HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Daniel Quinn wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 4:57 pm You must have a tolerance level and dismiss things out of hand because you don't use crystals or other such foo.

The houdini is beyond my tolerance level. My theory is the less satisfied you are, the higher your tolerance

My theory is that if you are inquisitive and want to try something that will apparently improve your vinyl replay for yourself, don’t be so closed minded that you don’t take advantage of a money back if not happy offer.

Each to their own, but I assure you that there is nothing I was dissatisfied with before hand.

My theory is that if you are inquisitive you will question assertions and learn from experience what to rule out. You have to rule some things out or you would do more experimenting than listening.

Not so very long ago I was having some problems with my car, the MoT was imminent, yes I was dissatisfied with it because I thought it might get expensive. A few hours work by an independent specialist and another hour or so of work on the drive and I was much happier. Why? Simply because I had learned a lot about how it worked and I was satisfied that what I had previously thought was wrong. I didn't change anything that wasn't broken (replacing like for like) but, being inquisitive paid off.

Without suggesting that Houdini is or is not a good idea, everyone who tries it will be checking the alignment of their cartridge, the bias setting, tracking weight and alignment of their arm and remaking electrical connections. When is the last time you got the alignment protractor out and made sure your arm and cartridge were set up correctly? If you want to try any tweaks with your system, may I suggest running through the set up process first and then have a good listen. At least that way you will have eliminated that as a source of any change something like Houdini might make. You might like to get the instruction books out and confirm that everything else is as it should be too.

You don't have to be dissatisfied to ask questions, though being so may well lead to questions, some times being unsure about something can lead to a whole range of new opportunities.

Your post is semantic obfuscation.mm

?

I thought you couldn't understand my post because I was in the bath for the first time in 3.5 years and I was preoccupied with dropping it in the water.

But looking at it again I've only added 2 m's at the end.

Geoff.R.G wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:30 pm Not so very long ago I was having some problems with my car, the MoT was imminent, yes I was dissatisfied with it because I thought it might get expensive. A few hours work by an independent specialist and another hour or so of work on the drive and I was much happier. Why? Simply because I had learned a lot about how it worked and I was satisfied that what I had previously thought was wrong. I didn't change anything that wasn't broken (replacing like for like) but, being inquisitive paid off.

Without suggesting that Houdini is or is not a good idea, everyone who tries it will be checking the alignment of their cartridge, the bias setting, tracking weight and alignment of their arm and remaking electrical connections. When is the last time you got the alignment protractor out and made sure your arm and cartridge were set up correctly? If you want to try any tweaks with your system, may I suggest running through the set up process first and then have a good listen. At least that way you will have eliminated that as a source of any change something like Houdini might make. You might like to get the instruction books out and confirm that everything else is as it should be too.

You don't have to be dissatisfied to ask questions, though being so may well lead to questions, some times being unsure about something can lead to a whole range of new opportunities.

Well said Geoff

The big difference I see with the OL offering compared to the Isolator or Houdini is the use of through bolts.

You will never achieve the same level of vibration/resonance removal as the much more expensive products as long as you use through bolts.

Of these types of products, i have tried the cartridge man isolator. It uses a sticky adhesive to stick it to the top of the cart, and captive studs in the top to bolt it to a headshell. So there is no shorting of the decoupling via bolts with that competitor product.

That appears to use blown sorbothane between 2 thin stainless steel plates, and gives isolation that way.
That one is 100 quid. I have tried that one, it made everything hazy, abit bloomy, and 'rounded off' if that makes sense. It took all the leading edges away and squashed the dynamic changes. It wasnt mine, i didnt pay for it, it was provided by a customer of mine who liked it. When i built his deck and fitted his cart which arrived with the isolator already stuck to it, i honestly thought there was something wrong with what id built.
I took it off, put his cart on without it and the deck was then fine and i was happy with it.
He was happy with it on, i was happy without it. So i fitted it back on and he went away happy.

There are 2 reasons why i personally would not try the houdini. Firstly because i have tried a competitor that has been around for years, and it did nothing for me, i thought something was broken. You could say that whatever ff has inside their product is different so the comparison with the cartridge man product is not valid, but the point of the products is the same. I got to try it with an open mind, without any monetary or emotional ties to it, didnt like it so why try again.

Secondly, it is 3 times the price of the cartridge man product and is essentially the same. The materials are probably different, but the design goal is the same.
It is a hell of alot of money for 2 plates and some lossy material between them. The material cost cannot justify the retail price for me.

Those are my reasons, but i have no issue whatsoever with someone singing its praises. If that person likes it, fine. If that person is willing to piss away 300 quid to find out wether they like it, fine. If you have a few hundred quid to do what you want with, do what you want with it. My customer liked his cartridge man isolator, i did not like it one bit
Its not for me to say that person is wrong. He is not wrong, because he liked what it did.

I also am a little puzzled that it has generated such vehement feelings in people, both approval and dismissal.
Its just a lossy shim
And its up to people what they do with their own money

CaterhamKev wrote: ↑Tue Oct 13, 2020 8:55 am The big difference I see with the OL offering compared to the Isolator or Houdini is the use of through bolts.

You will never achieve the same level of vibration/resonance removal as the much more expensive products as long as you use through bolts.

Were you fed that line? Ad hominem removed
Now that you sniff a barrier to sales of the Houdunnit you are able to make cast iron pronouncements on the subject.

You went away for 6 months, you've been back nearly a week, and this is the only thread you've contributed to. You've done the same at The WAM. That sort of behaviour sets my 'spamming / shilling' alarm bells ringing.