Neuance or Z Slab shelf for Zoethecus rack???

thanks Richard I'll try via that approach.
Ken Lyon I've sent additional inquiries through your website & through the Audiogon remailer on Friday evening, but still I have no response. Frustrating. So far the Mapleshade shelf hasn't solved all of my problems, but it is an improvement. I'm still experimenting with it.

Hi Bob,
I received your e mails via the AG server and also thru the website's cgi contact form.I replied to both of your listed e mail addresses, responded via the AG server and also resent and re-replied via the contact form.I also tried to call one evening but you were not available at the time. I am not having any difficulties that I am awares with my email nor the website as I have been in ongoing communication with a number of other folks in the interim.Whatever the cause,I don't believe that it is a technical problem on this end.
Here's the text of my last resent reply, minus your submission info. Included are my mailing address, phone and office hours.I hope you don't mind my posting it's contents publicly but I think it will help get things rolling and give us a starting point.
Best,
Ken

Hope one of these gets thru.

best,
k

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Lyon [mailto:greaterranges@msn.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2003 8:52 PM
To: bobb@spacecom.com
Subject: Neuance enquiry, Bob Bundus

-Resend-
Hi Bob,

Nice to hear from you.
I can do a Neuance platform that would suit your:

1) Accuphase pre, EAD 2000 CDP & Magnum Dynalab tuner
OR
2)Accuphase preamp, Accuphase amplifier and VPI HW19 IV

Unfortunately, I don't have a Neuance construction that would span the entire weight range that you propose and still perform optimally for every component. FWIW,you'll find that the greatest benefits of Neuance will be to your TT, CDP and preamplifier.
Cost for either version in a 19" x 15" size is US$175 each plus US$13.5o shipping to your address.
I can accept payments by checque(personal is fine), money order or PayPal.Turnaround is currently about 5-6 weeks due to the high demand since the introduction of the revised Neuance line.
Let me know your thoughts and if you have any questions, please feel free.I'll do my best to be of help, Neuance or not.
Thanks.

Best,
Ken Lyon

GreaterRanges/Neuance
15304 63rd St Ct East
Sumner,WA. USA 98390
253.863.3449 tel/fax
greaterranges@msn.com
www.neuanceaudio.com/
Mon-Thur 11-6 pacific

btw-
These new Neuance units are an adaptation/evolution of the previous Beta model. The original intent was to have a separate unit specifically designed for freestanding tabletop use rather than support on upturned spikes, etc to reach those that don't have the option of a Target-type stand.
In order to accomodate the increased energy storage of its likely placement on heavy furniture, I threw out my self-imposed,somewhat arbitrary thickness limit of ~ 1-1/4" which was set to accomodate tightly spaced racks.
I increased the absorbtion capacity of the core module and adjusted the laminate structure to suit.
What I didn't expect was that I'd not only match the performance of the then-current Alpha on a spike decoupled support, I actually bettered the regular line by what I'm measuring by as much as a 6dB attenuation at specific frequencies near the extremes of the aubible bands and overall averaging an approx 3dB decrease in the noise floor without any trade-offs that I have been able to ascertain.
Obviously, I had no choice but to make the new platform a replacement for the previous Neuance line-up and dropped the upturned spike support requirement entirely.
The "badboy" designation that you've read about isn't an official moniker for the new Neuance platforms.
I've been working on and off on the freestanding platform project for nearly 3 years and I had to call it something to diferentiate the platform prototypes from the regular line-up.A friend had been bugging me for some time asking the pointed question:" Hey Lyon, when you gonna get that badboy finished?". I've been jokingly referring to the project as the "badboy" ever since. The whole Badboy designation unfortunately seems to have stuck with some of my clients that had asked for a freestanding version before it's introduction.Because of the shift in usage from a separate single-purpose product added to the line to being the " new, improved " latest generation of Neuance, I'm trying to squash the badboy thing as it has just added confusion to the product lineup.

I didn’t realize that this is not a “one size fits all” situation so I’ll have to think this through, but I may just order one shelf of each weight range, then additional shelves as required.
Your lengthy explanation of the model evolution is also much appreciated; that considerably clears up my confusion.
If I tried a high weight range shelf under a lighter weight component, can you guess in what way the compromise would be?

Re:"If I tried a high weight range shelf under a lighter weight component, can you guess in what way the compromise would be?"

The presentation would typically have a slightly hard/edgey quality and the platform's overall effectiveness somewhat reduced as the weight loading provided by the component is used to assist the outer collection laminates of the Neuance shell to more efficiently transfer vibrational energies deep into the absorbant core where they are converted into heat.The "hardness" comes as a result of those energies not transferred and absorbed will tend to reflect at the boundary layers of the laminate structure and return to the system.
This back-reflected energy is the primary property which gives all shelves,racks and footers their own uniquely characteristic "voice".Neuance attempts to minimise that "voice" by reducing the amount of material thickness and mass to the barest minimum and therefore has an unusually low self-generated sonic signature.
The downside is that it must be produced specifically tailored to the load.It is for this reason that the device is not a stock inventoried product.
The latest generation of Neuance platforms have the broadest load range capacity to date with the most commonly used construction having a usable range of from <10 to 40+ pounds.In all, there are presently 4 Neuance constructions with overlapping load ratings. If all goes as planned, sometime late this summer a heavy duty version is expected to be ready with a projected working capacity of up to 80+ pounds(possibly more).
Best,
Ken

Hi Ken. And I'll add that you had told me years ago that ADDING weight to the top of a lighter component to effectively match the larger-spec Neuance can result in a voicing change that may or may not be desirable, correct?
Reasoning being that the vibe signature of the component (esp a lightweight CDP) is changed by putting a brick on top of it? Hope this helps. I'll get back to you for a new one for my EMC-1 UP after I sell the next Subie. Cheers.