Isolation platform (when everything else is too expensive...)

Acoustic Steel isn't damping paint, it's a steel / polymer / steel laminate.

An alternative is to use a sheet of 10mm toughened glass and stand it on 3 dome nuts (anything 6-10mm will usually do).

Ive got the Custom  Design iRaps under my NDX, 282, XPS2, and my 250DR, they came with my Custom Design Icon signature rack, I bought this about 10 years ago and I've been happy with it and it is certainly better than the Target rack i used years ago, however i always been tempted by the Fraim but the price for 5 levels is a bit scary.

Karl

I'm keen to hear other experiences too as I feel my CDX2 deserves something decent to stand on. Will be looking at a decent rack in the new year. I like the Atacama eco se. 

I used mine under a CDX2 and a CDS3 with great results.

Karl

Stillpoints look good and get great reviews. Anyone use those? 

Huge posted:

An alternative is to use a sheet of 10mm toughened glass and stand it on 3 dome nuts (anything 6-10mm will usually do).

I tried that, following your helpful 'of cups...' posts a while back. But I found I preferred appropriately specced sorbothane hemispheres under the glass under my 172 (my system, room, etc etc). I was quite surprised by this, as I was skeptical that any of it would make any difference at all. But it definitely did, as even my (entirely uninterested in hifi) GF noticed.

Sorry if that's digressing, just thought I'd mention. Always worth experimenting.

If cost is an issue, buy a bamboo chopping block from Ikea. Turn it upside don and place it on three oak cone feet. This works very nicely under my son's RP1.

Keith

I have heard vibrapods and the are great vfm. 

I can vouch for VibraPods - use them for my main system. 

I've found the the suitability of viscoelastic supports depends in the balance of the system - usually they work well with systems that have an excitable or bright fundamental nature.

I believe a few on this forum have disparaged the poor old Mana.  I'm sure it isn't terrible but I do suspect we've moved on in terms of "performance" - and not for a whole lot more money.  Rather than chasing a hodge podge of platforms and aged stands I would focus on getting a proper stand and be done with it.  I think the Quadraspire EVO is great for the money - there is a bamboo version as well.  I would also submit a hiline and flatcap 2x would be better goals for your system.  While you may feel you are pursuing "cheap" tweaks, failures add up in terms of cost - better to save for the sure thing.

Herbie's Audio Lab makes very effective products and the cost is surprisingly low.  I use their turntable mat and sheet material on the Verdier and sit the table on Herbie's footers.   The speakers are now on the Fat Gliders.   Huge bang for the buck at my house.  I really need to get the Verdier off the Fraim but the Herbie feet mitigate the feedback and there is no ringing with the 552-500 turned up past 12:00.

I use the i-RAP between my CDX2.2 and Clearlight Audio Aspect rack (RDC shelf).

Works for me.

Also have one under the NAC552 and my Full Circle TT /Custom Design wall shelf.

Finkfan posted:

I have heard vibrapods and the are great vfm. 

Agree about Vibrapods, mine are the model 3, they work extremely well 

Agree with KRM about the chopping board as a low cost measure, I have an IKEA Aptitlig bamboo board under my XS which seems to work well. Neuance Audio made excellent isolation platforms but sadly the owner halted production for health reasons. They were quite reasonably priced new but scarce on the second hand market.

Vibrapods look interesting, do you use the cones, the isolators...or do you need both? If cones...cone up or down?

Arnsider posted:

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Vibrapods look interesting, do you use the cones, the isolators...or do you need both? If cones...cone up or down?

Just regular isolators from VibraPod - different numbers are required - most Naim components are heavier on the right-hand side, closer to the front (this is where a transformer is located).

When I got the CDS3/XPS2 I still had the CDS2/XPS1 around. When I ended up comparing them, I placed the latter on a Mana Reference wall shelf with the head unit stacked on the XPS1, while the CDS3 and XPS2 had dedicated levels on Fraim. 

The lesser unit on the Mana wallshelf was very, very good and made me question why I got the CDS3. Swapping the players on the two stands showed why I got the CDS3-thats how good Mana can be under turntables or CD players. 

I'm not sure why the Mana table should suffer any criticism. I would still place it amoungst the best of the isolation isolation platform out there. I still have one of the 4 tier versions purchased for my LP12 many years ago and when compared to a Frame I'm afraid it's simply better. In many ways it's odd, as you'd expect that with all that glass and steel it would sound quite zingy but i find it has this rather unique carecterless sound.

A mate still has his fully active 135 system with DBL's fully Manered, including the 3 tier sound frame under his DBL's and I've yet to hear a better active system. I still remember helping him shift the DBL's onto the soundbases and then playing the first test track. We both sat there opened mouthed at the transformation they made.

The whole Mana craze seem to be a bit of an industry enigma, it came and then it went, but while it was here it did burn pretty brightly!