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Recordings used during the review: A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011); Dominic Miller, Fourth Wall, Q-rious Music QRM 108-2, CD (2006); Daft Punk, Random Access Memories, Columbia Records/Sony Music Japan SICP-3817, CD (2013); Nirvana, In Utero, Geffen GED 24536, CD (1993); Danielsson, Dell, Landgren, Salzau Music On The Water, ACT Music ACT 9445-2, CD (2006); Frank Sinatra, Sinatra Sings Gershwin, Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music Entertainment 507878 2, CD (2003); The Modern Jazz Quartet, Pyramid, Atlantic Records/Warner Music Japan WPCR-25125, “Atlantic 60th”, CD (1960/2006); Johann Sebastian Bach, St. John Passion, BWV 245, Smithsonian Chamber Players and Chorus, Kenneth Slowik, Smithsonian Collection Of Recordings ND 0381, 2 x CD (1990).



Anti-vibration platforms come in all forms, sizes and shapes. I think the only element common to most is a flat surface for the device to be supported. There are exceptions like the Spider variants [and Artesania Audio's Exoteryic rack from Spain- Ed]. Those and the Stillpoints version omit shelves and merely use sub frames with adjustable footers. Whilst it should be the sonic effectiveness which guides our choice, whatever the final contraption looks like becomes an important factor when considering specific components. How the platform looks and presents the component is thus equally important at least to me. And here the Wellfloat honestly isn't that impressive.
By contrast to all the other platforms which I reviewed for the same issue of High Fidelity, it looks plain. Its height is lower, it lacks all eye-catching details. It is – well, lowrider black. The looks remind me of a product that was once offered by Polish company Troks. Both use two decoupled MDF boards and no more. Unless you check more closely. I realized in due time that CEC's approach is rather more sophisticated to actually become one of the most interesting such solutions I reviewed in this group.

For operational principles of resonance attenuation one finds very similar supplementary information and explanations from various companies dealing in vibrational control or turntable manufacture where mechanical attenuation is vital to counter the effect of rotating platters, moving arms and undulating needles. This also includes CD transports with their moving parts. Here the Wellfloat designer's approach is unorthodox but his pendulum flotation system very effective.


The sound of an amplifier put on the CEC platform seemed very mature. Whilst tonal balance barely changed (there was no emphasis or suppression of any band), it did seem as though the center of gravity had lowered some. The effect was very rich, saturated and produced more three-dimensional instrumental bodies. It was more of an impression however than a true sonic change caused by an immanent set of features which this platform introduced to the sound.