Fat Dots Reviews Archive
Damn. When I opened the package I thought these are definately going back. Too hard and too small to have any effect. It's embarrassing to be so wrong. Significantly more transparency-just what I wanted. Thank you again (tube traps!) for a great product
Hunter Robinson
I just popped a set of small fat dots on a pair of small sonos play 1 speakers that are sitting on a long counter in my kitchen. Amazing! These used to have a muddy bottom end, not especially surprising given the small midrange/bass drivers. With the fat dots attached, the mud is gone, bass is far more agile and crisp - limited in depth by the driver size, of course, but no problem there as I have a pair of larger play 5s with a sub linked up in an adjoining great room. Impressive. Best $40 investment in sound I've ever made, that's certain!
chambolle
All I can say is "Wow!" Even though I thought my system sounded very good, the introduction of Hush Puckies and Fat Dots on the Subwoofer and L & R speakers respectively, makes a very large gain for very small effort and cost. Everything I listen to for judging sonic performance has improved and the music is sounding more vibrant and true to life than ever. I especially appreciate the expanded soundstage and fuller instrument timbres. Also, now I can open up the volume in bass-heavy music without things breaking up. I've not heard such full, rich, and fast bass in a system I've owned before and I've been an audio guy since 1960. This new realism is jaw-dropping. You probably get tired of hearing this from your fans but they are right -- anti-vibration done your way is not only a best buy in audio enhancement, any audio system out there can not reach it's true potential until it's properly treated. Thanks for delivering the goods.
Joseph Riden, iHi-Fi.com
Got the big fat dots for placement under my stand legs today. They were intended to minimize footfall vibrations propagated from my suspended wooden floor to my furniture grade - but massively wobbly - audio stand. The problem was the turntable. It was on Grungebuster dots mounted on a 25 lb maple block, which had more Grungebuster dots between it and the stand. And the two layers of dots made a HUGE difference. But the vibration problem was still bad enough that more remediation was needed. And your big fat dots were AMAZINGLY effective at closing that gap! I've been in audiophile quality audio for a number of decades. Snake oil is abundant. Likewise abundant are products that are effective, but only subtly so - and then at a great price. For my particular problem, your Big Fat Dots are the rare exception - an AMAZING improvement at a ridiculously low cost. Thank you! I have not yet gotten really silly with testing how well these work - like jumping up and down on the floor while an LP is playing. But no amount of heavily walking back and forth in front of the stand is remotely audible. Wow! I could not be more impressed. Great product!
Stephen G. Colley, Westport, CT
Hi received my Herbies Square Fat Dots today. Tried them in my system between speaker and speaker stands and found that they made a terrific difference. They seem to tune the speaker top to bottom allowing the best sonic output. Bass, treble, sound-staging, focus and rhythm all showed worthwhile improvements. Very impressed and I highly recommend them. Thanks.
Martyn Airey, Lancashire, UK
I have Ultrasonic Rx Dampers on all my tubes in Cayin a55t amp and I am very happy with their influence on sound. I have NOS ecc82/83 and Genelex reissue KT88. I dont know why i waited few years to order more stuff from Herbies Audio Lab when it was obvious after Ultrasonic RX and making great audio rack that battle with vibrations is so important. Actually I know. I bought some other antivibration product (not from Herbie) for my cd player and it makes my sound worse. I will not mention its name here because maybe it will work for somebody else with different room and equipment. But now back to main thing! I am really amazed with Square Fat Dots. More resolution especially in bass and midbass. Bass lines are so easy to listen to. I have 1st order 2way speakers on really good original stands - Audio Epilog Peyote and they deliver truly hi end sound. They are great speakers and now they are even better. I think that any speaker on stands will benefit with Fat Dots, no matter expensive or cheap ones. I put 5 dots per speaker. I recommend Fat Dots as really outstanding product.
- Mijovic
I'm not gonna just say that these are wonderful and that i can SCARCELY BELIEVE IT given their price. I'd just be repeating others' comments. I'm also going to try to describe exactly why: My Focal speakers (40 litre full range, 30kgs each) have been waiting for these! Sitting on their stands . . . waiting. I've brought them joy. Bass and Midbass instrumental lines have gained the delineation and clarity I always knew was lurking. But now I HAVE IT! It's a more sophisticated sound, free(er) of textural confusion. General imaging and the 'start and stop' articulation have improved markedly. It's like the stored cabinet energy that was veiling the sound is GONE. Where? I dont know! Congratulations Steve, you leave me wanting more, which is just how it should be.
Doug Brasier, Sydney, Australia
The Big Fat Dots under my full range front loaded horns more than cured a slightly bloompy bass--more extension, and incredible tunefullness/clarity/detail. Really quite unbelievable. And yet another whole new world of additional microdynamics are making themselves known. Great!
Michael Flaherty, Seattle, Washington
I have Big Fats between the modules of my Von Schweikert loudspeakers and the improvement is fantastic, phenomenal. I'm using five, with an extra one in the middle. The music is clearer, crystal clear. I can't understand why Von Schweikert doesn't provide them in the first place instead of those little pegs.
JG, Colorado
The Big Fat Black Dots are a winner.
John Zurek, Positive Feedback Online
Nice product. They did just what I was hoping for. They cleaned up my low end on my Usher X-719 Monitors.
Dave Thompson, Toledo, Ohio
Just wanted to let you know your Dot package for my Von Schweikert VR4jr has been one of the best upgrades in my stereo history: given the price, probably the greatest upgrade. It's like I spent $5,000 for a new pair of speakers.
Paul Paulin, New Brunswick, Canada
I've done a lot of upgrades to my 1977 Klipsch Cornwalls over the years. I've dampened the woofer and squawker, rebuilt the crossovers and tweeters, and put them on wood blocks and brass cones. But none of these have brought the improvement that the Big Fat Dots did. I now get tight, focused bass that I can feel on my arms and face now, and imaging has improved considerably. I'm sorry I waited so long to buy them.
Gene Hopstetter, San Antonio, Texas
I received the Square Fat Dots yesterday and seconds after replacing my tried and true favorite Isolation devices of several years now, a set of Shun Mook Super Diamond Resonators ($678), what I heard was an increased ease about the manner in which the musical notes themselves were being rendered more naturally. There was a greater sense of musical flow as well. Notes began to have more purpose, truer timbre and a more constant inner detail to them, the overall presentation opened up into the room by another 2 feet I'd have to add. I also like the manner in which they allow me to hear each individual note without straining, even at a lower volume setting. Had I seriously known about these 3 years ago, I'd have saved a great deal of money. I've always been a Tweaker of sort, and have experimented with over 17 different brands of said Isolation Devices since 2000, and can in all honesty here and now, go on record as stating these have proven their worth within a few seconds of the needle hitting the Groove. These get my highest recommendation and then some. Excellent product, and thanks for the tip, Duster.
Oscar Johnson, U.S.
Thank you very much for the fast shipment of the big fat dots. The improvement to my system was literally jaw-dropping, and I am still amazed at how the bass really cleaned up! Really great product - thanks!
Patrick Ngu, Singapore
Just wanted to say that both my turntable mat and Big Fat Dots are awesome!
Michael Howe, Los Angeles, California
Put in the cone-spike glider under the stands and the fat dots under the speakers and I immediatly heard a better grip on the music with a little tighter bass-sounds great-thanks again, David.
David Novak, Los Angeles, California
I've tried them underneath the spike cups and this gives very good and easy to hear results (improved clarity of most everything). This is a very good isolation product indeed! I am satisfied with the improved clarity (PSB Stratus Speakers).
Yvon Huseraeu, Canada
The Big Fat Dots worked very well on my speakers. They isolated the bass from the floor boards and improved the soundstage.
Paul Appleby, New York
I recently tried your big fat dots under my speakers and they did just what I was hoping they would do. They tightened up the bass nicely.
Randy Walton, Washington
Thanks for a terrific product, which worked as you predicted. I used granite slabs under my von Schweikert VR-4jr's, then the Big Fat Dots (and one little one) between bass module and granite, and between bass and mid/treble modules. Smoothest, most realistic treble ever, and FULL bass! I had been skeptical, now I'm not. Imaging also became rock-solid, something I had almost given up on. The Big Fat Dots are a great product Steve!
Lawrence Schenbeck, Newman, Georgia
Just a note to let you know I am pleased with the Fat Dots! The dots have removed a resonance from the armoire cabinet on very low bass. Didn't really know it was there until it was gone!
Michael Condon, River Forest, Illinois
I have been amazed at the effectiveness of your products. I installed my big fat dots just prior to the weekend, and am amazed at the improvement they wrought in the performance of my speakers.
Rob Trankley, Richmond, Indiana
The big dots were amazing at eliminating floor vibration on my 15in sub.
Roland Koke, Bethel, Connecticut
I placed 4 big fat dots under each speaker (on their stands). Amazingly, bass immediately impressed -- it is deeper and more robust, but still clean. I next placed the Iso Cups with Lamp Black balls (3 of them) underneath my 50 pound Conrad Johnson amp (MV60SE). The differences here are so far more subtle, and I haven't had the opportunity to sit down and really listen here. But the Big Fat Dots alone are worth the price of everything! It may completely negate any thought I had about adding a subwoofer. I doubt very seriously that I will feel the need to add one.
Daina Wilburn, Kenmore, Washington
The Big Dots worked out great under my small JM Labs Cobalts
Robert Bolmgren, Petaluma, California
Just a quick note saying that I used the Big Fat Dots on the granite slabs and the difference I heard was incredible! It was as if somebody lifted up a rug that was over my speakers. I love what they did, and the MiniDots that I used on my bookshelf speakers had the same effect. The speakers really opened up!
Robert Landberg, Riverside, Illinois
I was skeptical, but they really work. I have a hardwood floor and I put the Big Fats uder the speakers. Bass is tightened up. Details clearer. Made a real improvement. Thanks.
Ed Stryker, California
Thanks for the great service and products. The Big Fat Dots and Tube Dampers are working out just perfect, no "muddy" sound now, things are clear the way music is meant to be listened to.
Chris Rodgers, Tuckerton, New Jersey
The fat dots between my speakers and a sandstone slab seems to tighten imaging in particular. Anyway, great value as usual, thanks.
David Wise, Oxfordshire, U.K.
I put the small Dots between my LS3/5a speakers replacing isonodes, and also started using the black hole on a few cds. You know, I have to say that things are sounding SO great, I almost hesitate to even change anything any further!
Stewart Glick, Springwater, New York
Very nice product, being used with my NAD 2200.
Imran Kifayat, Virginia
Installed the dots a couple days ago. Very nice, fixed my soundstage problem.
Rob Peyer, Hanover, Maryland
I had Symposium roller blocks under my center channel speaker but I did not like the speaker rolling around so replaced with your big fat dots. The big fat dots sound twice as good at a third of the price.
Bill Taranovich, New Hampshire
Six fat black dots received, thank you. They do a great job, restoring the dynamics and life to the music which was leaking away into the stands. I think I'll order another two for further stability though.
Barry Smith, Jewells, Australia
I just wanted to let you know that my initial impression of the Big Fat Black Dots was extremely positive. I used 3 under each of my Harbeth SHL5s mounted on Skylan stands and the sound opened up considerably. The bass is cleaner, but not diminished in amplitude and it's as if the speakers were freed from the vibration-draining effect of the stands. A very cost-effective upgrade.
Marc Andes, Howard Beach, New York
Last night I replaced the bluetack underneath my B&W 805 Matrix bookshelf speakers (which rest on home made heavy cement building block spiked stands) with Big Fat Black Dots. My reference is the 1974 song "Sun Goddess" by Ramsey Lewis because I love the harmonizing in the beginning of the song and because it's a "Nice Price" CD whose sonics are difficult to enhance. The Black Dots made it sound like a Musical Fidelity Sound Lab Gold CD.
Uco Wiersma, Norwalk, Connecticut
After using blutak for years, the improvement with herbies black dots was unbelievable.
some young guy, Audio Asylum
The grungebuster Dots made small improvements but combined there was a significant improvement. I put the big black dots under the speakers.
Michael Carr, Newcastle, Ireland
I have put Big Fat Black Dots under my power outlet with very good results.
Stefano Amico, Italy
The newest version Big Fat Black Dot is a big winner when placed under my B&W Matrix 805's and their custom Sound Anchors stands. This is the cleanest and most musical sounding version of the loudspeaker footers I've tried, so far. They are much more lively than the older Black Dots, and more airy in the treble than all of the footers I've tried, which is no mean feat for a compliant footer to deliver, IMHO. Perhaps even more important (however, it's the treble that's so amazing), I don't hear any slowing of the bass, at all. The presentation is very big without bloating (the soundstage has expanded). There is less hash, and the result of the new footers is as close to transparent in its sonic signature as I could wish for. Bravo. The mids are not colored, and there is nothing more to say about this observation. I must tell you that you have outdone yourself in this build :-) It's a big "wow" in my book.
Duster, Bellingham, Washington
Using the Big Fat Black Dots on my Von Schweikert VR4JRs has been a revelation. I followed your suggestion and replaced the mini spikes provided by VS between the upper mid/tweeter module and the lower bass module expecting some change in the sound but nothing really significant. The transformation was surprising, dramatic and very rewarding; the background became quieter, imaging became more specific spatially, and there was a sense of effortless natural sound that the JRs had not quite reached before. I used five dots on the top of each bass module - one at each corner and one in the center - then set the mid/treble module on top. It seems that the Dots upgraded JRs from an already superb speaker to a truly exceptional one. Such a profound transformation with such little effort and minimal cost! I really cannot recommend them highly enough.
Joe Giacalone, Centennial, Colorado
I used the Big Fat Black Dots instead of spikes for my speakers (between speaker & stand). Immediately the image & presentation were improved -- tighter, more stable, more music. I achieved similiar results as I placed the tender feet under my CD player & DAC. I never dreamed these could cause such dramatic improvements. So thank you both for your products and the advice when we spent a few minutes on the phone.
Sheldon White, Canada