Felling isolated

Funny. I was just in the process of answering a customer's question about the many benefits of isolation when the first customer to receive the new LANRover chimed in on the forums wrote:

As far as sound...I'm astonished at the improvement over the ****. When I inserted the **** a while back, I was very happy with the results. This, however, is magnitudes better than that difference. It's NOT one of those "Did I hear a difference?....let me switch back again" deals. It's effect is immediately noticed in my system. There is an effortlessness and clarity to the music that has simply never been there before.

Of course were thrilled and love feedback like this. But the bigger point is still, that which separates some products from others: isolation. Not all products provide it, but those that do seem to come out on top. On Wednesday I wrote of loudspeaker cabinets and their benefits once isolated from the drivers. In the past we've talked of isolating power lines with dedicated circuits or other means. And we shouldn't forget the lengthy series we've had on the isolation benefits afforded by separates vs. integrateds. There are many improvements to be had with careful selection of products enhancing synergy: tube electronics to sweeten revealing speakers, fat sounding cables to supplement thinner sounding electronics. Yet few improvements rival those of isolation—one product having low impact on another. Isolation through technique and effective products remain cornerstones of good audio.