Naturally, in the meantime there have been a whole range of new developments: nowadays, nobody would use copper tubes of this diameter. For quite some time Acapella has been offering much thinner copper and silver cables. And a classic of loudspeaker offerings such as the Violon profited from regular model updates—in fact, is now currently in its Mk VI version. But Alfred Rudolph and Hermann Winters have remained faithful to their basic principle that only a perfectly matched chain can deliver the desired sound. Despite significant international success, Alfred Rudolph is still searching for small possibilities to improve them. His special focus is on reducing sound-colouring resonance. At the end of the last century, Acapella Audio Arts Basis, Speed and Big Block were ready for the market. Since a review in 1999, I can't do without an Acapella Base under my record player. Even a change from Finite Elemente to Artesania Audio Rack didn't change anything. Although the latter brought sound advances for all other components, it's special phono platform couldn't convince me. Only after I put an Acapella Base on the four plastic feet of one of the other unit levels did the LaGrange drive sounded like I was used to, or even a bit better.

At the moment tonearm bodies are made from Okume laminated wood and other woods, with and without ebony inserts to dissipate the resonance, which then get the finishing touch. Amongst them is an isosceles triangle, which should get the name "triad." Alfred Rudolph demonstrated the effectiveness of his tuning bodies on our hi-fi in our sitting room when he visited, where my wife and I could enjoy the benefits of a Violon MK VI. Over and over again it's astonishing to see what effect small changes can have in a very high-quality chain. For critical recordings the intelligently constructed resonance reducers can have a big effect, if placed with experience—whether they are enjoyable, or so annoying that you would rather do without them.

If the recording medium is a record, then Alfred Rudolph has another recipe to let these sound more open, freer, smoother or in the worst case, simply tolerable. He moistens the velvet surface of a record cleaning "brush" with a little bit of Squalan oil and puts this on the record. During playback the diamond distributes the oil into the grooves. Even if the sound after one application sounds more pleasant, flowing, and less "technical," the positive effect increases during the next three playbacks. The diamond distributes the oil more finely and "polishes" the groove, as Alfred Rudolph puts it. Years ago a stylus manufacturer gave me a demonstration of the effective fluid sound improver. But back then the basic principle was "lots helps a lot," and the treated record left marks on the turntable, which is why I didn't touch Squalan oil up until now. However if you apply it sparingly and effectively as recommended by Alfred Rudolph, the tonal advantages outweigh the small effort by a long way. (But this article shouldn't be about tips for getting better playback from records!)