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Beneath the source: Describing the sound of a resonance control device is a bit of a misnomer. If the device is working properly, it should not impart any character of its own but rather allow the sound of the component to emerge - minus the effects of unwanted vibration. So when I describe things, keep in mind that I am describing the difference that the isolation device was contributing.


The first word that sprang to mind describing the effect was "tubes" as the illuminating glow that marks the difference between listening to a piece of music and experiencing a performance. The sound became anchored in the mid to lower midrange. Depth was evident but also projection which indicated good preservation of timing information. The footers trade absolutes of transparency and hard edge for palpable solidity and textural definition. There was an analog feel with warmth, dimensionality and incredible presence. The component was interpreting more information effectively and producing a convincing reproduction of the performance.  Very much like the best tubes.



There was an absence of etching, especially in the high frequencies. The upper end was not emphasized but emerged unforced and never drew attention to itself. This indicates that the footers were preserving a flat neutral upper response from the source. In the lower midrange and upper bass there was mild warmth. Bass extremes had punch, weight and a wealth of detail. That resolution of information within the bass range contributed greatly to sense of real instrumental presence.

The EquaRack design has a superb level of immunity to contamination from low bass vibration. Nuances and power emerge unscathed and cohesive when faced with music that has a combination of deep bass, wide dynamics and subtle information. Top notch isolation performance. Dynamics were unforced and nuanced yet able to surprise with rapid or sudden shifts in level as required in the recording. Venue was believably reproduced. Soundstage dimension was clear and definable. Instrumental location and relative positioning in a group was unambiguous.


Texture is important in recreating a real musical event - fine dynamic information including complex leading and trailing edges; dimensional detail which allows an instrument to hang in real acoustical space; the interplay and differentiation of the instrument against its reflections from the walls around it. The EquaRack MF-1 footers revealed an abundance of instrumental texture. Instruments like the violin gained proper complexity of wood, cavity and strings for mechanics and performance. There was a sweetness and presence that captured the character of the real thing. The feet effectively allow the electronics to humanize the recorded event in a satisfying and convincing manner.


I felt that I had achieved optimum performance levels with the MF-1 footers under the source. Mr. Ciulla was kind enough to send enough feet and elastomer pellets to assemble a full EquaRack supported system so that was the next step.


Beneath the source and amplifier: I calculated the weights required and replaced the existing feet with the EquaRack product. After giving the elastomer a little time to settle in, I began listening. Something was obviously amiss. The sound was drier and exhibited higher contrast by emphasizing the extremes. I suspected that the viscoelastic pellets in the front feet were operating at the extreme of their weight range. This would be easy to prove. I checked my calculations and found that adding a single pellet to each of the two front feet would still be in the correct weight range. Within 5 minutes one additional pellet was added to each of the front feet. After settling time, the listening session resumed. 


Tube magic lived again. Mr. Ciulla is correct. The pellets operate in a very specific weight range and optimal results require you to get it as close to the center of that range as possible.



With the feet now properly set up, results were similar to those under the CD source. Delicacy. Weight. Solidity. Dimensionality. Hall acoustic. Excellent richness of texture. The amplifier was playing with much more relevant information.


An item of note is that the mild warmth in the lower midrange exhibited under the CD player did not occur under the amplifier, indicating that it was exclusive to that source. This promised strong potential for good neutral pass through behavior and very little inherent character. To verify that, I proceeded to remove the EquaRack feet under the CD player and replace them with other isolation products on hand to see how their unique sonic characters would be translated down the line.


Beneath the amp, other products under source: The Boston Audio Design TuneBlock SE has tremendous transparency and resolution. It excels at revealing fast dynamic shifts with lightning precision and exhibits a mild rise in the upper mids. These characteristics emerged unchanged [lower right].



The Weizhi Precision Gold Glory [upper left] have a similar tonal balance to the EquaRack and a remarkably low noise floor granting them a huge range of dynamic power and nuance. They also excel at dimensionality. Those strengths also were passed unchanged. The EquaRack Footers were successful in passing through information without masking or contributing a specific discernable character outside of the benefits of damping and isolation. Quite neutral.

Conclusion: The Equarack MF-1 footers deliver on the promise that viscoelastics can yield excellent results in the pursuit of resonance control. Their isolation properties are first rate. The damping properties are highly effective. They allow a great deal of information to be revealed from the components they are used with and present it in a cohesive and solid fashion without sonic penalties. Mr. Ciulla has succeeded in creating a viscoelastic design done right.


Who will the product appeal to? It should appeal to any audiophile who recognizes the benefits of effective resonance control and embraces the necessity of setup optimization. If the concept of a tunable suspension makes sense to you, this compact clever design may be a very attractive solution. If you’re not afraid of a small amount of calculation and assembly time, you will be rewarded with a high-caliber sonic improvement.


A class product at a reasonable price. Recommended.

Quality of packing: Standard shipping box. Product components are protected within cut-outs in a block of sponge foam. Each component is separately bagged..
Reusability of packing: Yes.
Condition of components received: Perfect.
Delivery: Prompt.
Website comments: Well laid out. Informative.
Human interactions: Professional and friendly.
Warranty: 30-day money back guarantee. 5-year warranty.
Final comments & suggestions: Versatile product that works as advertised given proper setup.