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Review of Michigan Maple Platforms!!

Posted by the analog kid (A) on June 11, 2008 at 19:54:16

Just posted this review - intended for THIS forum - and somehow it got sent to the "General Asylum" - despite the fact that I specifically clicked "Vinyl" after writing it. Oh well. Here's the text:

I recently posted a rave about the wonders of placing a big hunk o' wood underneath my MMF-7 table. I erred in making claims beyond my data - namely suggesting that wood should be placed under ALL non-suspended tables (and in so doing, evoked the predictable ire of many a Rega-phile). So I will keep my comments in this review focused upon that for which I have direct data - namely two incredibly vivid and impressive experiences over the last week with Michigan Maple platforms.

My best audio buddy here in town - Joe - recently purchased a platform from Michigan Maple off of Audiogon. Joe is the one who initially turned me on to various Mapleshade tweaks, and he owns several of their maple platforms. He was intrigued, however, by the low cost (and proximity) of the Michigan Maple offerings - being Michiganders, we feel strongly about supporting local craftspeople. Michigan Maple makes CUTTING BOARDS - let's be clear about this - but recently have been selling them as component platforms. So, Joe bought one, and this past weekend I stopped by his house to check it out. He had his amp - a Pass X250 - on a Polycrystal amp stand, where it has comfortably sat for the last few years. We played a few tracks, and then - just for the helluva it, and not expecting ANYTHING - pulled the Polycrystal out, and slid the Michigan Maple platform under. I mean, we didn't do ANYTHING else - no brass heavyfeet, footers, anything. Just slid the block under the amp, and sat back to listen to the same tracks. UNBELIEVABLE. We both looked at each other, and all we could say was "WHHAATTT??? This makes NO sense AT ALL." Yes folks, I kid you not, putting a 3-inch thick, 60 pound hunk of maple underneath a SOLID STATE amp - replacing a several-hundred dollar "custom" Polycrystal stand - resulted in an audio improvement equivalent to dumping probably $5K into components and/or cables. Bass was punchier, noise went down, tonal colors richer and more natural, and the BIGGEST change was an overall "sweetening" of the sound - not coloration mind you, but everything sounded BETTER - by a significant margin. For the record, Joe is running an ARC CD3 into an LS25 Mark II, the Pass X250, Dali Euphonia MS4s, and Talon sub, with Transparent Ultra throughout (and custom BPT power conditioning). Serious f-in system (WAY beyond my budget).

So, I drove home in shock. Got online, and ordered my own hunk o' Michigan Maple. Dawn at Michigan Maple was friendly, polite, and a little bewildered - lest you think she is some kind of scammer, she actually knows next to nothing about audio, and is only beginning to realize that her products might have audio applications (she makes and sells CUTTING BOARDS, right?). My "cutting board" arrived yesterday, and it's GORGEOUS - beautifully crafted, HEAVY, and well packed. The little insert handles on the sides make it EASY to move - a big advantage, actually, although they do give away the fact that it's meant to be a cutting board. Put it under my MMF-7 (with Mapleshade Heavyfeet propping it up), and let my system cook overnight.

Listening to it this morning was like being at Joe's house all over again, only MORE. I spun my usual test tracks - Classic Records' 45 RPM pressings of Brubeck and Miles (specifically, Pick Up Sticks and So What). UNBELIEVABLE. Let me just say - if you own an MMF-7, do yourself a favor, and buy a thick maple platform. What changes? First of all, MUCH less noise and blacker backgrounds. Musically, greater dynamic range - better bass, and purer high frequencies. Less grain, and MUCH richer and more lingering decay. Especially noticeable on cymbals - the natural tone and shimmering decays of Morello's ride BLEW ME AWAY. And when Paul Desmond came in - I have NEVER heard such a sweet, resonant, well-defined, tonally rich sax sound in my system. Ever. And the Miles punched a few notes - the grit of his trumpet, the edge of the "blat" - Oh My. I practically had to bust out the Kleenex box (and NOT to wipe away tears....)

To give you an idea, I've had many tables over the years - none TOO high level, mind you, but still fairly decent - I've had a Rega P3, P9, Basis 1400, and 2001. And this MMF7 - a table I considered to be a "stand in" until I could afford something better - now is giving me the most satisfying performance I've ever gotten from my system. All because of $70 worth of WOOD under it. Unbelievable.

Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself. But as for me, I'm saving so I can put Michigan Maple "platforms" underneath everything else in my system.

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VH Audio

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