I think I am like many audiophiles: It's fun to look for possible improvements within the audio chain with accessories and cables. It's much rarer to swap amplifiers and source components, and almost no one even parts with their loudspeakers on a trial basis. And equipment supports are almost a taboo subject. A mistake, as a visit to Meschede happened to turn out.

At least I don't have to reproach myself for having criminally neglected the subject of equipment placement. Since the late 90s, my components have been placed on Finite Elemente's fine Pagode supports. Every year or two, Luis Fernandes dropped by to present another improvement for testing. Sometimes it was Cerabase instead of the standard feet, sometimes frames with resonators, sometimes the heavy-duty version for the turntable shelf. Since every postulated enhancement was actually easy to perceive in terms of sound, I didn't worry about equipment racks, knowing that I had set up my equipment in the best possible way. But then things got quieter around Finite Elemente and Luis Fernandes was suddenly no longer part of the team. Updates were not forthcoming. Then, in 2014, I discovered an exciting hi-fi rack at a friend's house, which also impressed me visually thanks to its technical appearance. So when the distributor, at that time Jörg Klein's "Hörgenuss für Audiophile" (Listening Enjoyment for Audiophiles), offered it to me for a test, I didn't say no. As a result thereof, my Master Reference 750 with four levels and a Master Reference Heavy Duty 600, also with four levels, had to make way for the Artesania racks.

But then Finite Elemente took off again and Luis Fernandes provided innovative ideas for the new owner, the Köpf Möhring GbR. In the meantime, Finite Elemente conducts business again as a limited liability company with Werner Möhring and Luis Fernandes as managing directors and Ascendo's Stefan Köpf as the third partner. Since my colleague Wolfgang Kemper is using the two Pagode racks, which have come somewhat to ages, it was a matter of course for him to compare them with the current MKII version and to see how they stand the test. And as always, when Luis Fernandes promises sonic gains, it happened to be the same here: Wolfgang Kemper attested the new version a considerable growth in terms of dynamics, resolution and homogeneity. In my system, too, there is again a Finite Elemente platform: the Einstein power amplifier rests on a Carbofibre° HD isolation base. For some time now, there has also been an absolute high-end model from Finite Elemente: the Pagode MKII Carbon Edition. If a Carbofibre°-HD shelf used in a "normal" MKII already ensures significant sonic benefits, as Wolfgang Kemper found out in another review, you really shouldn't miss out on the Carbon Edition. However, afore I have already commented on the popularity of equipment support comparisons.