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This review first appeared in the December 2011 issue of hi-end hifi magazine High Fidelity of Poland. You can also read it in its original Polish version here. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with publisher Wojciech Pacula. As is customary for our own articles, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of High Fidelity or Pro Audio Bono. - Ed

Reviewer: Wojciech Pacula
CD player: Ancient Audio Lektor Air V-edition
Phono preamplifier: RCM Audio Sensor Prelude IC
Cartridges: Miyajima Laboratory Shilabe, Miyajima Laboratory Kansui
Preamplifier: Ayon Audio Polaris III Signature Version with Regenerator power
Power amplifier: Soulution 710
Integrated amplifier/headphone amplifier: Leben CS300 XS Custom Version
Loudspeakers: Harbeth M40.1 Domestic
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800, AKG K701, Ultrasone PROLine 2500, Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro 600Ω version
Interconnects: CD-preamp: Acrolink Mexcel 7N-DA6300, preamp-power amp Acrolink 8N-A2080III Evo
Speaker cable: Tara Labs Omega Onyx
Power cables (on all equipment): Acrolink Mexcel 7N-PC9300
Power strip: Acoustic Revive RTP-4eu Ultimate
Stand: Base under all components
Resonance control: Finite Elemente Ceraball under the CD player, Acoustic Revive RAF-48 platform under the CD player and preamplifier. Pro Audio Bono platform under Leben CS300
Review component retail: 4.080zł in Poland

On the website of Polish company Pro Audio Bono it‘s hard to find concise model names for their products. There are names but only of the descriptive sort like "standard platform without veneered edges" or "standard platform in a massive enclosure". From a marketing point of view that’s a disaster. It’s also a problem for journalists. To privately put things in some kind of order I named them myself – "wood" for the plywood one which I reviewed some time ago; and "acrylic" for the one described as "platform made from acrylic with the dimensions of a standard platform".

This is the latest version introduced only recently. The mechanics are identical to those featured before, i.e. there are two shelves, one of them a plinth. To this mount pylons and the upper shelf suspends from them via strings. The tension of the string and with it the distance between plinth and shelf is obviously dependent on the weight of the unit supported and can thus be adjusted by tensioners mounted on the sides of the platform. The material for the plinth and shelf now is acrylic. The review loaner sported translucent shelves. The pylons, feet and tensioners were painted an industrial textured gray for an attractive appearance.

When I wrote Mr. Skrzypczak about my issues with the model names or rather lack thereof, he responded immediately by proposing new names. The platforms will thus probably be named as follows:

1) Standard plywood platform - PAB Wood AP (AP = Anti-vibration Platform)
2) Acrylic platform - PAB Acrylic AP
3) Standard platform in a massive enclosure - PAB Reference AP
4) Anti-vibration rack - PAB AV Table.
5) Anti-vibration foot on a ball bearing - PAB Bearing AF (Anti-vibration Foot).

If only all manufacturers were this reasonable when responding to a reviewer’s constructive criticism. I think these are good model names now and we’ll henceforth refer to today’s subject as PAB Acrylic AP.


Sound. Recordings used for this review: Glen Gould, Bach: The Art Of The Fugue, Sony Music/Sony Classical, SMK 52 595, The Glen Gould Edition, SBM CD (1997); Jean Michel Jarré, Téo & Téa, Aero Productions/Warner Bros, 2564699766, CD+DVD (2007); Marilyn Moore, Moody Marilyn Moore, Bethlehem/JVC, VICJ-61467, mini LP, K2HD CD (2007); Nat "King" Cole, Love is the Thing, Capitol/Analogue Productions, CAPP 824 SA, SACD/CD (2010).