A phono cartridge reads everything that moves beneath its stylus, including footsteps that make the floor vibrate or bass that makes the shelf resonate. This 24 mm thick black platform sits between the furniture and the equipment to damp these vibrations before they reach the turntable or electronics. It rests on eleven SSC modules distributed beneath its surface and supports a load of 80 kg.
SSC stands for String Suspension Concept, the name of the German brand and its operating principle. In each module, the load is supported by a suspended element rather than a rigid contact. Vibrational energy from the floor or furniture dissipates in this suspension instead of travelling up to the equipment’s chassis, while mechanical vibrations produced by the equipment itself (transformer, motor, playback mechanism) find a path downwards.
The Solobase brings eleven of these modules together beneath a 440 × 360 mm platform. This sets it apart from the brand’s individual feet, such as Netpoint, Matchpoint or Magicpoint: there is no longer any need to position each foot beneath the chassis or access the underside of heavy equipment. The equipment stays on its own feet, while the platform does the work underneath. The load is distributed across eleven points rather than three or four, resulting in an 80 kg capacity that accommodates even the heaviest amplifiers.
The Solobase’s low profile is its practical advantage. It fits into most hi-fi furniture without significantly reducing the space above the equipment. A check is still necessary with a top-loading CD player or a turntable whose lid needs to be raised: an extra 24 mm is sometimes enough for it to touch the shelf above.
The width of 440 mm matches standard-sized electronics, most of which measure between 430 and 435 mm. The depth of 360 mm is a tighter fit: many amplifiers exceed 400 mm. The equipment can then overhang at the rear, provided all its feet rest on the platform. For a turntable, the position of the feet beneath the plinth matters more than its overall dimensions.
The turntable is the equipment that responds most to this type of treatment. The cartridge converts mechanical movement into an electrical signal, and any vibration that reaches the plinth is read just like the groove: bass becomes thicker, humming occurs, or even acoustic feedback as the volume rises. Next come CD players, whose optical assembly must follow the track precisely, and tube amplifiers, which are sensitive to microphonics (a tube that also converts vibration into an unwanted signal). With a DAC or a network player, the effect is less predictable and depends on the rest of the system.
The Solobase acts on the mechanical path through the furniture. It does not protect a turntable from sound that strikes it directly through the air: keeping the turntable away from the speakers remains the first precaution, with the platform providing additional support.
Installation simply involves placing the platform on a flat shelf, then centring the equipment on top. No adjustments are provided or required. The Solobase does not have height-adjustable feet: if the shelf is not level, the correction must be made at the furniture, and a turntable must be checked with a spirit level once installed. A rigid surface beneath the platform is preferable to a soft support such as a thick tablecloth, which would compromise the support of the modules.
No. The device rests on the shelf on its own feet, whether rubber pads, cones or damped feet. Metal cones and spikes leave marks on the surface over time: a protective cup under each spike prevents this problem.
It refers to the total load placed on the shelf. A well-centered device distributes its weight across all eleven modules. An off-center load, such as an amplifier with its transformer housed on one side, remains acceptable as long as the total does not exceed 80 kg.
Yes. A glass shelf resonates easily, and placing the platform between the glass and the equipment addresses precisely this weak point. The glass simply needs to be thick enough to support the combined weight of the platform and the equipment.
Each shelf holds one device. For a complete setup, the most logical approach is to start with the turntable or the most sensitive source, listen, then equip the other components if the result is convincing.
There is no physical obstacle to doing so: Netpoint or Matchpoint feet can be placed between the device and the shelf. This combination changes the behavior of the setup, and the result is assessed by listening, device by device.
The platform addresses a specific device without changing the furniture. It can be added to an existing unit, moves with the device and is equally suited to a wall shelf or a rack. A specialized unit addresses the problem across the entire system, with a very different budget and footprint.
Steeve
It was purchased for a Project X1, and the listening experience gained in dynamism and slightly in precision.
Comment from 4 October 2023 — Experience from 11 September 2023
Gilles
I acquired this base for a Vertere turntable.
The installation is very simple... You place the solobase then the turntable on top, well centered, and that's it.
No adjustment needed.
The finish is very clean (black in my case) and blends into the decor, making itself forgotten.
The whole unit is very robust and well finished. The lower pads are securely attached and do not lose height once the upper element is placed on top (supports up to 80 kg).
Once in place, and after starting a listening session on the turntable... It's a big surprise. The sound is clearer, more detailed, more precise. A nice "UP" for the turntable and the cartridge... Incredible.
I even went so far as to lightly tap my hi-fi cabinet with my foot to check the damping of this base... And no vibration was felt on the cartridge and the sound was still present without any jolt.
I highly recommend this base for turntables. For a CD player, it's worth trying but it might be a bit less convincing... For an amp and a DAC... Less obvious.
Comment from 19 December 2022 — Experience from 15 September 2022
