Johnnyb,
Maplethread m6 better than the Kab isonoe? What does the kab grip do?
Unfortunately, none of the Technics enthusiasts here
have come up with a comparison test of the Threaded Heavyfeet vs. the
Isonoe footers. Based on my experience with hard cones and soft isolators, I
get the sense that the Isonoes are for keeping room vibration and feedback
out of the turntable, whereas the cones are for draining the turntable's
inherent vibrations into the platform block. OTOH, I suspect that the Isonoes
would also drain off and dissipate vibration from the turntable as well.
A look at Isonoe's website indicates that their primary market for their footers
appears to be for the dance club market to help keep vibrations from a
thumping, bumping room from feeding back through the cartridge. Their
own tests seem to indicate that the footers alone attenuate feedback by
1.5dB, but the footers plus the sorbothane boots increase the attenuation to
3dB. They point out that while that may not sound like much, it enables you
to double your power output into the room before getting the same level of
feedback you had before without them.
There is one A-goner who uses the Isonoes and is really happy with them
over the stock feet. Others of us use either the Mapleshades or the threaded
Dayton brass speaker cones from PartsExpress for a lot less money ($21), and
presumably, a lower level of performance compared to the Mapleshades.
I use the butcher block supported by silicon gel to isolate the turntable from
the room.
I'm guessing here, but I suspect the brass cones give sharper note-by-note
delineation, a more forward midrange, and clear assertive bass. I *think* the
Isonoes would add a softer sort of clarity and a more relaxed presentation.
Here's a thought: I think both vendors offer a 30-day evaluation period, and
return shipping would be very cheap. You could try both and decide which
does it better for you--or isn't worth it. The Isonoes may need a little break-
in for the elastomer to settle into place; the Mapleshades shouldn't need
break-in at all.
Here's a very short evaluation
of the Isonoes in a post on Vinyl Asylum:
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?
forum=vinyl&n=534924&highlight=isonoe+Merle&r=&session=
I think there are other reviews and testimonies at kabusa.com.
I've found that the KAB record grip seems to lower surface noise a bit, and
makes records of different weights sound more similar by damping whatever
mass-related resonance there might be.
