The TNT Stoneblocks: graphite blocks clones

The TNT Stoneblocks: anti-vibration graphite blocks clones

You may have heard of those pretty expen$ive graphite (or carbon) blocks (or cubes or disks or...whatever): placed under any HiFi component are capable to dissipate the vibrations of the unit and prevent outer mechanical interferences (from the loudspeakers, for example) to reach the cabinet of the unit itself. You may have seen these used as stand-alone feet or even coupled with tip toes and pin points.
The graphite is a very stiff yet very light material, not very easy to find and very difficult to cut. You may find long cylindrical bars of graphite at some drugstore but then you just need three small disks of it...and you should find someone that buys the rest of the bar and cuts 3 small disks just to satisfy your audiophile crazyness.
So, as usual, you start wondering HOW and WHERE to find cheap similar-graphite cubes...and start browsing your beloved TNT-Audio. So here we are: the TNT StoneBlocks!
Cheap, easy to find, graphite cubes clones...that work!
I said cheap. Well, how cheap? What about 1 (one) $ each????
I said easy to find. Well, how easy? Every supermarket or drugstore 'round the corner is easy enough?
What am I talking about? Have you ever considered (please don't laugh) those abrasive cubes for your feet? They are used by your chiropodist to eliminate the corns in your feet. Now stop laughing. These little blocks are all made out of a strange material: incredibly stiff and extremely lightweight, exactly like the -much more expensive- graphite.
They all come in different colors, more commonly are white or grey. They are made out of a stiff and dry foam of a special plastic composite...don't ask, this is all that I know.

Using the StoneBlocks...for the feet of your HiFi

You can use the StoneBlocks under your HiFi components instead of the ubiquitous stock rubber/plastic feet or even coupled with pin points and tip toes.
In the first case the StoneBlocks are ready to use, just wash them before and use 4 of these for each HiFi component.
In order to couple them with pointed pins you need to place a tiny coin on the top of each block, securing it with a tiny amount of blue-tac. The picture should be clearer than one million of words. Believe me, nobody will understand the REAL LIFE use of these fancy blocks under your HiFi components. A frind of mine asked if they were...sugar cubes :-)

Cheap, easy and...effective?

I was skeptic, I must admit that. And I laughed loud a lot before installing them under the components of my HiFi systems. My wife laughed even louder. Just for few minutes, because these cubes work in a way that one should be DEAF to not hear the difference they make. Place them under your CD player, turntable, preamp, amplifier and you'll experience a much more detailed sound, an increased precision and focus, a tighter bass and a more refined treble.
I'm a funny guy. I like making jokes to my friends. So, during the last Milan Top Audio Video Show I asked the responsible of a listening room to place these silly blocks under the Rega Planet CD player that was playing as the source for a good HiFi system.
Suddenly a couple seated in the row behind mine asked what the @#*! had I done to the sound of the system. The girl was very impressed by the improvement (which, I admit, was bigger than I expected...) and she was much more impressed when I confessed her I had placed three chiropodist's feet cubes under a serious and respectable English CD player. She WANTED to touch the cubes with her own hands...
Needless to say, the day after the guys of that listening room were demonstrating their system with the StoneBlocks (kinda of) under the CD player.
The effectiveness of the StoneBlocks highly depends on the kind of HiFi component (on the cabinet, mainly) and on the class of the whole system, as usual. I must admit that, sometimes, the effect is too evident...too much of a good thing, as I usually say. Again, it's up to you to choose.

Conclusions

At a fraction of the cost of the graphite blocks the TNT StoneBlocks are not a bargain...are a MUST-TRY!!!!! I'm pretty sure you can spend 3 $ (even less) for evaluating the impact of these devices on the sound of your system. Plus, if you don't find they work as HiFi devices you can always use them for your feet...:-)