I've had some time to work with and think about what I am doing with the Zerostate . . . Sounds a bit pretentious considering its just a 'zap machine'? Yes, but as I have said before, 'it all goes to make up the whole'.
Hazel and I spent a lot of yesterday dipping in and out of our music . . . in between the normal things of life like meals and dog walking, even watching a fascinating program about mother nature’s recovery around the volcano that devastated the mountain of St Helens in 1980.
I have noted; tangible, volume, clarity, perception and image placement, we further became aware of the effect on delicate passages, there was extra fine detail and an airiness that still defies description, it has to be heard to be appreciated. These improvements were less obvious in bolder recording, but the word 'tangibility' is still a description that applies.
What one has become aware of, is the way the system as a whole has reacted to the new found freedom in the musical presentation. There is no feeling of 'need to upgrade', the light and delicate has gained a level of detail and presentation I would not have thought possible. Images have moved up back and stretched wider than I have heard. This is something I have not heard since the 80's on a systems that cost then, well in excess of £10,000!
We are talking delicacy here that is of a gossamer experience, at a volume that is equally delicate.
The clincher was Miserere, there is a couple of passages in the 12+ minutes of performance that is high and way back in the image. It is ethereal, angel like, performed on a balcony in the chapel, the balcony has always been high and right. I now know the balcony stretches full width with the singers placed along its length, high right is the female voice reaching top 'C'. The air and church ambiance dissolved the boundary walls as I have never heard my system do in such a convincing way before. The 80’s system used to use the whole of the back garden as a sound stage . . . that was what I was listening to last night . . . :O
OTT . . . ? . . . hearing is believing . . . I would not have believed it if I had not been here listening . . . as I say its the delicate passages that are mainly affected.
The fines of the system is remarkable, I would have expected to have at least been using a very fancy turntable/arm/cartridge combination, and a much better amplifier. Just shows what can be achieved . . . bear in mind, the system had to be setup right in the first place to achieve???
I said recently the ISOmat was the best £20 worth I had spent, I must now add to that, the £20 I paid for the Zerostat. I still have a few things to try. However, last night was a revelation, I zapped the records, ISOmat the cartridge and arm bearing, each had their affect . . . I think I had better pull the draw bridge up!! . . . I feel a 'Belt' moment coming on . . . :O
One is now considering the implications of the above . . . :?
CJSF