ANTI-RESONANCE PLATFORMS

RINGMAT VIVACITY AR

A modular controlled resonance solution for hi-fi and home cinema systems

Picture: Vivacity AR ‘Fireworks’ Dark Vivacity Panel prototype


 

Although a series of prototypes have been designed in-house during the past 12 years for dealing with resonance in the support of equipment on stands and other furniture, each increasingly superior to anything else on the market, a little more time was required to finalise the overall development and to bring it to the market. The final version of the Vivacity AR anti-resonance equipment platform was launched in the second half of March 2008. The first review appeared in “Audiophile” magazine in June 2008, the High End Audio Journal of Hong Kong.

At the core of Vivacity AR are equipment support panels incorporating NXT’s patented Distributed Mode Loudspeaker technology and anti-resonance and anti-vibration designs from QR Design and DNM Design – the creators of Ringmat.

The brochure explaining VIVACITY AR will be found by clicking here.

The final version encompasses a number of improvements on the earlier planned version shown in 2005. The following are some of the changes:

  • The panels are now harder, and therefore faster, conveying a great deal more detail and with far greater dynamics. In comparison, the sound given by the earlier panels seemed much slower, boring even, though they still outperformed any alternative design on the market, such has been the degree of progress since 2005;

  • As a result of the improvements in hardness of the panels, there will now no longer be a need to impedance-match the platforms using acrylic panels. This introduces not only a big improvement in performance, but also means that it can be delivered at a much lower cost;

  • We have introduced a screen printed version of the panels, the ‘Fireworks’ version, in addition to the standard Vivacity panels, which not only looks better and is easier to use, but the sound is also superior;

  • There have been changes in the planned marketing of the panels, and all the arrangements are far more sophisticated for dealing with anticipated matching problems with existing stands.

There have many other detailed improvements.

The size of the Vivacity AR Panels is retained at 445mm x 393mm for the initial launch and will carry weights up to 34.5kg. Later releases will address heavier items of equipment and the need for other panel sizes.

Prices will be found here.

To understand how the Vivacity AR equipment platforms work and what configuration to buy, it is best to read or download the brochure. The concept is to first purchase a Vivacity AR Starter Pack - Standard or Fireworks – as this contains the Installation Guide and setting-up templates as well as a single Dark Vivacity Panel. For one item of equipment, the next upgrade is to buy a Vivacity Topper Panel Upgrade Pack (Standard or Fireworks) - this automatically comes with a Sparkle Sheet. To improve performance still further, additional Dark Vivacity Panels can be purchased. As mentioned above, the Fireworks versions of the panels are screen-printed with a special pattern that brings a higher level of performance.

For Vivacity Panels to be used under a second or further items of equipment, follow the above procedure, save that it will now be possible to buy a combination Two Panel Pack containing both a Dark Vivacity Panel and a Topper Panel (with Sparkle Sheet). Remember, the Installation Guide and setting-up templates are only available with a Starter Pack.

The AV Vivacity Panels are designed for situations where there is insufficient height between shelves to use a Dark Vivacity Panel. Although they do not have the performance of the other Vivacity Panels, they have the advantage of greater simplicity of installation whilst also outperforming all other forms of platform design.

Whilst many issues and questions may arise with regard to using the Vivacity Panels, these are dealt with within the Installation Guide. Here is a list of the subject headings within the Installation Guide:

  • Section A - Essential information
    Matching the Panels with the equipment
    Using Vivacity Panels with equipment racks, systems tables or stands
    Polarity check of existing shelves
    Using Ringmat Mini Domes
    How to use the Positioning Guide
    How to use the Placement Guide
    Location Stickers
    Blue 6mm discs
    Using Statfeet
     

  • Section B - Single Dark Vivacity Panel
    Positioning the Mini Domes and Dark Vivacity Panel
    Positioning the equipment
    Polarity check
     

  • Section C - Two Panel Versions
    Dark Vivacity Panel
    Positioning the Sparkle Sheet
    Positioning the Vivacity Topper Panel
    Positioning the equipment
    Polarity check
    Positioning the Statfoot
     

  • Section D - Using Additional Dark Vivacity Panels
    Polarity check
    Positioning the Mini Domes
    Placing a base panel directly onto an equipment stand
    Further decoupling
    Repositioning the Statfoot
     

  • Section E - Using Three Feet and/or Three Mini Domes
    Heavy equipment with three feet
    Other equipment
    Three or four Mini Domes?
    Using three Domes under equipment with four feet
    Positioning three Mini Domes
    Positioning the Statfoot
     

  • Section F - Further Optimisation
    Coincidence of direct and reflected waveforms
    Resting equipment on Vivacity Panels

  • Section G - AV Vivacity Panel
    Using the AV Vivacity Panel
    Positioning the Statfoot

  • Section H - Care Instructions and Weight Limitations
    Danger with spikes and hard cones
    Mini Domes and Dark Vivacity Panels
    Caring for Dark Vivacity and Vivacity Topper Panels
    Caring for Mini Domes
    Caring for Statfeet
    Weight limitations
    Other limitations

As we get feedback from users of the Vivacity Panels, this will be brought up on these and other pages, depending upon how the feedback develops.

As a start, from the review in Hong Kong, it would appear that in some cases, on balance, when using the Vivacity Panels on glass shelves, it may be better to use the large Ringmat Domes under the Panels instead of the supplied Mini Domes, even though the contact area of the large Domes under the Panels is greater and spreads outside and beyond the nodal lines, because the large Domes are more effective in damping out resonance from the glass.

 

Vivacity AR Press Release - March 2008

 

Vivacity Reviews

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Ringmat Developments 2003