Generally
speaking I've little sympathy for visitors that try to ventilate my living
room with 20 mm drills, but I made an exception with Luis Fernandes. He
did have my best interests at heart, and those of my Linn LP12 as well.
And no one could really have guessed that the wall to my bedroom was only
seven and a half centimetres thick, could we?
But first things first. We are dealing here with the ideal of an analogue
turntable equipment support. On the wall, well away from annoying footfall
noise, turning up its nose at all of the sprung flooring systems of this
world. The trials and tribulations of this problem have led me from a
makeshift, but stable support of my own design, via the adjustable top
shelf of a Target rack through to the pyramid-shaped LP 12 altar designed
by Michael Linke (image hifi 4/1998) that reassured me that I had done
everything possible in this respect. The problem isn't new: a high-end
unit can only play as well as the base on which it stands. This maxim
applies particularly to the mechanical microcosm of turntable reproduction.
And even more so to the piston-like swinging subchassis legend from Glasgow.
Although it must be said that Finite Elemente's Pagode Wall support is
certainly not a platform specifically designed with the Linn in mind.
My LP12 is intended to serve only as pars pro toto for compatibility with
medium-heavy turntables. How turntables such as the Platine Verdier would
fare on the wall, I can't say, but it certainly wouldn't fail due to any
lack in load-bearing capacity of the Pagode unit.
To be honest I initially regarded the Finite Elemente Wall as a high-end
design failure. A maximum load-bearing capacity of 60 kilograms with a
lever arm of 60 centimetres and without any main supports, well, I could
imagine the shattered remains of any analogue dreams on the floor in front
of me. But at that time I hadn't yet realised what professional mounting
technology can actually offer. Two (just two!) M10 threaded screw sleeves
cemented in place with injection mortar are all that hold the heavyweight
magnificence of the Pagode Wall and the analogue turntable. Luis Fernandes
says, "It would be more likely for the brick to come out of the wall
than for the fixture not to hold". But that might be inviting wall-to-wall
trouble by talking like that!
The head of Finite Elemente (to be more exact one half of the company's
bosses: Fernandes' business partner Bernd Brockhoff stayed at the company's
base in Germany's Sauerland region) has come across to Berlin to demonstrate
the installation of their latest development. And this is a service that
I certainly appreciate. It's not as if electric drills and I don't get
on, but the fixing of a Pagode Wall support requires the services of an
expert or at least a friend with an interest in DIY and an adequate drill.
Once you've tried to position the solid support against the wall on your
own, then you appreciate a helping hand.
The Pagode series is certainly the greatest success of Finite Elemente.
The visually elegant frame-shelving design tensioned between T-shaped
profiles has been deservedly receiving accolades for its sound quality
for a number of years. And, unfortunately, it is now finding popularity
of a more dubious nature: Luis Fernandes is on his way to a court hearing
concerning copies of product copies "Made in Asia". And worse
than the economic damage is the damage to the company's reputation caused
by such counterfeit products. The precision mechanical engineering companies
and joineries supplying Finite Elemente are all based in Germany, with
the exception of a screw manufacturer in Switzerland. This is why being
associated with cheap imitations from Asian production is a particularly
sore point.
Both Pagode Wall designs are to be tested: the ultimate Master Reference
and the Signature, which is somewhat less intricately equipped at certain
points. The wall fixture identical to both designs allows simple replacement
- in theory at least.
The shelf is technically the same as the one used in the classic rack
systems (image hifi 2/2002, 4/2003). The basis is a frame made of solid
Canadian maple wood. "Canadian maple is the least sensitive to moisture
influences and doesn't warp," was the answer to my worried enquiry.
The bearing points for the shelving unit are located in equally solid
maple struts in the frame. These are in multilayer design for both models,
differing only in the number and thickness of the sandwich layers. The
bearing system is not identical either. In the Master Reference shelf
the five damped spikes are taken up in metal sockets, whereas in the Signature
model four specially shaped, individually adjustable spikes latch in an
exactly defined way from below into the shelf.
The wall fixture essentially comprises two solid metal panels that serve
as an immovable counterpoint for the actual three-point resonance transmission
fixing. A panel is screwed to the wall using the technique described above.
In the middle of the upper section there is a threaded bolt led through
to the outside, and this is the only fixing point between the shelf and
the wall. On the left and right further down there are two hollows milled
into the wall panel. Two balls are inserted into these hollows prior to
tightening, made of steel in the Signature and of ceramic material in
the Master Reference. These form the support, and the total lever pressure
of the Pagode Wall is concentrated here. The second, only inconsiderably
thinner metal panel is screwed together with the wooden frame of the shelf.
The whole unit is pushed onto the bolt and tightened with a sleeve nut.
At this point the angle of the shelf can be adjusted, with the balls inserted
between the metal panels offering the necessary freedom of movement. A
further difference between the Signature and Master Reference models can
be found in the bearing of the sleeve nut that supports the shelf, and
this still needs to be turned even at maximum loading. With the Signature
a thick Teflon disk ensures the necessary slip, whereas a ball thrust
bearing is used in the more expensive model. This is also intended to
keep the contact surface between the shelf and the wall to a minimum.
With the Master Reference this is 5.7 square centimetres and a few square
millimetres more with the Signature version.
As could be expected from the Master Reference range, four resonators
tailored to the strongest intrinsic frequencies of the shelf unit these
resonate at exactly these frequencies and keep the oscillation spectrum
of the shelf in balance.
Magnificent. I can finally move freely around without any inhibitions
to music on vinyl. Old flats are so great, but in reality their wooden
and parquet floors are an audiophile catastrophe, that you don't notice
until your record player has left the floor. Has the subchassis ever oscillated
more piston-like? I imagine that I heard a brief moan of satisfaction
from the heart of my LP12 as I placed it on the Finite Elemente shelf.
And that is what it sounds like. Calm. Smooth. Like a mass design turntable.
It is fascinating to experience how the support dominates the performance
of a component. If the room accounts for 50% of the overall sound result,
then the equipment support deserves a further 10%. I play record after
record. Luis Fernandes points out that the whole unit still has to settle,
and that it needs to be adjusted after about a week. So I just keep on
listening...
The Finite Elemente top-of-the-range model, the Master Reference, with
the Linn on top spreads a feeling of pure analogue well-being. Did I just
say mass design turntable? I really meant its sovereignty in presentation
that I, with more experience in the field of subchassis units, would say
was more of a natural for the heavyweight fraction. Now that the LP12
is off the floor (which is also good news for your back!) and up on the
wall, its sound performance has a "Don't worry, be happy" quality
that I hadn't experienced before.
But let's get one thing straight. The Linn also sounds excellent on the
Linke acoustic pyramid that was specially designed for it. It swings,
it's fast and dynamically thrilling, with high resolution and completely
convincing melodically. It makes music the Linn way, and this has been
setting standards for a quarter of a century.
On the Finite Elemente Wall it sounds different. The Master Reference
is certainly not any less resonance-optimised than the Pyramid, but in
a different direction. It removes hindrances, and, if you like, polishes
up the background for the music to blossom in front. Translated into high-end
vocabulary this means that the music flow is excellent, as is the tonal
homogeneity, the spatial depiction offers more of an overview than a front-row
perspective. The frequency ends appear simultaneously extended and perfectly
integrated into the overall sound. Piano recordings are a delight. Recordings,
of which I had been previously been rather critical, can now be enjoyed
and you ask yourself why you had been missing them for so long.
In view of the fact that the unit still had to settle, I decided to stick
with the Master Reference version. This proved to be the right decision
as the development of the sound quality in the course of the passing weeks
proved. And as the fundamental principle used by the Signature to get
hifi components off the floor is identical to that of the Master Reference,
I dare to speculate that even the "smaller" model would bring
a smile to its new owner's lips.
If only it were possible to try out the Finite Elemente wall units more
easily. Many potential users will be put off by the cost for this piece
of German engineering in wood and metal. But these flawless equipment
supports deserve component status without any reservation whatsoever.
You can offer your analogue turntable nothing better - only something
different. |
More complex than it looks. In
principle Finite Elemente bases its
designs on hard contacts and then
damps the overall system selectively
and in an exactly defined way
Nasty stuff: the quick-hardening two-component
mortar offers ultimate fixing
Thick bolt: The thread of this precision-machined
component holds the whole shelf
Setscrews are used to compensate any
unevenness in the wall.
Seen lying: the wall screws
image x-traktWhat is pleasing:
The gain in sonic sovereignty. The exquisite
manufacturing and design quality.
What is missing:
Probably a less "protruding" compact version?
But, special sizes are available upon request...
What is surprising:
Still astonishing, that the whole support works
with only two wall anchors!
What to do:
Generally mistrust any thin wall on the floor plan!
Components of the test system
| Record player: |
Linn LP12, "Netz"Teil
|
| Tone-arm: |
Naim Aro |
| Cartridge: |
Dynavector 17D2 Mk
II |
| Phono pre-amp |
Lehmann Black Cube
SE |
| Pre-amp:: |
Burmester 035 |
| Power amp: |
Burmester 036 |
| Loudspeakers: |
Wilson Benesch Curve
|
| Cables: |
HMS, Purist Audio,
OCOS,
Sun Audio, Burmester |
| Accessories: |
HiFi-Produkte "Das
Regal",
Stillpoints, Satin
Wood Ceramique Gerä-
tefüße, Linke Akustik
Pyramide |
image info
Wall support Finite Elemente Pagode
Wall Signature/Master Reference |
| Design variations: |
At additional cost
aluminium
components with highly
polished finish, wood in various
colour stains or RAL lacquers;
special dimensions available |
| Special features: |
Openings for cable
feed
in the shelf surface |
| Load-bearing capacity: |
40 kg (Signature),
60 kg (Master Reference) |
| Dimensions (W/H/D): |
64/5/66 cm |
| Surface area of shelf: |
51 x 46 cm |
| Warranty period: |
60 month |
| Price: |
Signature from 880
Euro,
Master Reference from 1650 Euro |
|
