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Cetech
AV - Vibration Control Sandwich Isolation Board Issue 4 - December 1999 |
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So
you've found a nice rack for your hi-fi, but is it getting the best out of
your system? It may match the lkea coffee table, but does it provide that
optimised mechanical termination? There's a fair few companies that clearly
believe it doesn't, and offer the extra layers of additional isolation that
could turn your seaside donkey of a system back into the thorough-bred stallion
you bought. Enter the Cetech AV Vibration Control Sandwich Isolation Board.
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This device uses the Tomorrows World favourite; Carbon fibre. In this application the carbon fibre is used as a skin on a composite honeycomb to produce an extremely lightweight board which according to the literature achieves its affect by resonance control, not brute force absorption The board also uses the editor's current favourite; RDC cones. Three of these are provided which are stuck to the underside of the board and are touted as complementary to the VCS structure. The appearance of the board has been enhanced by a wood surround, allowing a degree of matching to your existing decor. Don't worry it also comes in black! On an aesthetic note, it's a shame that the carbon fibre is hidden by the equipment, as it always looks good to me. So does the vibrational control work? Does it improve the sound quality over bare shelves? As usual when looking at this sort of equip-ment it depends very much on the system you are using it in. I rang the changes as much as possible, using my own system with two different tables, and co-opting my brother's rather more modest set-up -but then he's a music lover rather than a hi-fi freak. In essence, the Cetech shelf cleans up the sound, removing those thickening bands of stodginess where your equipment has consumed too many burgers... I mean stored unwanted energy. With the shelf between my Prefixed LPI2 and the Hutter rack the slightly swollen bass went on an instant diet, resulting in an immediate increase in clarity. The problem was that rather like a see-saw, the reduction in bass weight tilted the balance towards the treble. With the Cetech timing seemed quicker, and this coupled with the increased output at the top made the system a little too forward. I didn't want the bass removed and I was more than happy with the treble output the way it was. After listening for several days with the shelf, it was a pleasant return to the bare Hutter rack. The system seemed slower but it was much more involving and musical, notes regained power and depth, along with what I can only describe as body. Was the Ceteched LP12 more accurate? Probably but it was definitely less enjoyable. Did it make a difference? And how! The question is, does your system need the differences on offer? I tried the shelf under the Naim kit as well, where the pre-amp really didn't like it, losing all sense of rhythmic integrity and the power amp and power supplies didn't seem to notice. The Micromega CD player uses a ground spike to sink energy out of the transport, so that was definitely a big no-no. The next step was to see what effect the Cetech had between the LP12 and the Quadra-sphire. Here the result was even more clear cut. The Cetech makes a big difference in overall clarity but the Quadraspire lacks the Hutter's presence and solidity to start with, which leaves the overall balance even more threadbare. I could see someone valuing the contribution it made to the Hutter but not the Quadraspire where it simply upset the overall balance of my system. After the poor results I'd experienced with my equipment, I wasn't looking forward to writing this one up. Fortunately persistence paid off and the results when we placed the Cetech under my brother's Rotel CD player were all that the company claimed. Now we only perceived gains in sound quality the improvement demonstrating yet again what good players the Rotel 965's were. Increased transparency was the most obvious benefit, and the rhythmic ability also improved. Music flowed effortlessly into the room, placing the machine up with players costing at least twice as much. Ambient sounds, which weren't recovered pre-Cetech, were presented with a flourish belying the system's cost, bringing the musicians into the room with you. Paying £200 for the Cetech shelf in this system is a no-brainer, offering much better value than buying a new player. In fact, as soon as this review is over my music loving and tweak hating brother is writing the cheque which will allow this particular sample to take up permanent residence. In the meantime, CB is trying it in his valve-based system, where he uses an Aerolam board under his LP12, which should prove interesting. Which just goes to show that in hi-fi, one man's meat really is another man's poison. The Cetech shelf is an extremely effective device; so much so that it could upset the balance of a well sorted or carefully considered system. The interlocking strengths of a Naim set-up are therefore probably not the best place to use it. But when circumstances allow it to 'accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative' then it really comes into its own. If you are suffering from sluggish performance or poor support (sounds like a Gossard advert!) this could be just the ticket. Or, conversely it could deconstruct a carefully balanced system as happened to me. In fact, it's just like a Wonder Bra - great in the right circumstances, but can be altogether too much of a good thing. Make sure you try it on before you buy. If it fits, the results could he out of all proportion to the cost. Price: £199 Supplier:
Tel.
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