Released at the end of 2015, B1 quickly became a key element in the arsenal for optimising our hi-fi systems. But in 2017, Stéphane Even went back to the drawing board and re-launched research to improve his process. Five years later, he has identified an essential element: the behaviour of the water molecule has a strong influence on the perception of sound reproduction. According to him, B1 solved 90% of the problem and now, with Neodio Origine B2, the effect is much stronger.
Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean the problems don’t exist. In fact, when you compare the two, you can hear them perfectly well! With Origine B1, French manufacturer Neodio offered an interesting solution to the problems of micro-vibrations that interfere with your hi-fi system back in 2015, but that’s not all! The B1 also solved the problem of sound degradation on subjects that we can’t perceive because we can’t see them. In fact, with the arrival of the Neodio Origine B2, the name has changed. Neodio now calls it an acoustic purifier rather than an anti-vibration support. Because the B2’s range of action goes beyond the simple function of support. It’s almost more of an interface.
And the transition between B1 and B2 is where the designer has played his cards right. Not only has v1 benefited from a long lifespan, but the brand is also offering a v1/v2 upgrade that will allow you to progress at a lower cost, while perpetuating your initial purchase. This is an intelligent way of combating obsolescence. The B1 cost €250 each. So did the Neodio Origine B2. Transforming a B1 into a B2 costs €120, including return postage.
The only slight difference is that the B1 upgrade is called B1 Evo, because the manufacturer is not going to modify its very attractive laser screen printing. They’re just adding an ‘Evo’ sticker. But the performance of a B1 ‘Evo’ and a B2 is identical. The B1s are dismantled in the brand’s Bordeaux workshop to incorporate the new technical solution.
Stéphane Even, the brand’s creator, describes his product as revolutionary. ‘Our field is full of scientific anomalies and unexplained phenomena: the sound of cables, the importance of supports, the lack of correlation between what we measure and what we feel, the variations in musicality depending on the day or the time… I have carried out more than 1,000 experiments since 2015 with the aim of understanding and building a theory to explain the observations. After many disconcerting and unsuccessful attempts, I finally identified what it was all about ‘.
To put it simply, it’s the water molecule. It is present throughout our environment and, as far as we are concerned, in terms of audio, it is responsible for these oddities.Its collective behaviour obeys unknown laws and it interacts with the functioning of our hi-fi systems. This is precisely where the B2 outperforms the B1, because it tackles the problem at source.
This 100% made-in-France audiophile toy measures 65 mm in diameter by 32 mm in height and weighs 370 g. It’s beautifully crafted, with an impeccable fit and laser-engraved silkscreen. If required, an M6 insert can be used to attach it to an appliance. On paper, the Neodio Origine B2 is compatible with all types of equipment.
The new packaging is made entirely from recycled materials. Whether in terms of this or the upgrade and recycling programme, the Bordeaux-based brand, which is already sustainable and made in France, is aiming to become France’s leading eco-responsible hi-fi brand.
The set up
Having carried out a large number of tests, the manufacturer offers various solutions that it has validated itself.
The first configuration consists of two B2s placed under the power strip. The second uses four: two under the power strip and two under the speaker cable where the cable exits the speaker and touches the floor.The third uses five: two under the power strip, two under the speaker cable where the cable exits the speaker and touches the floor, and one on the wooden cabinet (head down). For our part, after repeated testing, we find that the most effective basic configuration is to use four B2s: two under the power strip and one at the top of each speaker. It really is a super-efficient configuration. But everyone will have to investigate their own interior with their own configuration, because each case is unique.
The sound of Neodio Origine B2
We’re entering shifting, sensitive territory here. Whereas the B1 was designed as an anti-vibration support, the B2 is not quite the same: it is presented as an acoustic purifier. And this concept may seem abstract to most of our audiophile friends. Yet the B2’s effect is even more acute and obvious than that of the B1.It works to compensate for certain shortcomings: lack of naturalness, dissonance, harshness, absence of harmonics. In a way, it doesn’t improve the qualities of your system, it combats its faults and neutralises its weaknesses. It seeks to rebuild and reconstitute the homogeneity of sound reproduction. It acts as a facilitator. It makes the sound much more perceptible to your ears, easier to grasp. It does this by reducing the pollution that adds parasitic noise, blurring the lines that structure the sound image and diminishing the quality of the attacks. The immediate sensation of the action of the Neodio Origine B2 is the reproduction of a clear sonic relief. The sound is no longer flat. On the contrary, it materializes along the three axes with a strong presence. The notion of a stereophonic image takes on much greater meaning. In the same vein, the notion of dynamics goes up a notch with the development of a real hierarchy in the melodic lines. Rather than a quantity of compacted sonic matter, we are witnessing the dissemination of a kaleidoscope of well-coordinated sonorities that are perceived with great overall coherence. You go from the whole to the part, rather than from the part to the whole. And then there’s the silence of your system’s operation. In this respect, B2 is quite astonishing. But in the end, what you really need is to be able to carry out the tests yourself at home, in situ, so that you can assess the positions in which the B2s will be most effective for you.
Our conclusion
We were very fond of the B1s, which we’ve been using since they were first introduced. After trying out the Neodio Origine B2, we immediately sent our models back to the manufacturer to have them modified, and we bought a number of extra ones. As far as we are concerned, this device is really effective and brings an overall improvement to the sound reproduction of all our systems in a clearly convincing way. We fully understand that for some enthusiasts, the process may seem strange. We are clearly not versed in esotericism, but we are convinced that this product works sensitively and with obvious reproducibility in various configurations.The manufacturer doesn’t hesitate to say that, given the investment, it knows of nothing that can compare: ‘ A well-made mid-range system, equipped with B2, will undoubtedly be able to outperform many top-of-the-range systems. ’ In all sincerity, we’re not far from thinking like him… Tried and adopted!
Author: Laurent Thorin
Technical sheet: Neodio Origine B2
- Origin: France
- Price : €250
- Diameter: 65 mm
- Height: 32 mm
- Weight: 370 g
