The D1.5, like all CH Precision components, incorporates the company’s four-point mechanical grounding system. An adjustable spike in each corner of the chassis allows energy to drain from the unit into the supporting surface. It also allows the user to LEVEL the player. By lifting the D1.5 on the cones, we were disabling that levelling! We THOUGHT we were comparing cones with no cones, the placement of cones, the attitude of the cones themselves. We thought we were doing carefully orchestrated comparisons of subtle positional changes. And we spent hours on the process. But the gross comparison, the first step on which all the subsequent ‘conclusions’ were based, was between a player that was level and one that wasn’t – even if it was supported on three magic cones!
It’s as clear as the nose on your face…
All of which demonstrates that, the most obvious change isn’t necessarily the most important and you might think you are listening to one thing, but actually you could easily be experiencing another. It’s a perfect example of how easily a group of experienced listeners can inadvertently detour down an irrelevant and often-misleading rabbit hole, a route that totally invalidates their hard won conclusions. The harder they worked to secure those conclusions, the more vociferously they’re going to defend them moving forward. So vociferously that after a while the process will be forgotten and its flaws lost in the mists of time. Now, after so much concentrated effort, I KNOW that there’s a timing issue with using AcouPlex cones! Except that in reality I know no such thing…
Like I said, we’ve all done it, at one time or in one way, or another. Is their a personal audio history that’s devoid of wrong turns or side-stepping purchasing decisions. If you are sensible (or lucky) you’ll have a wry chuckle and start over… Like a wise man once said, “Question everything – and then question the question!”
What did I learn from this experience? Humble pie can taste pretty good if it’s shared around with a side serving of common chagrin – and both Larry and I definitely got that taste from this experience. And AcouPlex is a genuinely interesting find. All I/we need to do now is work out how to maximise the benefits. Change Just One Thing? If only it was so simple…
