I have heard that Mana Sound Bases can improve the sound of any loudspeaker.
Could someone please explain what they are and how they work. Are they loudspeaker stands or are they bases for loudspeaker stand to be placed upon.
I am curreently using Ruark loudspeakers which have their own built in stands placed on spikes and they are standing on a laminated floor.
I wonder if I can get any benefit from the Sound Bases.
Regards
NB
Posted on: 29 October 2002 by Greg Beatty
...you are aware that there is a Mana forum where the founder of the company will be happy to answer all your questions.
- GregB
Insert Witty Signature Line Here
Posted on: 30 October 2002 by MarkEJ
Mana SoundBases are like a Sound Frame, but smaller. That is to say they are a black right-angle section steel frame with both upward- and downward-pointing spikes, which are adjustable. The downward spikes go into your floor, and the upward spikes support the Mana board which comes with each SoundBase. The board is very dense and close-grained (much more so than standard MDF) and is black laminated on the top and sides, with very hard laminate which can be scratched by the spikes, but doesn't easily dent. The whole SoundBase has a footprint very slightly bigger than that of SBLs (under which they were originally designed to go), and an overall hieght of about 75mm, although this can obviously vary slightly since all the spikes are adjustable. The whole thing is well made, and the spikes and associated nuts, etc. are of considerably better quality (and therefore easier to adjust and tension) than you would find on the majority of speaker cabinets or stands available elsewhere.
SoundBases can be used under existing loudspeaker stands, or under floorstanding speakers. When properly set up ("almost level" will not do, for example) their effect is totally out of all proportion to both their cost and their physical presence. They aren't cheap, but if used with a 500UKP pair of speakers, can potentially elevate their performance to compete effectively with speakers costing 1000UKP or more, while allowing a "free-space" design to be moved closer to a wall without incurring the expected penalties. VFM is therefore excellent.
However, the old rules all still apply. Like all supports which really work, they act as a lens on what the system is doing, with the result that more information is presented to your brain. If your setup upstream of the speakers is not good, they will ruthlessly expose what is wrong by presenting that additional information in a non-coherent fashion. And that's how it should be, IMHO. Your Mana dealer should provide them under a 2-week "money-back" arrangment.
Best;
Mark
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forum environment is
better than none)
