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The details I initially mentioned as being stronger were a side effect of transient hardening. That underlines those musical elements which are responsible for the impression of carving out individual sounds on the stage before us. But this is only the initial impression. When we listen carefully or simply relax and listen longer, then compare things to the PAB platform we will easily spot the deception. Besides those attacks there is nothing else there. I exaggerate of course but this is how it feels after some days of playing. Everything is muffled. Muffling and choking the sound are the best descriptions of what happens when we remove the platform from under a component.



What? We did not hear that muffling and choking before when we considered everything just peachy? That’s the learning process of audio. When we reach the top—our own homemade top that is—and think it all perfect and ideal, that's when we are ready for something better. That's when an exciting world of dazzling discoveries awaits us again. This is the way of fine hifi. This is how we train our ears and enhance our listening ability as a combination of what we hear and how our brain processes it.


The sonic depth with the Acrylic AP, the shading of timbres, dynamics and an overall increase of vividness were quite incredible. The now annoying coloration of the sharpened attacks disappeared and with it what we first mistook for detail. Now we hear that there is actually far more information to the sound and what is happening on the recording. The organ from Contrapunctus II by J.S. Bach played by Glenn Gould has more massive attacks, decays reverberate longer; the piano of Contrapunctus I from the same disc is softer, more intimate and more velvety. Only now can we hear the pedal actions, the squeaking of the performer’s chair, the falling piece of paper. Only now is everything present. The most important thing about this? Those elements stop being equal to the music. They occur alongside the music yet standing apart somehow make the illusion more real and live. With the Acrylic AP everything seemed deeper and more velvety.


Pro Audio Bono Acrylic AP vs Acoustic Revive RAF-48. As I wrote many times before, the Japanese platform with pneumatic suspension to me is the master and point of reference in this segment. Of course it will only be a matter of time until I find something even better but for the time being I had not encountered that. The emotions whereby I tried to saturate my sonic description with the PAB platform in place—rather than placing the same components directly on my customary granite—should have indicated to you already that this is really a splendid platform which performs its task by absolutely 100%. And that’s before I tell you that I really am not an advocate of acrylic for audio use.


I base my opinion on many years of experience with acrylic in turntables. This is probably the best environment to examine the relationship between materials and sound. It’s about pure mechanics where those connections are clearly understood. In my experience acrylic warms up the sound, rounds over the attacks and somewhat muffles dynamics too. In exchange it produces a velvety background, serenity and good rhythm which might be unexpected with reduced dynamics. But I stick to my opinion. And I have to add that it concerns the use of acrylic when not in strategic combination with other materials.