Tuning Feet Harmonix TU-201 MK2This Beauty is Stacked
It’s a great temptation to takea whack at it. But is thewoodshed really the kind ofplace where you can lay barethe secret of Harmonix?
Virgil Warren has managed toutterly astound me. Again! And
this time at the HIGH END inMunich, in one of those dubious
containers.
TheHarmonix
distributor had assembled a fullrange of his products, which, notleast because of the way they
performedsomasterfully
together, left me no choice but topostpone my other engagements
at the show. Could suchimpressive authenticity, the total

naturalness of spatial reproduction(which the cramped container had
all but eliminated from an
acoustics perspective) and thissuperb vitality and magnificent
sound be originating from thehardware alone? It was during thepauses between the tracks that I
gradually discovered the full
extent to which the assiduous Mr.
Warren had taken the essentials ofmusic listening – space andequipment – to new sonic heights.
And yet, Harmonix products,
those essential keys to unlocking a
superb sound experience, neverpresent themselves as forward oreven pretentious.
After seeing how the RFA-7800
acoustic tuning elements (imagehifi No. 92, Edition 2/2010) led tounanimously favorable comments
and some pure amazement among
my HiFi aficionado friends, I was
now ready to try out something
more literally full-bodied.
Virgil Warren recommended
the TU-201 MK2 tuning feet as thenext step. These are available in ablack or reddish brown woodfinish, either in the form of asquare block, which are as large asfour CD cases stacked on top ofeach other, or in a rounded shape(TU-202MK2).
Harmonixdeliberately
andquiteunderstandably
maintainsitssilence about the mix of material
and know-how that underlie thesetuning devices. What we do know
is that the TU-202 MK2 is “madeof hybrid wood layer.” Four small
flat pieces of wood on the bottom
and a distinctive little gold label
identify the “correct” alignment ofeach of these extra feet at its
assigned spot. As someone whoplaces little value on decorative
features, I always turn the labelside toward the rear, especiallysince the speakers are in my line ofsight while listening to music
during the day. However, here iswhere Harmonix also offers
something quite substantive. You
can pile several hundred kilos onto
each of these hard-surfaced andpractically resonance-free extra
feet – just the right thing for all
kinds of weighty sound converters
and amplifiers. And when you lookvery carefully at the reddish brownversion, there appear to be choice
segments of solid wood joined
together and applied between two
thin wooden surfaces …

Be that as it may. The only
thing that matters is “what comesout of the back end” – or in thiscase, what comes out of the front,
since my goal is first andforemost to experiment with andcompare notes on all sorts ofspeakers. First up were myStereofone Duras, which comeequipped with casters as astandard feature. Speakers can bepositioned easily and quite
quickly thanks to the generous
surface
space
that
these
Harmonixes offer. Life withwood floors has got me into thehabit of always placing speakers
with spikes (B&W Cabasse,Duewel, Linn, Vienna Acoustics)
on small pucks so as to notdamage the underlying surface.
Whether an omni, dipole orclassic direct radiator: the factthat a Harmonix-footed speakerstands four centimeters higher
than before and renders the stages
somewhat “loftier” is somethingthat becomes noticeable mostly
withverygoodacoustic
recordings, but does not play that

big a role in terms ofhomogeneity. The crucial thing isthat the TU-202 MK2 enhances
the structuring of both large
orchestras and chamber music
ensembles, and yes, even fully
electrified brachial bands, and lets
you feel the concentrated energyof their performance. The
dynamic range and flow of details
are more natural and better
integrated. Such vastly improved
sound transparency also makes itmuch easier to gain insights into
the intrinsic musical complexity
and relationships.
Naturally, you don’t have toshare my opinion that the gain inconsistency and musical flowfrom the TU-201 MK2 is at times
substantial and can well be worth

every cent of its proud price per set.
The results will depend largely on
your current system’s configuration,
the extent and complexity of theinstallation and, of course, on theoriginal financial investment that wasmade – here I still recommend ahealthy ratio of the mandatory(speakers) to the discretionary (TU201 MK2) of at least 2:1, if not more.
And now back to the Dura speakers,
which, standing barefoot (withoutcasters) atop the harmonizing bases,
audibly feel themselves pampered.
It’s almost as if you can hear themsigh, “Aaah, a pedicure!”

Author: Cai Brockmann
Photography: Rolf Winter

Tuning Feet Harmonix TU-201 MK2Styles: Reddish brown or black finish, also available in round shape (TU-202 MK2)
Weight Limit: >100 kg/each Dimensions (W/H/D): 125/40/125 mm Warranty: 2 years
Price per Set: 1200 euros (set of 4)
Contact: Warren Quality Systems, Am Katzensteg 7, 55578 Wallertheim, Germany
Telephone +49 (0)6732-936961, www.wqs-online.de