Auralex MoPADs Setup, Listening Tests and Conclusion
The MoPADs come in two pairs per package (four individual units) which can serve a pair of normal sized
(under 1cu^ft) bookshelf speakers or one center channel speaker mounted horizontally.
The MoPAD
base is about 1 inch thick, 12 inches deep, 4 inches wide and with the use of their wedge adjustor pads
(included in the kit) provisions for variable pitch of your speakers between -8, -4, 0, +4 and +8
degrees.
Since I obviously needed to pitch my speakers downward, I oriented the wedge adjustor
pad so that the speakers would fire at a pitch of 8 degrees downward.
For those installing a
center channel on a floor or stand under a projection screen, pitching the speaker upward would be most
useful. I intend on taking full advantage of this once I get my primary reference system up and
running.
My reference bookshelf speakers are a relatively small profile design (8 inches wide) the exact width of two MoPADs placed together - making for a perfect fit.
My center channel required a pair of MoPAD kits spaced out about 3.5 inches.
At this point, I was ready to dig into some listening tests. Listening tests you say? Has the Prez of Audioholics turned to the dark side of esoteric audio? I certainly hope not. While I initially wasn't expecting any sonic miracles from this tweak, I did find it intriguing to determine if I thought I could subjectively hear a difference in my setup.
Disclaimer to the Objectivists: Red Alert Red Alert!
This is by no means a scientifically controlled DBT. I am fully aware that audio memory can play tricks on the mind but I found little reason to bring out the big guns in this review since the focus of this product was really to help properly position the speakers and decouple them from the surface they are to be placed upon. At such a contest the MoPADs delivered exactly as promised.
Listening Tests
I've been spending a lot of time lately listening to the fabulous recorded demo disc from AIX records. Recordings like this really help drive my point home about the Dumbing Down of Audio and the complacent tolerance most consumers have towards low fidelity, highly compressed media. Recordings like those found on this disc truly make your playback system live up to its full potential. Before installing the MoPADs, the surround experience on this disc was nothing short of stunning. The bass was pronounced and the instruments sounded real and uncompressed. After the MoPAD installation, I felt as if the vocals from the front soundstage became more focused and the upper mid bass sounded even tighter and more defined. The pitch downward from the MoPADs allowed for a more uniform dispersion of the front three speakers showering the listening area with a more direct sound experience and bringing me closer to the performance rather than reflections and refractions caused by poor speaker placement and the room. I couldn't help but to give my speakers more juice because for the first time since I installed them above the entertainment center, they seemed to be properly imaging. The nasally characteristic caused by interaction between the entertainment center and the speakers and inadequate pitch towards the listener I had heard before seemed to be significantly reduced. Lowen and Navarro's "Cold Outside" sounded absolutely stunning. The vocals came across as dynamic and airy, while the instruments were clearly defined and well placed within the listening space.
Shameless Plug for AIX Records: We've finally found a producer and recording/mix engineer that knows how multi channel audio should sound. Now if they could only ramp up with record deals from more popularly known jazz and rock artists we'd be good to go.
Recommendations
If you've got no choice but to install your speakers on top of an entertainment center or a poorly inert stand or shelf, this is the "must have" product to decouple your speakers and eliminate resultant sound colorations caused by nasty resonances. The variable pitch capability of these isolator pads is very useful for speaker installations that aren't at or near ear level. The only minor gripe I had was that the MoPADs themselves are about 1.25" in height towards the front of the speaker, which will of course raise an already elevated speaker even higher. Overall, this is a small price to pay for sound isolation and properly pitching your speakers to the listening position.
While we still have compelling world issues to deal with, at least we can rest safely knowing there are companies making product to better the sound of our systems. The Auralex MoPADs isolation devices are worth their price of admission and are highly recommended!
MSRP: $39.95 / 2 pair
www.auralexelite.com
The Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:
Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.
Audioholics Rating Scale
— Excellent
- — Very Good
- — Good
- — Fair
- — Poor
| Metric | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | |
| Ergonomics & Usability | |
| Ease of Setup/Programming/Integration | |
| Performance | |
| Value |  |
