Triton Audio NeoLev - best thing ever or snake oil?

[ahjteam]

http://tritonaudio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=19&Itemid=39

http://www.hifi-damping.com/product.php?id_product=11

How it works
Place them under your record player, cd/dvd player or under your speakers and isolate your equipment from feedback.
Neolev magnetic levitation dampers are our latest development. Placed under CD/DVD players, turntables, speakers etc., they eliminate acoustic feedback and mechanical distortion to bring out the full potential of your equipment. Cancellation of contact induced resonance is very effective as forces perpendicular to the device are never transferred. Based on two repelling Neodium magnets one single NeoLev lifts up to 8kg. NeoLev's are adjustable to ensure perfect levelling.

Sonic improvements from NeoLev damping feet

Higher resolution
Increased soundstage
Greater dynamic range
Improved transient response
More clearly defined bass


Applications

Turntables
Speakers
CD/dvd players
Preamps
Power amps

 

[Empathy]

260 euro for a set of four? Is this a joke?

 

[ahjteam]

Well, if it truely works, it's not a bad price and you would need 6-8 to decouple a 4x12 cabinet

 

[BLUElightCory]

Well, I USED to respect this company. This is complete nonsense.

 

[Kazrog]

Turntables will absolutely benefit from having a solid, isolated platform - but there are infinitely more affordable, equally effective ways to achieve it, and you don't need magnets (unless you're a member of Insane Clown Posse and you think magnets are magical.)

CD players and other digital equipment, particularly if it's any good (properly shielded, halfway decent components, nothing too crazy or unusual to ask for), should have absolutely no need for something like this - there should be no difference whatsoever. The bullet point "higher resolution" (among other indicators) leads me to believe that this product is snake oil, designed to dupe rich audiophiles into obsessing over one more thing about their setup that might be slightly less than "perfect," thus getting them to spend more money on frivolous junk that has absolutely no audible (or measurable) effect.

I've isolated my turntable from my shelving unit with old ink cartridge packaging from my printer - works like a charm, I've gotten some absolutely killer sounding 24/96 transfers made from it as well. With a good cartridge and a decent turntable, set up properly, you shouldn't have to stress out about this stuff too much (I use the Audio Technica AT 440 MLa with my 80s Realistic Lab-420 turntable I got off Craigslist - an awesome combo.)

 

[BLUElightCory]

If the idea is just to provide some acoustic absorption/dampening I can see some possible benefits. But claims of improved resolution, dynamic range, etc. are pure snake oil - isolating speakers from resonant surfaces has acoustic benefits, and elimination vibrations when using turntables or CD players can eliminate lots of potential problems, but to imply that the actual AUDIO is being affected is utterly untrue.

 

[Kazrog]

Audio from a turntable will be affected by external vibrations - a stylus is basically a microphone/pickup and will translate whatever happens to it into audio pulses over the line. However, digital media is totally unaffected by this stuff.

However, unless your setup is completely moronic (turntable on top of speakers, for example) this shouldn't be a significant issue.

 

[paladin shredder]

Place them under your record player, cd/dvd player or under your speakers and isolate your equipment from feedback.

...don't you just hate it when your cd player starts getting feedback?

here's a much better solution for reducing feedback

 

[dale_a_smith]

Over on Sound On Sound forum there are a couple of great Audiophile bashing threads. this is my all time favourite product.

http://www.lessloss.com/blackbody-p-200.html

If you have time its a great read.

that should nicely compliment your Damping Feet..

 

[LeSedna]

Over on Sound On Sound forum there are a couple of great Audiophile bashing threads. this is my all time favourite product.

http://www.lessloss.com/blackbody-p-200.html

If you have time its a great read.

that should nicely compliment your Damping Feet..

It sort of does the same thing as a stuffy table

Great read, brought me some laughs. The best part is the drawings showing you the best thing is to have 2 or 3 to protect your gear from all directions.

 

[BLUElightCory]

Magic Pebbles!

 

[John_C]

This should work very well and is an innovative approach to mechanical isolation. However, it's not gonna magically make everything sound a million times better.

It will make a difference with vinyl when played at loud volumes

CDs is seriously doubtful, however the less vibration the better as far as not getting nasty clicks etc