{"id":6081,"date":"2013-05-05T21:00:05","date_gmt":"2013-05-05T19:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=6081"},"modified":"2022-06-26T12:59:05","modified_gmt":"2022-06-26T10:59:05","slug":"stillpoints-ultra-5-ultra-ss-ultra-mini-and-ultra-base-page-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/accessories-reviews\/racks-stands-feet-reviews\/stillpoints-ultra-5-ultra-ss-ultra-mini-and-ultra-base-page-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Stillpoints Ultra 5, Ultra SS, Ultra Mini and Ultra Base"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stainless Steel Stunners<\/b><\/h2>\n

Retail prices in Euro, including VAT:<\/h4>\n

– Ultra Mini set of 3 – 399 euro
\n– Ultra SS set of 3 – 750 euro
\n– Ultra 5 set of 3 – 2100 euro
\n– Ultra Base set of 3 – 195 euro<\/h4>\n

Review samples supplied by HVP Audio<\/a><\/h4>\n

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Above: Left to right: Stillpoints Ultra Mini, Ultra SS, and Ultra 5 with Ultra Base<\/p>\n

Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stillpoints share a similar technology as Finite Elemente Ceraballs: they are both hard-coupling component feet that use a ceramic ball as the coupling material. But where Finite uses a rubber damper ring, Stillpoints allow some small movement without any damping. The caps (“Hats” in Stillpoint speak) are restricted in movement from their bases by a factory-set and not user-changeable amount, however, so they won’t accidentally fall off. While Ceraballs are made from either aluminum or stainless steel depending on the model, all Stillpoints are made from stainless steel and are machined to very tight tolerances.<\/p>\n

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Above: the square plates are factory-heat-tightened and cannot be unscrewed. This ensures perfect tolerances. The big unit on the right is the Ultra LP1, a turntable platter weight. I included it in the picture because its technology is akin to that used in the Ultra 5 and it makes for a clearer illustration than peeking in between the two layers of the Ultra 5.<\/p>\n

It must be said that Stillpoints look a heck of a lot more impressive than any model Ceraball. But it isn’t just looks. The idea is that vertical vibration is transferred to horizontal motion, converting the resultant vibration energy to heat. That’s alll good and well, but the one question on my mind is: what can they do for the sound and how do they differ from Ceraballs sonically?<\/p>\n

Comparisons<\/strong><\/p>\n

I will compare all models to each other and cross-reference to two different Finite Elemente footers: Universal Ceraball and the bigger Cerapuc.<\/p>\n

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Meridian 818 on Ceraball Universal<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Meridian 818<\/a> is used in normal DAC mode and is chosen because of its high sensitivity to placement. When it was still used in combination with the Spider rack, I always preferred Ceraballs instead of the standard Spider Rubber Couplers. With the Artesania Exoteryc<\/a> audio rack this is no different. If I am to judge the Stillpoints on their own merit alone, the rack’s built-in suspension system would have to be circumvented. So I placed a HDF wood board across the rack’s sidebars so that a super-solid testbed was created.<\/p>\n

The 818 when set up on its own soft rubber feet sounds a little too smooth and since I use the Rowland Aeris DAC, I feel that there’s a lack of acoustic reality. Wood could sound more wooden if you know what I mean. But I know from experience that this can be offset with a little tweaking. So, in came the Finite Elemente Ceraballs. Yup, lots better: much more lively, more dynamic and upbeat but also a little dry in the treble. That’s the thing with tuning devices like these: if the bass becomes more articulate, so does the treble, and that’s not always a good thing. But this is something that could potentially be balanced out by carefully altering other parameters in the setup. My first method is always changing power cables or their positions in the extension block.<\/p>\n

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Meridian 818 on Stillpoints Ultra Mini<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Stillpoints Ultra Minis use only one Ceramic ball, but boy are they effective. Switching the Universal Ceraballs for Stillpoints Minis made for a much greater change than expected: resolution increased immensely, bass tightened up and amazingly the treble was smoother and seemed more open. But what really wasn’t expected was the change in the soundstage as its entire perspective changed from laidback to upfront. Spaciously placed sounds and Q-sound effects were now much more pronounced than when using Ceraballs. Quite amazing.<\/p>\n

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Meridian 818 on Stillpoints Ultra SS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The bigger Stillpoints Ultra SS use a 4-layered system with 10 Ceramic balls and this seems to have an effect on the sound as once again there was a major leap in sound quality. Compared to the Ultra Minis, the Ultra SS make the 818 sound bigger and bolder. There’s more authority. Bigger bass, too, but just as articulate. Treble is still open and smooth but the biggest difference is in the midrange which is a lot more forward. Impressive though this is, it can also be a little too much for systems that are already carefully balanced. Still, when switching back to the Ultra Minis, I can’t help but miss the SS’s beefier and livelier sound.<\/p>\n

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Stillpoints and lightweight components<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also tried the Ultra Minis and Ultra SSses under the power supplies of the Rowland Aeris and AudioAanZee Ultra Flow<\/a> Music Server. Here their effect was a little too large, the midrange becoming somewhat too forward and too bright. Adding a weight on top of the power supplies helped but in the end I didn’t really think it was a good match. If I had to choose the best Stillpoints for the power supplies, surprisingly it would be the cheaper Ultra Minis because they seem to be more balanced and have an overall gentler effect. This is not to say that the Minis are better than the SSses, but rather that matching is everything.<\/p>\n

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Adding the Ultra Base to the Ultra SS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ultra Base is a separately available stainless steel platter that can be used in combination with the Ultra 5 and Ultra SS. For the latter, it can be mounted on either side, but I chose to mount it on the bottom, so as to make a super-solid and spectacular-looking footer.<\/p>\n

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Meridian 818 on Stillpoints SS with Ultra Base<\/strong><\/p>\n

This combination certainly looks the part but I was less impressed with the resultant sound. Compared to the standard Ultra SS, the SS+Ultra Base made for an even more solid bass, which was nice. But the rest of the frequency spectrum also beefed up, making everything a little too solid for my taste. Treble was now too dry and resolution seemed lessened, as did treble air. Based on my experiments, and used underneath the Meridian, I don’t think that the Ultra Base and the Ultra SS make a good combination. The SS is already pretty extreme and the disk adds just a little too much to that.<\/p>\n

Back to Ceraballs<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just to confirm my conclusions thus far, I switched back to the Ceraballs. Gone was the added resolution from the Stillpoints, in its place a chunkier, fuller sound with a more acoustical signature, especially in the bass, but less agile and with darker, drier treble. I guess you could say that Ceraballs somewhat mimic the typical Wadia house sound. With some CD’s I preferred the Ceraballs for their more forgiving sound but on others, I really missed the Stillpoints and their superb refinement and resolution.<\/p>\n

Ceraballs or Stillpoints<\/strong><\/p>\n

For most CD’s, overall, I preferred the Stillpoints SS over the universal Ceraballs. I am in doubt however as to which In prefer in terms of bass only. While the Stillpoints (both Minis and SS) have superb agility and articulation, sometimes I felt that a large contrabass sounded like a normal bass guitar. But on most CD’s the added resolve was not only welcome but also addictive. Your mileage may vary. All this is of course tied in with my Magnepans and system as a whole. But the Stillpoints SS’ extreme effectiveness in practice just means that the system will have to be toned down a little somewhere else, because sometimes the sound was just too forward, resulting in screechy saxophones and overly thin voices. Still, going back to the Ceraballs for the problematic CD’s somehow wasn’t satisfying either. I guess I’m spoiled.<\/p>\n

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Meridian 506.24 CD player<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just because I wanted to be certain of my conclusions, I installed another Meridian product: the oldie but goodie 506.24 CD player. I tried the whole range of feet again and while the differences among the products were consistent with the 818 tests, for the 506.24 it was evident that the Stillpoints were a much better match than the Ceraballs, the latter making the player too dark and too laid back. Both the Minis and SSses sounded a lot more lively than the Ceraballs and made the player sound much more resolving than I knew it was. Clearly, the Stillpoints were the better choice. I am torn between the Minis and the SS, however. The minis improve the overall spectrum evenly. The SSses are much more impressive but once again can be a little too forward in the midrange, even with the smooth-sounding Meridian 506.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Stillpoints Ultra 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are big and heavy beats! Really, there’s no preparing you for this until you see them in person and hold them in your hand.<\/p>\n

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The Stillpoints Ultra 5 are heavy-duty footers. It is said that the supported weight is without limit and once you have held them in your hand, you will believe it! There’s no use in using these under source components, rather, they can be used under speakers and equipment racks, or as in my case, under the Jeff Rowland power amps.<\/p>\n

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Stillpoints Ultra 5 with Ultra Base<\/strong><\/p>\n

First used in combination with the Ultra Base, 1 set of 3 Stillpoints 5 was installed under each Model 6\/BPS6 where previously the amps were placed directly on the floor with their own solid aluminum feet. The Stillpoints 5 were the first items to be reviewed, before the Ultra SS and Ultra Mini on the previous page. So the following tests were done with the regular system which is the Levinson 390S as transport into the Rowland Aeris<\/a> DAC. I didn’t use the 818 or the other Stillpoints elsewhere in the system.<\/p>\n

Adding the Ultra 5’s did change the sound a lot. But was it all better? Initially, that seemed to be the case indeed. The bass performance of my system really stunned me now: it tightened up and became more rhythmic and propulsive. It was now much more articulate and exact but also gained more drive and solidity. In fact, this was the very best bass I have yet heard from my system. Or any other system I owned for that matter.<\/p>\n

Moving up the frequency ladder, the midrange was clearer defined, with better articulation and precision, yet, without becoming forward or shouty. Moving further up the frequency range, I was expecting the treble to become dry, perhaps even dark. But even if it did become a little drier, this wasn’t detracting from an otherwise very well-balanced sound. So, on balance I only heard improvements.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, technically speaking everything was better.<\/p>\n

And indeed, some recordings became more lifelike and more convincing. But later that evening, and even more so the next day, after I had listened to more CD’s, there was something about the sound that didn’t quite agree with me.<\/p>\n

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When a listening buddy came along a few days later and we listened for a while he agreed with me that my system sounded off-balance. In spite of the superb bass and excellent resolution, we both felt less involved with the music so I proposed we remove the Ultra 5’s with his help.<\/p>\n

Back on their own feet, the Rowland sounded familiar again. The soundstage was a lot more laidback, but rather more generous and acoustically more convincing. Tonality was darker yet treble was airier and had longer decay. Imaging with the Stillpoints was rather different than without them: without Stillpoints the stage started behind the speakers and stretched towards the listener where needed. With Stillpoints it was always a little forward and seemed too controlled, it didn’t “breathe” as much. That’s a matter of taste of course. But as I grow older, I tend to prefer more relaxed staging. This sense of overt control may be the result of another aspect of the Stillpoints’ sound, which is authority. Their sound is one of super high res sound, presented in a very controlled manner, making for a very clean sound, which is very appealing in itself. But it seems to invoke a sense over overt control which my system couldn’t cope with well.<\/p>\n

More striking however was the feeling that instruments lost a degree of tonality and fullness: piano sounded like keyboard. Contrabass sounded like a regular electrical bass. This is very much dependent on system synergy of course. I know that my Magnepan 3.6’s aren’t very full in the midbass and just maybe they need the extra bloom that is added when you set up your power amps directly on the floor.<\/p>\n

Dynamically the Stillpoints are very good, adding to the tension and realism. Yet, for my speakers, it seems to be a little too much. This aspect of the presentation reminded me of how the bottom level of my Spider racks used to sound: overly controlled and too tight. Again: for someone with a fuller and darker sound, big B&W’s perhaps, the situation might well be reversed. But for me and my system the Stillpoints 5 were just a little bit too much. Without them I felt more connected to the music and was more emotionally moved. Even if the bass was now back to being merely allright, I still preferred the presentation without the Stillpoints 5. More on this further down below as the Ultra 5 test continues in a friend’s system.<\/p>\n

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Cerapucs<\/strong><\/p>\n

Substituting the Ultra 5s with Cerapucs made for an unsuspected but welcome change in perspective. Although I was used to listening without them, the substitution of the Spider rack for the Artesania Exoteryc rebalanced the system and even if the Cerapucs previously never worked well, I felt that the Stillpoints did so much good for the bass, that I simply had to try the Cerapucs again. Sometimes things just fall into place and this was such an occasion: the Cerapucs brought back some bass timing and agility while maintaining the relaxed but living, breathing soundstage and full tonality. Although the Cerapucs couldn’t even come close to the Ultra 5’s bass performance, on balance it was good enough for me.<\/p>\n

Because I would later learn that the Ultra Base would prove too much in my application when added to the smaller Ultra SSses, I also briefly listened to the Ultra 5s without the Bases afterward. But here I found their omission not to benefit the sound. Removing the Bases didn’t make for a fuller tonality or more emotion. Rather, it took away from the Ultra 5’s previously splendid bass performance and it lessened overall tonality and impact. So, if you’re going for the 5’s, I’d recommend using them with<\/em> Ultra Bases.<\/p>\n

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Setup 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Being somewhat unsatisfied with the Ultra 5 results in my own setup, I took them to a friend’s setup to form a second opinion.<\/p>\n

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As can be seen in the photo above, this setup is very similar to my own. Room size and listening position\/distance are roughly the same. The differences are:<\/p>\n