cardas multi blocks to elevate burndy cables

Posted by: French Rooster on 12 November 2017

has anyone tried to elevate from the floor the burndy cables with cardas multi blocks?   my burndys are touching the floor....these multi blocks are not so expensive ( 50GBP for 6)

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

You’d be better either raising the boxes on the rack or, if you have two racks, moving them further apart. I have added a spare shelf at the bottom of my rack so that the burndies are all clear of the floor. 

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by TOBYJUG

Cardas multiblocks might just extend the floor up an inch. And Burndy don't like floors. 

Cardas multiblocks might be more for power and speaker cables that would benefit from less contact of long full range carpet anomalies.

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by French Rooster
Hungryhalibut posted:

You’d be better either raising the boxes on the rack or, if you have two racks, moving them further apart. I have added a spare shelf at the bottom of my rack so that the burndies are all clear of the floor. 

i can’t raise the boxes ( low height fraimlite shelves) and can’t move the racks further apart ( length of some cables).

What is a spare shelf?   I was thinking also to add a foam mat on the floor....so that the burndys stay on this mat( thick foam mat i have and which i can cut). 

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

Just get another shelf and put it at the bottom. 

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by French Rooster
Hungryhalibut posted:

Just get another shelf and put it at the bottom. 

the cardas multi blocks ( elevators) are 50GBP for 6, another shelf, good idea, but much more expensive....    and what do you think of a thick foam mat on the floor, behind the rack?   ( like 50cm X 20cm)

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

With a £30,000 system, why scrimp on £300 for a shelf to do things properly?

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by French Rooster
Hungryhalibut posted:

With a £30,000 system, why scrimp on £300 for a shelf to do things properly?

i am upgrading essentially my system with credit banks every 6 years. 300GBP is about 15% of my monthly pay, so i prefer to put this money on more important things.  The second reason is that i don’t like empty shelves.....

My system total cost, with all the components, tweaks, cables, turntable...is more near 70k.  Yes, i am a bit of exception.  Normally a person with that system can buy 300GBP shelf like he was buying some bread for dinner.....

For now i am saving to upgrade my  speakers cables....

Posted on: 12 November 2017 by Haim Ronen
French Rooster posted:
Hungryhalibut posted:

With a £30,000 system, why scrimp on £300 for a shelf to do things properly?

My system total cost, with all the components, tweaks, cables, turntable...is more near 70k.  Yes, i am a bit of exception.  Normally a person with that system can buy 300GBP shelf like he was buying some bread for dinner.....

For now i am saving to upgrade my  speakers cables....

My sarcastic audiophile side badly tempts me to come up with 'off the shelf' suggestions like lowering the floor or employing the Cardas, sorry - Kardashian sisters to cushion the trailing Burundies, but then I remember that it is Sunday night so I will just wish everyone a pleasant remainder of the weekend.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Massimo Bertola
French Rooster posted:
My system total cost, with all the components, tweaks, cables, turntable...is more near 70k.  Normally a person with that system can buy 300GBP shelf like he was buying some bread for dinner.....

 

Talking of normality, a person with a monthly income of around £2K doesn't have a £70,000 system. But for once, I'll take the thing 'seriously' and take side with FR, who is – in this surrealistic perspective – right in not wanting to spend for an empty shelf. But I have known people in my previous life (when I lived in Torino and talked with real people in real stores in my own language) who earned the likes of £1500 and did loans to buy expensive audio. Let everyone do as he pleases, but I would first make sure that rising Burndies off the floor does an audible and positive effect. 

My wife has just come out with an intelligent question (ah, women): suspending completely a heavy Burndy so that it doesn't touch the floor (like having two Fraims far apart) won't exert a strain or torsion over the cable's junctions or sockets? There's always two sides to any problem. And what about the same question posed about a HiLine, with its tank-like construction..?

But sensible questions rarely have sensible answers, if ever: here's another one – why have the precious audio signal pass through a €2400 SuperLumina interconnect then have it pass through 2.5 meters of SNAICs, whose stuff looks a lot like costing 50c pro meter?

A good week to everyone.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by hungryhalibut

That’s one of the benefits of a 272 based setup - no Snaics. SL from 272 to amp, and SL from amp to speakers really does get you SL all the way. 

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Massimo Bertola

Nigel,

friendly (and jokingly): if anyone here hasn't yet caught the benefits of a 272-based setup, either it's a snail slithering on the screen slowly and not catching the words fast enough, or a human severely beaten on the head with a stick.

Ciao,

M.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by analogmusic
Max_B posted:
French Rooster posted:
My system total cost, with all the components, tweaks, cables, turntable...is more near 70k.  Normally a person with that system can buy 300GBP shelf like he was buying some bread for dinner.....

 

Talking of normality, a person with a monthly income of around £2K doesn't have a £70,000 system. But for once, I'll take the thing 'seriously' and take side with FR, who is – in this surrealistic perspective – right in not wanting to spend for an empty shelf. But I have known people in my previous life (when I lived in Torino and talked with real people in real stores in my own language) who earned the likes of £1500 and did loans to buy expensive audio. Let everyone do as he pleases, but I would first make sure that rising Burndies off the floor does an audible and positive effect. 

My wife has just come out with an intelligent question (ah, women): suspending completely a heavy Burndy so that it doesn't touch the floor (like having two Fraims far apart) won't exert a strain or torsion over the cable's junctions or sockets? There's always two sides to any problem. And what about the same question posed about a HiLine, with its tank-like construction..?

But sensible questions rarely have sensible answers, if ever: here's another one – why have the precious audio signal pass through a €2400 SuperLumina interconnect then have it pass through 2.5 meters of SNAICs, whose stuff looks a lot like costing 50c pro meter?

A good week to everyone.

 

But sensible questions rarely have sensible answers, if ever: here's another one – why have the precious audio signal pass through a €2400 SuperLumina interconnect then have it pass through 2.5 meters of SNAICs, whose stuff looks a lot like costing 50c pro meter?

this question puzzles me a lot also.

 

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Pev

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by French Rooster
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

the cardas blocks cost about the same. If they don’t improve vs burndys, i will use them under my speakers cables..... and look also toward your suggestion.   but 400GBP for an empty shelf, i can’t accept the idea...

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Massimo Bertola

I understand you. But there are people for whom the real thing is the money/result ratio, and the actual object a virtual means to reach a goal. So, interestingly, paradoxically, an empty shelf is a virtual piece of furniture, devoid of any reality; while the better sound you get is the proper thing – το πράγμα, the philosophers would say.

I obviously respect your decision on how to plan financially; but once you fall into the 'empty shelf' pit you are lost. Naim build their boxes and the Fraim so that minimum interference between big transformers is obtained; then you pay extra to keep them extra separated. Leave this to those who understand better than the manufacturer, whose only – and understandable – guilt is not to discourage people from pouring useless money into his pockets.

And please, a personal favor: the next time that you find funny and enjoyable that some bloke calls me smart-arse, remember that it was intended as an offense, which I have reported. Thanks for your understanding.

M.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by ChrisSU
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

I would certainly be inclined to try a DIY solution like this first, and somehow I doubt Cardas are claiming that their design or materials are critical to performance. I’m not convinced that a timber support would improve things much, as they are effectively raising the relative height of the floor, and using a rigid material to couple the cable to the floor. I would be tempted to try a soft foam material such as Armaflex pipe insulation too, and this will cost very little to try. 

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by AndyP19
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

I had the same thought. Probably knock something out similar for less than £5. Just need a fretsaw. Unless the cardas blocks are finished in snake oil then it gets very expensive.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by French Rooster
Max_B posted:

I understand you. But there are people for whom the real thing is the money/result ratio, and the actual object a virtual means to reach a goal. So, interestingly, paradoxically, an empty shelf is a virtual piece of furniture, devoid of any reality; while the better sound you get is the proper thing – το πράγμα, the philosophers would say.

I obviously respect your decision on how to plan financially; but once you fall into the 'empty shelf' pit you are lost. Naim build their boxes and the Fraim so that minimum interference between big transformers is obtained; then you pay extra to keep them extra separated. Leave this to those who understand better than the manufacturer, whose only – and understandable – guilt is not to discourage people from pouring useless money into his pockets.

And please, a personal favor: the next time that you find funny and enjoyable that some bloke calls me smart-arse, remember that it was intended as an offense, which I have reported. Thanks for your understanding.

M.

i found the expression smart-arse funny but it was not against you. You were right to say Japan belongs to Asia.

As for the topic, i don’t understand you very well:   i understood that you find it silly to pay for an empty shelf?  is it that?    because in the other way you said “ naim fraim is intended to keep big transformers separated “: an extra shelf will also separate them more....

I think the most important , for my initial question, is to isolate the burndys from the floor: so the cardas blocks will reach this goal.  An empty shelf too,  but for ridiculous cost and also an empty shelf at the end will remain too.....

Sorry for my poor english and not be able to understand all the meaning of what you wrote.

 

 

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by French Rooster
ChrisSU posted:
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

I would certainly be inclined to try a DIY solution like this first, and somehow I doubt Cardas are claiming that their design or materials are critical to performance. I’m not convinced that a timber support would improve things much, as they are effectively raising the relative height of the floor, and using a rigid material to couple the cable to the floor. I would be tempted to try a soft foam material such as Armaflex pipe insulation too, and this will cost very little to try. 

yes, i was thinking also on some soft foam material....i will test that.   thanks 

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by French Rooster
ChrisSU posted:
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

I would certainly be inclined to try a DIY solution like this first, and somehow I doubt Cardas are claiming that their design or materials are critical to performance. I’m not convinced that a timber support would improve things much, as they are effectively raising the relative height of the floor, and using a rigid material to couple the cable to the floor. I would be tempted to try a soft foam material such as Armaflex pipe insulation too, and this will cost very little to try. 

my floor is suspended wood, so i must elevate i think the burndys. Armaflex pipe may not be immune to vibrations from the floor.....but i am not sure....

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by French Rooster
AndyP19 posted:
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

I had the same thought. Probably knock something out similar for less than £5. Just need a fretsaw. Unless the cardas blocks are finished in snake oil then it gets very expensive.

or soft and thick foam mat?   to isolate better from the floor?

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by notnaim man

One metre of basic pipe insulation, cut into 100mm lengths, cut a slot to grip your cable. Experiment.

But, this is soft, compliant, so you might want to try timber. Choose a flatbit or forstner bit that is large enough for your cable, drill holes in a length of timber, say 150mm apart, then cut halfway between the holes and across the diameter of the holes to give blocks 75mm high with a nice semi circular groove.

Both make a difference... I think, inviting different people to listen got different comments, brighter, clearer, muffled, dynamics gone.

Currently trying to get round to bamboo.....

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by ChrisSU
French Rooster posted:
ChrisSU posted:
Pev posted:

Why not just cut some vees in a few pieces of scrap timber and see if you can hear a difference? Looking at them on line that's all they are, although they do look nice. but £50 is £50!

I would certainly be inclined to try a DIY solution like this first, and somehow I doubt Cardas are claiming that their design or materials are critical to performance. I’m not convinced that a timber support would improve things much, as they are effectively raising the relative height of the floor, and using a rigid material to couple the cable to the floor. I would be tempted to try a soft foam material such as Armaflex pipe insulation too, and this will cost very little to try. 

my floor is suspended wood, so i must elevate i think the burndys. Armaflex pipe may not be immune to vibrations from the floor.....but i am not sure....

Perhaps not completely immune, but more so than wood, I imagine. 

Some other cheap/free things to try if you have the patience:

Tie the cable into a very loose loop, effectively reducing its length. 

Suspend the cable from a hook or nail in the rear wall, possibly using an elastic band, dental floss or string. 

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Harprit

Longer Fraim uprights. Maybe medium length?

Posted on: 14 November 2017 by French Rooster

thanks all for your advices. I will experiment.  Later, maybe, i will add a medium shelf, but i have more urgent  priorities now.   Thanks