Tightrope Vibration Control Devices

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Performance   What first struck me was a noticeable increase in soundstage depth and width. This was an excellent sign of things to come. Whenever you experience an increase in soundstage, especially in the depth plane, it's a clear indication that more low-level information is reaching your ears. Despite strong criticism I believe in the CD format. I think it has a lot to offer, most of the detail and the nuances are in fact on the disk. The trick is getting this information out and not losing it along the many paths the signal has to travel until it reaches your ears. Low-level mechanical noise, player resonance and vibration all have a washout effect on the signal and ultimately the sound. Spatial detail is often first to suffer from this washout effect. The Tightropes are excellent in controlling vibration and as a consequence quickly reward the listener with an open and holographic sound that is very well focused. The next thing I really liked about the Tightropes is their organic quality. In my review of the Vibrapods I often refer to this quality. The Tightropes have this too but noticeably more so. The "springy" nature of these devices somehow allows more emotion and musicality to shine through. They have the ability to draw you in, to involve you and to excite. I find this organic quality quite addictive. Interestingly the metal or hard compound footers, as compared to their squishy or springy counter parts, are often somewhat deficient in this department. Then again the squishy or springy alternatives sometimes sacrifice the ultimate in detail and precision. Not the case with the Tightropes, they are musical but at the same time detailed and precise. Mind you the detail is not of the type that's in your face, but simply all there in front of you for the taking. Dynamics go hand in hand with organic quality. The sound wouldn't be musical, emotional or involving if it wasn't dynamic. Tightropes allowed the player to definitely come across as more dynamic, bold and purposeful. Transients are better defined and more convincing. This all draws from the fact that the background was quieter, cleaner and darker. Piano and solo guitars vibrate wonderfully, with more energy and life present in every note. In comparison to Nordost Pulsar Points (aluminum version), one of my favorite in the $100 range, the Tightropes are noticeably better, they are more involving and more musical (or less clinical if you wish), offer a deeper and better focused sound stage and provide a more refined sound. In comparison to the Aurios MIB 1.2s, let's just say I'm not compelled to quickly return to the Aurios for full time duty. The sound stage is on par with that of Aurios 1.2s but what Tightropes have over the 1.2s is a sense of smoothness. I'm not saying that the Aurios 1.2s are edgy, but rather that budget CD players (like the D500 SE) that sound a bit rough in the upper registers, may benefit more from footers that don't accentuate this characteristic. The Aurios in contrast to the Tightropes sound a bit aggressive and forward underneath the D500 SE. Having said that, in a system with a more refined player the Aurios may be a good match. However the Aurios MIB 1.2s do sell for more then twice the price of the Tightropes.   Conclusion   The Tightropes are my new $200 range champions. They are hard to beat and are definitely worth the extra in comparison to BDR Pyramid Cones and Nordost Pulsar Points. They are comparable to the considerably more expensive Aurios MIB 1.2s and in some cases/systems can actually offer a better balance. Despite their largish size they are easy to setup and adjust. Their organic and musical quality, first-rate sound staging and good price make them an excellent choice for any system. Highly recommended!     If you would like to comment on this tweak or suggest improvements to it, please click here.