{"id":39144,"date":"2024-12-04T12:21:59","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T10:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=39144"},"modified":"2024-12-05T10:08:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T08:08:57","slug":"artesania-carbon-fiber-and-panzerholz-decoupling-discs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/accessories-reviews\/artesania-carbon-fiber-and-panzerholz-decoupling-discs\/","title":{"rendered":"Artesania Carbon Fiber and Panzerholz Decoupling Discs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review samples provided by Artesania Audio<\/a><\/h4>\n

As a long-time user of Artesania products, I have utilized many of this Spanish company’s offerings and implemented various upgrades to the Exoteryc racks and Aire platforms, which are essential components of my reference system. Since the manufacturer’s racks and accessories are always visually appealing and invariably have a significant sonic impact, I am always excited when the company releases new products.<\/p>\n

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The subjects of this review are the brand-new Carbon Fiber and Panzerholz Decoupling Discs for use primarily with the Exoteryc Audio Racks and Aire Floor Platform. However, when pairing them with optionally available Artesania 100-mm Stainless Steel discs, they can be used with any other spiked rack, platform, or speaker stand.<\/p>\n

These unassuming Carbon Fiber and Panzerholz discs have the pivotal task of coupling the rack to the floor. As the primary interface, they fit into a milled recess in the 100-mm Stainless Steel discs onto which the spiked pillars rest.<\/p>\n

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As standard, the Exoteryc and Aire racks come with Nylon (shown above) and Neoprene discs that can be used according to personal taste or as the situation requires. Between the Nylon and Neoprene discs, I always preferred the Nylon discs for their crisper and more expressive sound.<\/p>\n

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The Carbon Fiber and Panzerholz discs are not the first alternatives the company issued. In 2018, Artesania released the Beechwood Isolation Bases<\/a>, marking the first departure from the standard disc variants. The Beechwood discs had a surprisingly significant influence on the sound, adding substance, timbral fullness, and dynamic impact. They introduced a welcome deviation from the Nylon and Neoprene discs by adding a royal dose of timbral fulness and character. However, they also made the bass and lower midrange less crisp and articulate than the Nylon discs, and they ultimately had just a bit too much character for my system and my liking.<\/p>\n

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I have also experimented with using stainless steel discs directly on the floor. While this approach can be effective with certain systems, my experiences across various incarnations of my system have consistently shown that it negatively affects sound quality. Although it results in a bolder tone that can enhance the bass, it also creates a sense of darkness and roughness in the treble. Additionally, this method seems to lower the overall perceived resolution of the sound.<\/p>\n

Although these products are referred to as decoupling<\/em> discs, I prefer to call them floor interfaces because I believe they primarily couple the rack to the floor rather than isolating it. This can be contrasted with alternative products that use compliant or absorbing materials. While the Neoprene discs do offer some level of damping, the Nylon discs, along with the new Carbon Fiber and Panzerholz versions, provide what I consider to be hard coupling. However, this isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing.<\/p>\n

In my modern apartment, with vinyl planking on a concrete floor that doesn’t have hollowness or any tendency to bend or resonate, I find that hard coupling typically yields the best results. However, individual experiences may vary. It’s also worth noting that both the Exoteryc and Aire racks come with a built-in isolation system in the shape of the constrained-layer Nylon cylinder\/Neoprene disc assemblies, onto which the inner rack rests.<\/p>\n

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Review Context<\/h3>\n

The new discs will be listened to in the main system<\/a> using the XACT S1<\/a> Music Server and\u00a0Aqua LinQ<\/a> Network Interface as digital sources and the Thorens TD1601 with TP160 arm<\/a> with the M2Tech Nash<\/a> phono stage as analog source. \u00a0The rest of the system comprises the CH Precision L1<\/a> preamplifier, CH Precision A1.5<\/a> power amp, and Magico S1 MkII speakers.<\/p>\n

Next: Listening and Conclusion<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Listening<\/h3>\n

As I mentioned earlier, I have always preferred the Nylon discs and have been using them with all my Exoteryc and Aire racks up until this review. Additionally, I also use the Nylon discs along with the matching Stainless Steel discs under the HRS EXR racks. This gives me several different locations to test the new discs.<\/p>\n

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Given my positive experience with the Carbon Fiber Linear Arm update for the Exoteryc racks, I was eager to try the Carbon Fiber discs first. Starting with the main Aire platform that supports the CH A1.5 power amp, I removed the Nylon discs and substituted the new Carbon Fiber discs. Oh, my, the difference was not subtle!<\/p>\n

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The bass became much tighter, the midrange crisper, and the treble more articulate. The pacing improved, feeling more urgent, and the imaging became more focused. In summary, these discs provide a crisper, more transparent, direct, and exciting sound. On the other hand, the bass and midrange had become quite a bit leaner, and I noticed that the upper bass and lower midrange had lost some of their body and richness. As a resuly, the overall presentation had shifted to the more analytical side. While my mind appreciated this change and preferred it over the Nylon or Beechwood alternatives, my heart remained uncertain. The improvement was undeniable, especially with rhythm-driven music, where the increase in energy and pacing was impressive. However, with vocals and more sensitive music, I found that the delivery lacked soul and emotional depth.<\/p>\n

I should note that I have tweaked my entire system to sound as crisp and articulate as possible while retaining refinement and flow. It\u2019s possible that I could restore the ideal balance by making further adjustments elsewhere in the system. But before exploring that option, I was eager to see how the Panzerholz discs would perform.<\/p>\n

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Knowing what the Beechwood discs do, I must admit that I had doubts about trying the Panzerholz discs. I was concerned that the Panzerholz might add too much character, which is something I generally try to avoid. But if there’s one thing I learned when it comes to audio, it’s that it’s all relative, you may be in for a surprise, and you won’t know for sure until you try it.<\/p>\n

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Replacing the Carbon Fiber discs with Panzerholz discs under the Aire platform supporting the CH A1.5 power amp made a significant difference. Again, it was not subtle!<\/p>\n

To my surprise, the Panzerholz discs reinstated the tonality and even improved it beyond what the Nylon discs could achieve. They offered a more realistic representation of drum sounds and percussive wooden instruments, including the piano. At the same time, they maintained the articulation, precision, and excitement that the Carbon Fiber discs provided. If I had to nitpick, I would say the transparency was very slightly reduced compared to the Carbon Fiber discs. However, the overall balance was just right and clearly ideal for my system. This experience reminds me of the adage that balance is everything; using more of a good thing doesn\u2019t necessarily lead to a better result. The Carbon Fiber arms I use throughout my system were a significant improvement, as are the Carbon Fiber discs. However, combining both might skew the sound too much in the same direction unless adjustments are made elsewhere in the system.<\/p>\n

Next, I installed the second set of Panzerholz discs under the Exoteryc rack that supports the CH C1.2 DAC and L1 preamp, and sure enough, the sound became ever more spritely, exciting, and, most importantly, so much more realistic.<\/p>\n

With the Panzerholz discs applied successfully, what shall we do with the remaining Carbon Fiber discs?\u00a0 You guessed it: to try them with the HRS EXR racks! These racks have a different impact on the components placed on them compared to Artesania racks. The level of synergy also varies depending on the components, which is why I utilize both types. The EXR racks have a grounded and robust sonic impact that complements the airier and more relaxed nature of the Exoteryc and Aire racks. The EXR racks feature rounded spikes, similar to Artesania racks, but even rounder, allowing them to be used directly on the floor. Alternatively, the company offers small spike bases to protect the flooring. During my review of the racks, I preferred using the 100-mm Artesania stainless steel discs with the nylon discs for an ideal balance of robustness and fluidity. At that time, I did notice that the nylon discs reduced the expression and directness compared to using the standard spike bases or direct placement on the floor. Nonetheless, much like with the Exoteryc racks, the nylon discs added air, fluidity, and delicacy to the earthy character of the EXR racks which balanced them more ideally for my taste.<\/p>\n

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This part of the review coincided with my weekly analog session when my friend Wouter always brings a collection of records that he has carefully cleaned. He uses a meticulous multi-step process that involves soaking, scrubbing, two different cleaning agents, repeated rinsing, and a Degritter ultrasonic machine, with amazing results, even on new records. As a result, we were inspired to first try out the EXR platform that I recently installed for the Thorens turntable.<\/p>\n

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As I had heard earlier with the Aire and Exoteryc racks, swapping the Nylon discs for the Carbon Fiber discs under the EXR platform had a significant influence. But unlike with those racks, the balance was now absolutely perfect!<\/p>\n

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The bass became tighter and more articulated, transients became spritelier, and the overall liveliness improved. Although the discs slightly reduced the fullness of the sound, the racks still had plenty of reserves in that area, resulting in a more linear and neutral balance. One of the delightful features of the Thorens turntable is its lively and bouncy character, which was enhanced just right, adding to the realism without detracting from it. No matter what we played, the sound was exciting and engaging, but it never felt overly lean or aggressive.<\/p>\n

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I then decided to use the remaining carbon fiber discs under the EXR rack, which holds two digital sources, and the PS Audio P20 Power Plant. It’s important to note that the P20 is the only active component in the analog signal path. While the improvement was more subtle than what I observed with the turntable, it was still unmistakable!<\/p>\n

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I’m finding these new discs to be quite addictive! If I had more sets, I would just keep adding them under the existing racks and platforms. However, for this review, the message is clear: Despite serving me well for all these years, the Nylon discs are no longer satisfactory, and I have no choice but to replace them all with the new discs!<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Artesania has done it again, and you won’t want to miss this: the new Carbon Fiber and Panzerholz discs are a true game-changer. If you own an Exoteryc or Aire rack or even another brand of rack that can be paired with the Artesania 100-mm Stainless Steel discs, I highly recommend giving these new discs a try. They have genuinely elevated my setup, and I no longer want to listen without them!<\/p>\n

As it follows, not just Highly Recommended, but also HFA favorites!<\/p>\n

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Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Manufacturer: Artesania Audio<\/a>
\nDistributor for the Benelux: Aspera Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Read Also<\/h3>\n

Artesania Exoteryc Audio Rack<\/a>
\nArtesania Aire Floor Platform<\/a>
\nArtesania Modular Floor Platform<\/a>
\nArtesania Modular Rack<\/a>
\nArtesania KSH2 Krion Shelf<\/a><\/p>\n

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