Herbies has two sizes of feet for vibration dampening. Choose one of the two sizes to bring the amp off it’s normal feet and on these dampening feet. As long as the sides are flat, guessing it should work. Just depends if the sides are also warped or how bad the whole box is warped.
1 Like
Good idea, but I beat you to it 
It works somewhat, but you have to definitely remove the old feet. The factory installed feet vibrate if left off of the deck. I have a box of Herbies tenderfeet, tall, and short, dense and standard. The tenderfeet are supposed to be uniform in size. If the case is off of being square, you would need to trim one. I’m going to use the Alto Extremos with some neoprene spacers. It amounts to just changing the feet and inserting.a thicker neoprene washer on one of the feet.
3 Likes
I am going to use Alto-Extremo LYD 1. They are threaded. I already have them and can repurpose them from some other gear. I’ll use a neoprene washer (as a spacer) on each foot, but use a thicker one where the case in uneven.
I would take a look at IsoAcoustics feet or Herbies Tenderfeet. With the Herbies, you could double side tape them on or use some Blu-Tac to hold them in place. Blu Tac could also be useful in height adjustment, but only so much.
FYI, PCX Connexion in GTA has a deal on IsoAcoustics going.
2 Likes
Why not just use 3 contact points? Then it automatically takes care of planarity issues w/ 4. I just stuck 3 random BDR cones under the amp (2 back, 1 front) and it works well.
3 Likes
I ended up replacing the stock feet with four Alto-Extremo Lyd 1 on the Kenzie. I used thin Neoprene washers between the footers and the amp base to level the amp. Looking good thusfar. I had tried using three footers with a 3-set of Alto Extremo Neoflex M I had. It’s a floating footer that self adjusts. I didn’t permanently affix them since I didn’t want to drill another hole in the base (Using four feet I could use the existing holes). It wasn’t as stable using three feet as it was using four feet, and the case being out of square was most noticeable across the left right to right front (catty-corner) of the case. The amp base is now three pounds heavier from the weight of the footers.
2 Likes
I’m looking from some recommendations for rectifiers. It seems like from reading through the threads the 5AR4 is preferred by most people for the Ampsandsound. Am I interpreting that right?
2 Likes
I prefer 5AR4 for most listening, but it may be worthwhile to try 5U4G to see if it suits certain music and moods. I’m quite happy with NOS US made rectifiers (Tung-Sol, RCA, Sylvania).
2 Likes
I had the pleasure to compare the mogwai, bigger Ben and nautilus for a bit and with no question the nautilus is the best headphone amp I’ve heard so far in this hobby!
After comparing them each higher tiered amp graciously expanded the soundstage vertically in a gigantic way. A colossal stage worth its weight in gold! With the nautilus, if I closed my eyes I felt like I was listening to floorstanding speakers 7 feet away vs headphones with the normal staging within my head. The gap between the mogwai and bigger Ben was a good level above in expansion and then the bigger Ben to nautilus that expansion multiplied tenfold giving instruments a lifelike size to them. I couldn’t believe how big the stage was vertically, each instrument gaining in size and getting a clearer outline.
Each amp basically did the same traits overall but when upgraded each added a couple notches up in sound quality in every department. Better separation, cleaner presentation while keeping the same house sound, more realism and better details. One big step up was The Bass! It improved dramatically in stature and depth up the ladder of amps. The nautilus had a bass that felt like a subwoofer was sitting under my seat versus it coming out a tiny headphone driver. On the Zmf eikons the bass was intoxicating.
The mogwai is the best bang for the buck out of the bunch. The bigger Ben is clearly a great upgrade over the mogwai being the middleman in sound quality between it and the nautilus. The nautilus is hands down a beast. Easily a tier that would be hard to pass in sound quality and anything after that I would be hard pressed to find something better.
I feel like if anybody has heard either of these amps they can get a great understanding of what the others do as the house sound is there across the board. But be ready to hear the nautilus in real life and still be astonished because it’s hard to grasp how good it gets and I for one easily undervalued it before I heard it. Now it’s my bucket list amp with the highest value added to it in my mind. Time to start saving those pennies.
15 Likes
Fantastic comparison! That vertical stage was the first thing I noticed about the Nautilus because based on my limited experience before that amp, I didn’t know it was possible. I was used to the stage being wider or narrower and suddenly some sounds were appearing to be higher or lower than other sounds.
10 Likes
That’s a ringing endorsement, especially given the amps in your arsenal. For the record, I withdrew my listing 18 hours before your post!
I listened to the Nautilus only briefly via loudspeakers. The stage, realism, and “you are there” elements were apparent.
5 Likes
I seriously need to stop reading this forum. Either that or get a 2nd job to pay for this stuff.
10 Likes
I also wanted to make sure that Justin @ampsandsound was able to see your thoughts on the Mogwai SE with Jupiter caps, Bigger Ben and the Nautilus. I am glad you were able to write something up in regards to the three amps and I am glad we were able to see the three amps together. I’m still rather new and the ability to write down my thoughts probably won’t come as clear as yours and it’s hard to explain the amazing sound stage, presentation and detail the Nautilus has. The Bigger Ben is an amazing amp and I’m surprised it took me a while to find it a home and I’m glad it finally has. As you mentioned, the Mogwai SE is an amazing amp at it’s price point
6 Likes
Thanks, and sorry but I went through and touched up and edited some errors. Not the greatest on writing stuff out with my phone as it always comes out all messed up. I need to switch to writing via my computer.
@bpcarb im going to try out the bigger Ben with my speakers tonight. Hopefully you get to try out the nautilus with your ZMF’s soon. Definitely glad I had the pleasure to try it.
@PaisleyUnderground yea, that vertical stage is massive! The nautilus was the first time I felt headphones literally disappeared and transported me to listening to instruments and not recordings.(this happened with really good recordings and especially with albums with only a few instruments playing at a time.)
@ktc so true! Haha!
@Roikyou i am so glad you are keeping the nautilus as that amp is so magical and such a rarity to get to hear headphones sound like that. Such a great endgame amp.
8 Likes
Sigh…
I’ve had the Bigger Ben for less than a week, have been completed captivated by it, decided definitely endgame for me.
And then you write this!
LOL, I’m still in the honeymoon stage with this. Don’t think I’ll be upgrading for quite some time!
9 Likes
I’m listening to my Big Ben right now. While I’m blown away by the Nautilus, the BB is wonderful too! On day two with it I’m very happy that I upgraded to it from the mogwai. Sometimes I wish I never heard the Nautilus haha! I’m cursed with what it could be. If only I made the big bucks.
All jokes aside I’m also on a pink cloud with this BB. Definitely a great place to be and grateful to have it. If you have never heard a Nautilus then don’t proceed until you are ready to drop the dough. 
, or be ready for some sleepless nights thinking about it, haunting your dreams! LoL.
11 Likes
You always have to wonder of the (total) costs with climbing the equipment upgrade hill. I haven’t heard the Nautilus, but I sure think the BB looks the more handsome amp visually.
Happy the BB is working out well for you.
What is your music player/source equipment?
5 Likes
For sure!
I use Either an LP12 or holo audio spring.
3 Likes
Yeah, honestly even if I could have stretched enough for a Nautilus, I’m not sure I could fit it in the space I have. I reached out to Justin early in the process to get the dimensions of the Bigger Ben to make sure that fit
6 Likes
You would be surprised, i squished the Nautilus in the same space as the Bigger Ben, on the same desk. Just a little longer, little wide. Not too far from the central air vent to help circulate the air. It was a far stretch for me and the journey isn’t over yet. No more purchases and i need to stay away from power solutions or I’ll spend more and not think about the Aeolus.
1 Like