EVO-3 Anti-resonance pads Test Watt audio

From the moment they were installed, it was immediately evident that their impact on the result would in no way be equal to some insignificant statistical error or minor marginal improvement. At first, I couldn’t believe it myself, but it was a truly significant change in all reproduction parameters with the greatest emphasis on the overall brightening and purification of the music scene, especially in the midrange and treble ranges…

The world of HiFi and audio in general is full of modern truth-tellers, self-proclaimed theorists, snake charmers and shady sellers of miraculous solutions to non-existent problems. It is amazing how much space this, in essence, quite precisely defined area can provide for the strangest individuals. I have met them all my life and I must say that they are actually very entertaining and enriching people, at least there is something to talk about during long winter audio evenings. There is no need to engage in a “professional” discussion with them, there is usually a good mood with a judgmental HiFi fan, then the good mood is quickly replaced by annoyance at so much misunderstanding of how the world works. One example for all, I have an acquaintance who is literally obsessed with endless experimentation to the point of being beyond sensory perception and voodoo in order to achieve the best possible sound. Once he dreamed of ideal speakers made of clay (yes, you read that right), he remembered their shape exactly and was willing to start working on their construction without delay. Funny, right?

I admit, this is an atypical introduction to a review. However, audio accessories are, with similar individuals, one of the most exploited areas with ideas since the invention of the world, but in many cases without any rational basis. That is why I personally always try to approach the evaluation of anything without exaggerated initial emotions and expectations of the unexpected and I believe that I succeed in this – many years of experience help me in this, among other things. I like it when everything, or at least most of the creative philosophy is based on at least some kind of logical and technical basis and the human subconscious (unconscious) enters this process only marginally. I am extremely pleased that the presented EVO-3 anti-resonance pads are a typical representative of that logical, rational and, from my point of view, the right path.

The Czech company RDAcoustic, based in Rožnov pod Radhošťem, deals, as its name suggests, primarily with the design and production of components for the purpose of acoustic modifications of spaces – they offer several types of acoustic panels, each with specific parameters, purpose, and design processing, as is necessary in this case, often according to the individual requirements of the customer. At the same time, RDAcoustic also offers loudspeaker systems (I am extremely curious about their flagship Evolution), network filters, a tube amplifier, network and signal cabling, and a power distribution board. And one of the novelties in their offer is the presented anti-resonance pads.

And what is the actual role of these devices? Let’s think about the situation that our music room is located in close proximity to a road for trucks, a quarry, or in an active seismic area, and therefore solving unwanted resonances coming from the external environment is an urgent matter. Of course, ordinary anti-resonance elements are useless here – solving this situation is beyond their scope and capabilities. Why do I mention this? Well, I have already encountered such an observation …

Back to reality. Anti-resonance pads in any form are intended to solve the situation of parasitic, i.e. unwanted resonances, located directly in the music room and, moreover, in connection with a specific audio component. These resonances are mostly caused by the function of the sound system itself, but to the greatest extent, of course, by the speakers. The mass of air that they constantly move is transmitted not only to the listener’s ears, but also to everything else in the room, including the audio components, and with their energy they affect them, albeit to a minimal but observable extent. This type of vibration causes minor electrical changes in the component circuits (piezo effect, microphone effect, etc.), which subsequently reach the signal path to the listener. The result may be a slight blurring of the reproduction, its less distinct spatial identification, weaker penetration of higher frequencies and overall less energy of expression. In the case of a turntable, acoustic feedback may be generated, which is a very unpleasant matter from a sound perspective. However, there is no standard or exact recommendation on how to deal with these undesirable effects, as each component reacts to them differently and depends only on the quality of its mechanical processing and overall resonance resistance.

The EVO-3 pad is a simple device at first glance. It consists of two opposing discs made of milled and polished duralumin with subsequent galvanically applied surface treatment in two layers – copper and nickel. The latter is hardened in the final phase under the influence of a temperature of 600 degrees Celsius. The resonant active element of each pad is three balls, which are mounted in precise bowls milled in the inner sides of the opposing discs. Here too, extreme emphasis is placed on the surface cleanliness of the bowls themselves, their perfectly smooth surface provides minimal resistance to the balls, allowing them even the finest all-round movement – ​​and this is essentially the main function of the device. Both discs are loosely connected to each other by an Allen screw, which eccentrically allows the movement of the upper platform relative to the lower one, the correct distance between the two discs is very important, I would even say critical, because its value determines the optimal resonance resistance of the system. To prevent individual “tuners” and all sorts of speculators, the screw head is therefore sealed with epoxy resin to prevent unwanted manipulation. Correct!

The manufacturer offers two types of EVO-3 washers, which differ in principle only in the type of material used in the ball – zirconium (white ball) and silicon nitride (black ball). Their different resonance potential also results from the chemical composition of both materials. Zirconium is a metal element with medium hardness with high chemical stability, excellent corrosion resistance and enormous temperature resistance. In contrast, silicon nitride is an extremely hard, dimensionally stable and also highly temperature-resistant material. Both types of washers therefore have their own specific resonance tuning, which results from the combination of the ball and disc material. Based on extensive testing, the manufacturer attributes the silicon application benefits in the form of strengthening the bass component, improving spatiality and greater transparency of vocals, while the zirconium application has a greater emphasis on mid and high frequencies. There is also a recommendation in the form of suitability for the type of device – silicon is preferred by vacuum tubes, zirconium by transistors. I have both types of devices at my disposal, so I am really curious what the reality will be.

The manufacturer does not state the maximum load per pad in the official parameters, but I have information from an unofficial source that they were tested for up to a load of 140 kg, which will undoubtedly suit almost any audio application.

The overall workmanship of the EVO-3 is truly exemplary and can withstand even the strictest criteria, from the first time you held it in your hand it was clear that this is a quality product. Each pad is packaged separately in an elegant cardboard box and is therefore available individually, unlike similar competitors who mostly supply pads in sets. I consider this a great advantage, especially if you later need to add one or two pads to an existing system. The price level at which the pads are supplied can be safely described as unbeatable, similar systems from other manufacturers are at least twice as high. I believe and hope that the manufacturer will manage to maintain such a great selling price despite the constantly increasing production costs.

What was listened to

Signal source: KV Colossus ONE turntable with KV Colossus 9″ MD tonearm and KV Colossus 12″ MD tonearm
Turntable cartridges: DS Audio 003, DS Audio E3, Kuzma CAR-40, Ortofon Jubilee, Ortofon MC A90
Phono preamplifier: Audio Research PH3 SE, Parasound Jc3. Jr., DS Audio 003 + E3
Amplification: Ayre K-1xe preamplifier + PrimaLuna EVO 400 tube power amplifier
Speakers: Klipsch Klipschorn AK-5, Avalon Acoustisc Arcus
Cables: Cardas Neutral Reference signal, XLO Signature, Nirvana Audio S-L power.
Accessories: under the turntable anti-resonance magnetic pads MAGAUDIO Resonance and air pad KV Colossus AIR

Listening

In principle, the serious methodology used in testing the impact of audio accessories is equivalent to a kind of reverse procedure. The device is installed and allowed to act on the set and the listener’s mind for a longer period of time, the issue of getting used to the novelty in the system is very important, it filters out the initial emotion and expectation of change. After a while, the device is removed and therefore it is possible to react to the change more immediately and also evaluate it more objectively, because it often happens that the “benefit” was actually a step back. In my opinion, a lightning-fast change of accessories, including cabling, does not lead to an objective result, the human mind is enough that the change is there and that is enough, psychoacoustics is simply a monster.

However, there are also exceptions that confirm the rule and I must state that one of them is the EVO-3 pads. From the moment they were installed, it was immediately evident that their impact on the result would in no way be equal to some insignificant statistical error or minor marginal improvements. At first, I couldn’t believe it myself, but it was a truly significant change in all reproduction parameters with the greatest emphasis on the overall brightening and purification of the music scene, especially in the midrange and treble ranges. And as we know, these ranges are a significant carrier of musical information. The sonority of the treble was reflected in their stronger emphasis and purity, the overall reproduction had a more pronounced and faster dynamics with this tone. Details were also reproduced more clearly with richer dosage and clearer contours, the marginal ones, previously as if masked by the more pronounced ones, became more present thanks to better contouring and sharper energy. In the lower part of the range, in the bass area, there was a more pronounced calm, the reverberation was clearer without emphasizing the lower edge, which is sometimes accompanied by humming or rumbling. With a more precise course without unpleasant decay, the bass seemed faster and more predatory, but without losing volume and overall fit more into the scheme created by the midrange and treble. The reproduction became more aligned and clearer, not only in terms of readability, but also in a more accurate and stable spatial representation. In my opinion, this is due to the more strongly drawn detail.

During the test period, I scrolled through all my important and favorite music titles through the set and I heard each of them in a new and much more attractive version. The vocals are presented with immense clarity, the popular Carmen performed by Maria Callas (G. Bizet, Warner Classic) really goes to the tolerable limit in the highest octaves, the power of the onsets, the small phrasing and its rendering are chilling, its overall drawing is brilliant, the intelligibility is perfect (you could learn French from it). I couldn’t get enough of this work, especially when performed with the DS Audio 003 cartridge, which has extreme rendering of detail as one of its main characteristics.

Richard Wagner always knew how to bring the listener “to his knees”! A selection of his works with an emphasis on wind instruments (Wagner for Band, conductor Frederick Fennel, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Mercury) is presented with breathtaking majesty, the fanfares and other brass instruments are expressive, ringing and again generally going to the imaginary edge, their perfect rendition both in delicate passages and in strong and expressive ones is, in a word, magical. Again, thanks to the stability and unheard-of purity of presentation, the depiction of the recording’s space is captivating, which gives the music a massiveness and pompous expression.

Jazz magician Monty Alexander and his trio in a live performance at the Montreaux Festival (MPS label) is now an audiophile classic, the great “live” recording shows the listener what is happening on stage as if in the palm of his hand. Monty’s piano is playful with perfect legibility, the keyboard strokes on the strings are sharp and gentle at the same time, the speed of rhythm changes, but also the way the instrument is played, are decisive for the overall tone of the songs. Despite Monty’s sometimes obvious improvisation, the music fits together perfectly and has a dramatic fall. John Clayton’s double bass is in a league of its own, giving the music a distinctive deep rhythmic background, sometimes almost on the edge of audibility, but still present, in solos with clear strikes of the strings on the fretboard and with a subsequent significant bounce. Jeff Hamilton’s drums are magnificent, cheeky, sharp and explosive and carry in the back line of the stage. The overall spatial representation is also excellent and perfectly legible. It is obviously not a classic two-microphone recording, you can feel that there was work with a mixer here, but the result is still unique! And the spontaneous expressions of the audience (laughter, applause, ….) give the recording an extremely engaging package.

And so I could go on and on, endlessly. It has to be experienced, tried, compared…….

If I had to somehow exactly express the effect of using these pads, I can only think of replacing the basic cabling in the set with a higher class. You will say to yourself: “But maybe not!” However, I mean my statement completely seriously, the effect is really that significant! Moreover, with pads, it will never happen that the basic sound character of the set starts to change, that is, what you have worked so hard and expensively to develop. Whereas when replacing the cabling, this probability is relatively high.

In the end, I didn’t bother too much with placing the individual types under components other than the recommended ones, and based on the strong impression left, I took this information from the manufacturer as a rule. However, there are no limits to initiative and experimentation in this regard.

Conclusion
There are many similar solutions to the RDAcoustic EVO-3 in the audio world, some of which I had the opportunity to examine directly and for a longer period of time. However, I must state that not a single such application has left such a strong impression on me as these pads. And the final result? After the official testing was completed, I immediately and permanently kept both sets. Their positive contribution to the resulting sound was so clear, clear and legible that I had nothing else to do!

+ significantly positive sound contribution

+ top-notch workmanship

+ extremely favorable price

– nothing

Read the full test on WattAudio.sk.