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| Model: | Super Black Hole |
| Category: | Accessory |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $32.50 |
| Description: | CD/DVD Mat |
| Manufacturer URL: | Herbie's Audio Lab |
| Model Picture: | View |
| Review by Sterlo on December 18, 2010 at 03:13:58 IP Address: 203.173.9.208 | Add Your Review for the Super Black Hole |
Hi all,
I just wanted to post a review of what I consider one of the best (if not the best) value tweaks around today. I know that statement sounds like a rash one but, I've used my fair share - Black Diamond Racing shelves, Boston Tuneblocks, etc etc.
I'd heard about the Millennium cd mat, and was about to use this for my recently purchased (top loading) Rega Saturn, but read a few reviews on this site about people who'd tried the Millennium, and then also utilised the Super Black Hole CD mat, and found the latter more neutral. For 30 odd bucks I thought, well, it's worth a go.
I should clarify the Super Black Hole was used on a Rega Saturn, the Saturn also sitting on Boston Audio SE Tuneblocks.
The short story? At $30, this thing has got to be the astronomical high end tweak of the decade. I couldn't comprehend the improvement once I slipped this silicon cd mat on top of my cd.
The Boston Tuneblocks SE made a significant difference under my Saturn (but, at a cost of $300 a set so they should) - the Super Black Hole CD Mat I would say wasn't far short of this level of improvement. It almost sounded as if I'd changed my interconnect.
How to describe? Well, I would say overall, this product makes you hear more of what the recording really sounds like. It doesn't 'do' anything to the sound (ie, 'give' more/less treble / change the tonality to warm up harmonics etc etc). If I had to put the sound into a word it would be - neutral. It just lets you hear what the disc sounds like. My system had a touch of upper midrange hardness before.. I can't believe that a $30 tweak would have gotten rid of it but it did, in spades. I now hear the recording just as it should sound and I find myself getting through an hour-long CD wondering when the time went. Everything sounds so much more musical and there just isn't anything annoying about the sound anymore - it isn't too warm, too bright - none of these adjectives apply because the sound is perfectly neutral - it's as if you're hearing directly onto the recording; exactly as the CD should sound.
In short, this is an outstanding tweak, and compared to some of the tweaks I've used before costing in the many hundreds of dollars, this is an absolute no-brainer and should be part of every person's system.
Recommended without hesitation.
| Product Weakness: | None. |
| Product Strengths: | Lets you hear the recording, as it sounds on the disc. Creates neutrality. Vibration control = more detail, transparency - sound without the grunge and haze that vibrations create in components. In short? Everything sounds neutral and I can now get swept away in a CD for hours without thinking of 'this' or 'that' annoying me here or there with the sound. |
| Amplifier: | Proceed BPA-3 |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Meridian 568.2 |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Meridian 598 / Rega Saturn |
| Speakers: | Paradigm Signature S4 (v2) |
| Cables/Interconnects: | Wireworld Platinum Eclipse / Silver Eclipse |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Everything - Rock, Jazz, Classical, Vocals |
| Room Size (LxWxH): | 16 x 10 x 8 |
| Room Comments/Treatments: | Yellow Egg Foam Cartons (mattresses) behind system =) |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | 2 or 3 hours |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
I agree with your findings but yesterday my Sony 5400 ate my SBH. I had to open up the player to retrieve it but am now afraid to use it
Alan
Hi. The above links don't work. Here is a link that works:
Edits: 12/21/10
Thanks Sterlo,
Considering the Saturn secures the CD using the three-point mounting ball chuck system, I would not have expected the SBH to make a difference. Now I am thinking about trying it on my Apollo.
Yeah, I haven't tried the SBH on my Saturn yet, but would like to.
I've tried all of the other Herbies mats and found that the smaller mats had much less effect (but are more compatible for tray loading drives). My current favorite for the Rega Saturn is the large Herbies Grungbuster mat that covers the whole disc.
The Millenium is a very nice tweak as well.
Hi,
A good point. Sorry - I should have stated in my post I've never used the Millennium tweak so can't provide any comments on that.. I believe it must be fantastic as well given the substantial positive reviews it's received in the press and here on AA.
. . . and found the SBH to be superior. You're right: It doesn't really alter the sound at all; it just cleans up the artifacts that are there. Nothing more, nothing less. Definitely one of the better tweaks currently available.
N/T
" Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination." -Michael McClure
NT
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