observations.
When I first arrived, Vuk's P9 was on the Mana. Although I've heard his turntable a number of times, I don't feel confident enough to say that I know it well. Therefore, I couldn't positively determine if the Mana was boosting its performance. Instead, I concentrated on A/B comparisons with the CDX on and off Mana. I've heard the CDX many times in many different venues (and I own one, of course), so I do "know" this player.
BTW, my wife was also part of this experiment. As many of you know, she thinks we're all quite silly, fawning over our systems as we do. I was quite interested in seeing what her own perceptions would be, since she is a devoted stereo absenter.
We tested two tracks, one orchestral and one from U2 (Jill's choice). Each comparison was done first off then on the Mana table. In each case, the CDX off the Mana sounded like I expected a CDX to sound. It's a good player, but does get a little intense at times. The Mana did an amazing job of taming this, yet it didn't kill the music.
The level of improvement approached that of an XPS (albeit not quite). It's roughly equivalent in the areas of phrasing, distortion, control, definition, and realism. However, the XPS seems to do a better job in a few areas, and in particular, extending and solidifying the bass. Over all, I would say that Mana Reference Table provides 80% of the XPS's gains.
Even my wife (who doesn't care one bit) admitted to preferring the performance on Mana. Keep in mind that she's only recently admitted that my $20K Naim system is better than the $200 Panasonic midi system in the bedroom, so I believe this preference for Mana is significant.
Now that I've heard the "Mana Effect" with my own ears, my chosen upgrade path will involve the purchase of Mana before an XPS. I still expect to get an XPS at some point, but the Mana is a much cheaper first step.
However, I'm not yet a Mana fanatic. It's an impressive and worthwhile improvement, but I don't intend to trade-in my CDX for a Sansui player anytime soon. I realize that many of you will still feel that it's no big deal or that we're all overreacting. However, I'm not asking you to take my word for it. Go and try it for yourself... You just might be pleasantly surprised. Catch you later!
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Smilies do not a forum make.
[This message was edited by Mike Hanson on MONDAY 16 October 2000 at 13:20.]
Posted on: 15 October 2000 by Former member
I'd just like to add that the Mana Reference Table was configured for the P9, hence not ideally set up (levelled) for a CDX. Moreover, given the distance to the pre-amp, I was forced to use a non-Naim interconnect (10 feet long), which is not as good. I figure we could have extracted at least an extra 20% under ideal conditions
In any case, even 80% of an XPS at a fraction of the cost is nothing to take lightly.
BTW--2 FEPs for Mike for finally "getting" the sound of my system (and not moving his head around to test out the imaging).
Vuk.
Posted on: 16 October 2000 by Former member
I feel sorry for Vuk's Cdx that goes thruoug tough a/b compares - off and on the mana table.You should feel sorry for me, not the player! To do these comparisions, I have to disconnect the CDX, then slide it gently out of my current stand without ending up with 12 steel balls on the floor, take the P9 off of the Mana, put the CDX there and hook up the longer interconnect.
I hope I now have enough witnesses of the effect to simply be believed and not have to go through this again, although it may be a bit easier when my 1000 kilos of Mana for the entire kit arrives soon (it had better be soon).
Vuk.
P.S. Mike, can we go to the "new" new forum yet? I have just about had it with this one.
Posted on: 17 October 2000 by Greg Beatty
quote:
However, the XPS seems to do a better job in a few areas, and in particular, extending and solidifying the bass.
Humm...
I've noticed with my DIY glass supports (not as good as Mana, I know) that the use of glass lightens the bass considerably. I've read where others, using Mana, have had a similar experience.
I find that the CD3 is much lighter sounding than a CDX anyway and that the tonal balance of my CD3 can sound wrong, overall, with glass underneath. Its the kind of thing that screams "stereo" instead of "Real Thing."
When I switch back to MDF, the bass weight and proper balance return, but the end result is much less engaging. And I really don't want to spend $1,300 USD on a rack to end up with a light sound.
Any thoughts
- GregB
Freedom is not in finding the Holy Grail but in stopping the search for it
Posted on: 17 October 2000 by Former member
Hi all,
I have been reading everyones ideas and playing with DIY glass supports under my new CDX, hicap and Nait3. For each box I use a stack of glass plates about an inch thick total on top of well inflated inflated rubber inner tubes. The plates are stuck to each other with a thin film of silicone grease that makes the stack quite solid and non-resonant. This stack does not resonate much at all at loud levels (this glass/tube stack sits directly on the floor). Then the CDX and hicap sit on ball bearings underneathe the Naim box cabinet screws. The Nait sits on three Vuk-style ball bearings on drilled plates.
I find that the Glass/air support gives coherence and warmth and the ball bearing coupling gives the speed and ring to the system. Glass alone sounds flat but warm, if not slow by comparrison. I was inspired to undamp the boxes by putting them on points from discussion in the "let them ring" thread. This did a lot to get the fine grain speed to show up. Anyway to try and say what does what: the glass on air cushion really gets rid of the "can't turn the volume much past 9 o'clock without getting a ear full of hash" problem. Uncoupling the Naim boxes as much as possible from the glass support surface lets the real finesse emerge (or coupling them in this way). Even the nait liked ball points for support over the rubber pads it comes with. Rubber pads and Blu-tack between the box and glass killed the finesse and bloated the bass.
This hack job is probably not what Mana does at all, but it seems to do a lot of good anyhow. I'd love to hear what people think of this. The bottom line is that I am both disturbed and delighted how sensitive the kit is to the most subtle changes in vibration.
Vuk, does this sound like the change going from Vukwich to Mana on your CDX, or am I way off here?
-Eric
[This message was edited by Eric Rulifson on TUESDAY 17 October 2000 at 22:33.]
[This message was edited by Eric Rulifson on TUESDAY 17 October 2000 at 22:33.]
