The world of fanciful, unlikely, unbelievable audio tweaks is constantly evolving. Over the years, we’ve had such outlandish concepts as the Beltist idea that wrapping your cold-water pipes with solder wire will improve the sound of your system, as will parking your car in the driveway facing out. Next came little dots that you place on your walls to . . . do something, I guess.
And now we’re in a new epoch, when ethernet cabling and audiophile switches are said to have a beneficial effect on audio quality, despite the fact that TCP/IP data streams have no relationship to an actual music signal. Half of my life has been spent (wasted?) in the depths of the world of information technology, so I’m skeptical of such claims until someone can prove their efficacy.
But turntables! If you so much as look at a turntable the wrong way, the sound changes. And that makes sense, as we’re talking about a closed system that’s dependent on physical retrieval of detail at the micrometer level.
Three tasks comprise a turntable’s entire mission statement:
- Spin the platter at a constant speed
- Suspend the stylus in the groove without flex or variance
- Isolate the whole shebang from external vibration
These goals don’t seem like they’d be very hard to accomplish, especially considering we’ve landed a man on the moon and are closing in on sustainable fusion reactors. But based on my experience, we’re not quite there with vinyl. I’ve tested a bunch of turntables, tonearms, and cartridges over the years, and they all sound surprisingly different, even though they’re all working to accomplish the same job. Some work much better than others, and some don’t work at all, but that’s a story for another day.
The environment where the vinyl playback system resides is one of the largest factors in its performance. External vibrations—both airborne and through the ground—are a major impediment to that mission statement, as they interfere with the sensitive record-stylus interface. I’m talking about footfalls traveling up from the ground, into the platter, and through the record. Or feedback from the speakers (I do play my music loud) transmitted into the tonearm, or directly to the record. So yeah, a turntable is a very sensitive instrument that’s at the mercy of its environment.
Switch-hitters
I’ve been peripherally aware of IsoAcoustics for years now. This brave Canadian company, which was formed in 2010, is happy to demonstrate its products in a manner that few manufacturers are willing to risk. In case you haven’t experienced this demo, I’ll explain it: IsoAcoustics places two identical pairs of speakers in the front of the room—two on one side, two on the other. One speaker on each side is fitted with the company’s Gaia isolation footers and one with the stock factory spikes. Only one pair of speakers plays at a time, but both pairs are connected to the audio system via a switch box that’s operated by a remote control.
You can switch between speakers in real time for a real-time comparison. In the world of high-end audio, almost nobody does this. In just about every demo I’ve sat through, you’re told to listen to a track while the representative says what you’re going to hear when he switches something around. Then you sit and wait while the change is effected, and listen to the same track again. It’s county-fair, snake-oil salesmanship at its finest. I honestly don’t see how it’s possible to glean any meaningful insight into a product via this type of demonstration.
But having the ability to switch the same source from one component to another as a track is playing is very valuable. It’s the same method I experienced during a factory tour at Paradigm, when we were comparing two speakers. Admittedly, we were listening blind at Paradigm, but having control of that switch box made all the difference when trying to hear subtle differences.
Yes, the differences were clear in the IsoAcoustics demo. Tighter bass, a better focus on images—all worthwhile and well worth the (reasonable) price of admission. To flip back 180 degrees to my initial premise, you’d better believe that I was excited to receive an IsoAcoustics Delos platform so that I could evaluate its performance with my VPI Prime Signature turntable.
Time to back up a bit
The IsoAcoustics isolation footer is built around a clever damper system that manages vibrations from the speaker. The drivers move forward and backward, so vibrations are generated on that axis, and are specifically managed on that axis by the dampers. The Gaia footers, as used in the company’s demonstrations, are directional. With the logos facing forward, the dampers are oriented in the proper direction.
There are three parts inside each footer—a top isolator, a bottom isolator, and a connector between the two. The top and bottom isolators do not touch each other, so there’s no continuous path between the equipment and the surface beneath.
The Delos platform, which IsoAcoustics released in 2019, employs the same technology as the Gaia footers. That said, the dampers are tuned differently, because the motive forces at work on the turntable—both internally generated and externally inflicted—differ greatly from those generated by a speaker.
IsoAcoustics describes the Delos as a “butcher block platform,” which is accurate, I guess, but somewhat inelegant. While the platform itself is indeed made from a jointed, solid-wood block, I found that description a touch jarring. But that’s just me.
There are eight different Delos models. The platforms are available in two different materials—solid maple or walnut—and come in either 1.75″ or 3″ thicknesses. The platforms are available in two sizes: 18″W × 15″D or 22″W × 16″D. The 1.75″ models are equipped with four footers, while the 3″ models have six. The maple versions start at $399.99 (all prices in USD) and top out at $699.99. For walnut, prices start at $599.99 and go up to $899.99.
It’s important to note that all IsoAcoustics products have specified maximum weight capacities, as the type of footer and the number used affect the performance. The 18″ Delos platforms are rated for 65 pounds for the 1.75″ versions and 55 pounds for the 3″ versions. The 1.75″ and 3″ versions of the 22″ models will handle 100 pounds and 90 pounds, respectively.
For this review, I received the 22″ × 16″ × 1.75″ walnut version, designated by IsoAcoustics as model 2216W1; it retails for $799.99. The Delos platform (I refuse to call it a butcher block) is nicely finished in a satin urethane. My equipment rack is topped by a slab of walnut, 2″ thick, that I finished myself. I sanded it down, ending with a 220 grit, then rubbed in three coats of Ligna Easy-Solo monocoat oil. Once the third coat had dried, I applied two coats of carnauba wax. It looks magnificent. The Delos platform is attractive, but it doesn’t come close to the appearance of my hand-rubbed rack. I can’t help but think it would be nice if IsoAcoustics offered the Delos in an unfinished version, so that people who were toilet-trained as early as me could have the chance to tart it up themselves.
Line it up
Installation was simple. I disassembled my VPI Prime Signature—platter off, motor put to one side—and took this opportunity to give my rack a nice dusting. Next, I placed the Delos on top of my rack and reassembled the ’table. Since the platter was off, I cleaned the old grease off the top of the bearing and reapplied a fresh dollop. Done.
For the entirety of my time with the Delos, I used my own DS Audio DS 003 optical cartridge, feeding my EMM Labs DS-EQ1 phono preamp.
The top shelf of my rack sits 39″ off the ground, which suits me nicely—it keeps my VPI’s platter at around 46″. Adding the Delos brought the top of the VPI up to nipple height, which is manageable, but I wouldn’t want to go any higher.
Some housekeeping—my VPI is quite sensitive to sharp impulses. That’s my “scientific” term for a knuckle rap. The Delos was extremely effective at damping impulses applied to the supporting shelf. I also noted that rapping the Delos itself resulted in little vibration being transmitted to the turntable.
Be the change you wish to see in the world
While the Delos made an instantaneous change to the sound of my VPI, I wasn’t sure how to go about describing the change. Initially, I found that I needed to turn the volume up just a small amount to achieve the same subjective listening experience I was accustomed to—which confused me a little. I turned up the volume, which worked fine for the most part, but then, every once in a while, I’d find it much too loud and have to turn it back down.
What was actually happening, I realized after a couple of weeks’ worth of listening, was that the Delos was increasing the dynamics of the VPI: reducing the volume of the quiet passages, while adding to the attack of the louder peaks. By concentrating really hard, I began to realize that the Delos wasn’t performing this dynamic trickery in an evenhanded manner. The big difference—the most notable change—was at the lower end, in extremely subtle pieces, such as “Awake on Foreign Shores” from Colin Stetson’s New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges (Constellation CST075-1). Here, the sense of dynamic contrast was huge. Stetson starts a series of foghorn-like blasts from his bass saxophone at a very low volume—almost down at the noise floor of the record. The loudest sounds on the track at this point are his intakes of breath. The Delos helped me hear more clearly into those low notes along with an added sense of depth to these breaths.
Along with the increase in dynamics, the Delos lowered the already low noise floor of the VPI–DS Audio combination, which was most helpful. Otherwise, the increased low-level resolution would have been at least partially obscured by surface noise and rumble.
These three changes—lowered noise floor, increased low-level resolution, and jacked-up jump factor—made me alter how I listened to music via the VPI. I had to start with the volume set slightly higher, sure, but I also had to steel myself for more dramatic peaks.
I remember my first experience with high dynamic range. When I was around 17 years old, I bought a couple of Deutsche Grammophon classical records (I forget the titles). On my low-rent Technics SL-B202 turntable running into an equally poor Technics receiver, I found myself unable to hear the quiet passages without the climaxes blasting out. I asked my friend Rich’s father (who was a music teacher and audiophile) what was wrong with the record, and he responded: “That’s how it’s supposed to work.” It took me many years and a number of system upgrades before I began to appreciate the benefits of this aspect of vinyl reproduction.
Back to that Colin Stetson LP. On “Lord I Just Can’t Keep from Crying Sometimes,” I have recently noticed a very slight distortion on Shara Worden’s vocals—a slight wobble, a modulation that isn’t present on the streamed version from Tidal. That weird distortion was present at all playback volumes. I’m guessing it’s the loud, insanely low drone notes that Stetson plays on his bass sax interfering with the reproduction of the vocals. Note that I say I’m guessing. It could be a flaw in my pressing, but my experience with the Delos indicates otherwise. With the Delos supporting the VPI, this modulation was noticeably less prominent. The inference here is that the Delos was also working to drain away internally generated interference.
As a probable benefit of this resonance-draining activity, I found that the bass via the VPI tightened up, which was noticeable both through my own Aurelia XO Cerica XL speakers and the startling Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signatures combined with two DB2D subwoofers. A good example here was Miles Davis and the “greatest rock and roll band you have ever heard” on the MoFi reissue of A Tribute to Jack Johnson (Columbia / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL1-440). Just listen to Michael Henderson’s roiling electric bass on “Right Off.” Along with Billy Cobham on drums, Henderson sets up a deep groove that continues throughout most of the track. It’s this rhythm section that drives the band, allowing Davis to venture to other worlds with John McLaughlin’s outlandish selection of chords. The swap to the Delos sharpened the bass, removing a small amount of overhang from the trailing edges of each note. It wasn’t so much a change in the amount or type of bass, more a tightening up of the overall roundness—a feeling of added differentiation within each note.
Further benefits in the absolute low end: The Delos reduced rumble—I’ve noted that on certain LPs, I get a fair amount of woofer pump, even with the low-frequency cut engaged on my EMM Labs stage. A good example of this is my copy of Howe Gelb’s The Coincidentalist (New West NW 5079). Music aside—it’s a fantastic album—there’s something wrong with the pressing. It plays fine, sounds fine, but I can’t play it very loud because the woofers go berserk. The introduction of the Delos cut that activity nearly in half. I still got woofer pump with the Delos in the system, but nowhere near as badly.
The Delos sharpened up imaging in a worthwhile manner. While I was examining the woofers on the Bowers & Wilkins DB2D subs, I had a chance to listen to The Coincidentalist in its entirety. My favorite track on this album is “The 3 Deaths of Lucky,” with KT Tunstall’s delightfully pure vocals contrasting with Gelb’s husky growl. The changes in the imaging department wrought by the Delos weren’t huge, but they were worthwhile. Gelb’s voice is spread across the whole soundstage, while Tunstall’s is more focused in the center. The Delos added more definition to the sections where they both sing together. The vocals collapse in those chorus sections, and the Delos helped me hear the two voices in their correct, discrete positions.
External things are not the problem—it’s your assessment of them
I’m fortunate to have had the chance to evaluate two wildly different turntable supports in a back-to-back shootout. Just a couple of months ago, I reviewed the Mitmat Foundation Premium mat, and found it to be a useful addition to my analog rig.
There are obvious differences between the two platforms. The Mitmat is a simple slice of high-tech foam, and it’s very low-profile in appearance, compared to the taller and obviously more complicated Delos. At $1000 for the version that fits my VPI, the Mitmat is $201 more expensive than the Delos.
Which platform works best for you would likely depend on your specific rig, and the physical configuration of your room. Since my rack sits on a concrete slab, I obviously don’t have issues with floor-borne vibrations. If your room has a sprung floor, I would wager that the suspension of the Delos would make the IsoAcoustics more effective than the suspensionless Mitmat.
Both platforms delivered imaging benefits, but the Mitmat pulled slightly ahead here, helping to place instruments in space with just a little bit more precision. On the other hand, I found the dynamic improvements delivered by the Delos to be of tremendous value. Once I’d become accustomed to the need to adapt my listening levels, the Delos helped make the music jump out of the speakers in a most endearing manner.
But where the Delos soared was in its exceptional control of the bass and the bass-related oddities that infest the analog reproduction chain. For sound quality, you’ll have to make your own decision, as both platforms have their merits. But in my system, the Delos won out. And with its lower price, the Delos is also the winner for value.
Control is an illusion
You can mess with a turntable until you’re blue in the face. If you’re like me, no matter what changes you make, you’ll always be wondering if you’ve got it right. Of course, there’s a way out of this trap—buy yourself a Rega P3, bolt a Target rack to the wall, and, other than to change records, never touch it again. There and done.
But that’s no fun. The environmental weaknesses of the turntable make it the perfect test bed for the anal retentive that lurks within many of us, and most likely within you the reader if you’ve made it this far in the review.
For those of you who like to fiddle, I think it’s definitely in your interest to try the IsoAcoustics Delos platform underneath your turntable. The Delos provides real improvements for a reasonable price. In the world of high-end audio, these two attributes don’t converge very often.
. . . Jason Thorpe
jasont@soundstagenetwork.com
Associated Equipment
- Analog sources: VPI Prime Signature, European Audio Team Fortissimo S turntables; European Audio Team Jo N°8, DS Audio DS 003 cartridges
- Digital sources: Logitech Squeezebox Touch, Meitner Audio MA3
- Phono preamplifiers: Aqvox Phono 2 CI, Hegel Music Systems V10, EMM Labs DS-EQ1, Meitner Audio DS-EQ2
- Preamplifiers: Hegel Music Systems P30A, Meitner Audio PRE, Simaudio Moon Evolution 740P
- Power amplifiers: Hegel Music Systems H30A, Balanced Audio Technology REX 300
- Integrated amplifiers: Hegel Music Systems H120, Eico HF-81
- Speakers: Focus Audio FP60 BE, Aurelia Cerica XL, Totem Acoustic Sky Tower, Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signature
- Subwoofers: Bowers & Wilkins DB2D (2)
- Speaker cables: Audience Au24 SX, Nordost Tyr 2, Crystal Cable Art Series Monet
- Interconnects: Audience Au24 SX, Furutech Ag-16, Nordost Tyr 2, Crystal Cable Diamond Series 2
- Power cords: Audience FrontRow, Nordost Vishnu
- Power conditioner: Quantum QBase QB8 Mk II
- Accessories: Little Fwend tonearm lift, VPI Cyclone record-cleaning machine
IsoAcoustics Delos 2216W1 turntable isolation platform
Price: $799
Warranty: Two years, parts and labor
IsoAcoustics Inc.
39 Main Street North, Unit 5
Markham, Ontario L3P 1X3
Canada
Phone: (905) 294-4672
Email: info@isoacoustics.com
Website: isoacoustics.com
