Speaker Isolation - My Experience with Isoacoustics Gaia Footers

[Cellcbern]

Replacing the spikes in my Soundocity outriggers (Soundocity made me a set of outriggers with threaded holes) with the Isoacoustics Gaia 2 footers has improved the sound of my Merlin VSM speakers. They now sound more open and articulate than with any combination of Z-feet or other spikes, with or without outriggers, on the floor or on a platform, that I've tried. Like the Townshend products the Gaia footers completely decouple the speakers from the floor, allowing them to float. See:

http://www.audiostream.com/content/isoacoustics-gaia-isolation-pucks#IVXH8EtVAjQdwbuj.97

http://www.isoacoustics.com/products/gaia-series/gaia-i/

 

[DaveC]

I have also found IsoAcoustics to be the best speaker footers/stands I've tried as long as you have the vertical space for them. The Gaia I will be standard equipment on my speakers.

 

[Matias]

Aperta demonstration videos:

 

[bazelio]

Zombie thread revival time.

Wanted to see if others' experiences with Gaia speaker footers are similar to mine. After installing a set under Marten Getz 2 speakers yesterday, the difference is certainly audible. It's a suspended floor, so that there is a difference vs the stock spikes and pucks isn't surprising. But I'm trying to decide if I like what I hear....

First off, I find that bass is cleaner and more defined as a result. There's no more bass quantity than before. Just cleaner around the edges. This is good. Second, treble seems smoother. I'm okay with this but am struggling to decide if there is some hash removed, or if it's a coloration. Third, soundstage is wider and deeper. The depth seems to push some microdetails to the back which used to be more up front. This is somewhat giving the impression of a less detailed sound overall. But here again I'm struggling to determine if this is just more accurate (perhaps less "HiFi") or if it's a slight veil. Lastly, there's no slowing of transients nor of overall PRaT. I'd seen that reported elsewhere, but don't hear it in my system.

With the GAIA in place, there's a tendency to want to listen at a higher volume. This is probably the more laid back presentation and me wanting to extract the same detail I used to hear at lower volume settings.

Overall, my thoughts are mixed. What have others experienced? Thanks.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I audiotioned the Gaias v Arya Audio Revopods under my Zus. Initial impressions on the Gaias were good, but I couldn't shake the feeling that bass was a little one-note and overly full. Not a bad impression, but bass seemed a tad homogenous.

Going to the Revopods revealed my Gaias reservation to have been spot on. These footers proved to be way more neutral, agile, w no two recordings sounding alike in the bass.

The Gaias went back, the Revopods stayed.

 

[bazelio]

How did Gaia and Revopods affect stage depth and microdetails comparatively for you?

 

[spiritofmusic]

Bazelio, I'm not a massive soundstaging man. For me, tone is my main criteria, crtically tonal discrimination btwn recordings. Euphonic bass warmth via Gais homogenised things, Revopods are the proverbial open window.

From what I recall, Gaias may have squashed the stage because of this bass character, but I can't call it. Revopods in being clearer and more open, declutter sound. And FWIW, as my sound has opened up in other respects, depth is good here (my Zus are 8' from front wall), and there is nothing limiting depth w the Revopods.

Revopods under my Zus have been one of the pivotal late changes in my system really allowing my system, obv my Zus esp, to truly blossom.

 

[bazelio]

Ok I was mainly asking if you heard similar depth and microdetails with both footers. If you thought one vs the other presented clearer microdetail, then that might help me determine what I'm hearing vs my stock footers.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Revopods way clearer into the music. I'm seriously considering getting another set to put under my balanced transformer, and moving my Stacore from under transformer to under my cdp.

Bazelio, there is not one area where the Revopods were not exemplary in the trial. Slam dunk, win/win etc.

The ability to open up the lower mids and upper bass, maintain articulation all the way into low bass, and not harden the treble (as some well regarded footers I've tried have done) is hugely impressive.

But tonal discrimination w transparency is the key for me. Gaias fell short here.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Arthur of Arya Audio a joy to deal with re ordering Revopods. Always a nice bonus.

 

[DaveC]

I've had great results with my IsoAcoustics stands.

My experience is much as bazelio describes, with clearer bass that extends upwards through the mids to highs. Better definition, better soundstage and cleaner images.

My house was built in the mid -80's and construction was standard to low-end... It's better vs some of the cheapest modern homes but nothing special. It's fairly small and the entire house plays along with the music, especially at higher SPLs. The Iso stands reduce sympathetic resonances by a lot, far less stuff buzzes and rattles around, and I even have entire sections of my home that can resonate at certain frequencies given enough energy, this is all reduced by using the iso stands.

My experience is that any speaker will "drive" any floor unless it's decoupled, even solid concrete, and it doesn't sound good. However, any decoupling device is not perfect, it's effectiveness may vary with frequency, etc... Also every speaker is different... so I do think it's likely every decoupling device is going to sound different. I doubt even the designers will be able to explain exactly why, like much of HiFi you'll need to try and see what works for you.

 

[analyzer]

A friend of mine with a nice system (he has TAD r-1) reported that the Isoacoustics demo in Munchen was very convincing, Better results with Isoacoustics footers.
There's also a parallel thread same as this One in an Italian forum with some reports; all positive.
I'm still looking for footers below my speakers but 3200 USD dollars for two sets (Gaia Cronus 100) Is considerably over what the reason says ... and also over my wallet...
I'll stay at the Windows and take a look to this thread!

 

[DaveC]

A friend of mine with a nice system (he has TAD r-1) reported that the Isoacoustics demo in Munchen was very convincing, Better results with Isoacoustics footers.
There's also a parallel thread same as this One in an Italian forum with some reports; all positive.
I'm still looking for footers below my speakers but 3200 USD dollars for two sets (Gaia Cronus 100) Is considerably over what the reason says ... and also over my wallet...
I'll stay at the Windows and take a look to this thread!

If you have the vertical space and don't mind the looks, the stands are the same. I use 2x sub stands per speaker for my setup, I got them when they 1st came out, right now I'd get the custom/modular aluminum ones.

 

[Matias]

Zombie thread revival time.

Wanted to see if others' experiences with Gaia speaker footers are similar to mine. After installing a set under Marten Getz 2 speakers yesterday, the difference is certainly audible. It's a suspended floor, so that there is a difference vs the stock spikes and pucks isn't surprising. But I'm trying to decide if I like what I hear....

First off, I find that bass is cleaner and more defined as a result. There's no more bass quantity than before. Just cleaner around the edges. This is good. Second, treble seems smoother. I'm okay with this but am struggling to decide if there is some hash removed, or if it's a coloration. Third, soundstage is wider and deeper. The depth seems to push some microdetails to the back which used to be more up front. This is somewhat giving the impression of a less detailed sound overall. But here again I'm struggling to determine if this is just more accurate (perhaps less "HiFi") or if it's a slight veil. Lastly, there's no slowing of transients nor of overall PRaT. I'd seen that reported elsewhere, but don't hear it in my system.

With the GAIA in place, there's a tendency to want to listen at a higher volume. This is probably the more laid back presentation and me wanting to extract the same detail I used to hear at lower volume settings.

Overall, my thoughts are mixed. What have others experienced? Thanks.

I did welcome those changes to my system when I installed mine.

 

[thedudeabides]

A friend of mine with a nice system (he has TAD r-1) reported that the Isoacoustics demo in Munchen was very convincing, Better results with Isoacoustics footers.
There's also a parallel thread same as this One in an Italian forum with some reports; all positive.
I'm still looking for footers below my speakers but 3200 USD dollars for two sets (Gaia Cronus 100) Is considerably over what the reason says ... and also over my wallet...
I'll stay at the Windows and take a look to this thread!

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