Where is the terminus for this perverse hobby? I invested heavily in ATC 40 active floor standers only to be enticed with possible improvements using Gaia ll footers and carpet spikes. I bit and voila, more discretionary income succumbed to the insanity.
The footers performed the usual audiophile magic of cleaning up upper bass, providing a better foundation for low bass, stabilized the vocals. Then the carpet spikes did more of the same and improved imaging. Reminded me of the old days when we would place machined aluminum cones under floor standers and improve everything.
I wish all of this were psychoacoustic and I could return everything, but it seems all too tangible so it stays.
2 year old thread resurrected. Although I use a thick high-pile rug covering a large area, my speakers which are also on Gaia 2 are placed on tiled concrete floor instead of the rug. It’s useful to know that the carpet spikes work better on the Gaias than granite bases placed directly on carpet.
Most importantly, the Gaias really work wonders by improving the sound of the speakers. Proper isolation by decoupling the speakers from the floor is the key to great results.
Forgot to mention one more thing - make sure that the speaker placement is as precise as possible. While adding the spikes, the left speaker moved up 3/4 inch up, when measured from the back wall (compared to the right speaker). And that messed up my center vocal positioning. I went nuts for 2-3 days before I used the measuring tape to find the issue. Once fixed, the image snapped precisely in the middle. So, yes, the spikes improve the sound, but be careful with that speaker positioning.
I added the carpet spikes for the Gaia II under my speakers a couple of days ago. I am not going to say, it improved this, it made that fantastic, etc. All I will say is, if you have the footers, then do not skimp on the spikes. I have removed the granite bases underneath the speakers and the spikes directly contact the concrete floor underneath. For me the improvements was more than worth the asking price.I had purchased the Iso-puck minis a few days ago and placed them under the preamp and the Oppo. So I am guessing it was a cumulative effect. But completely worth it.
Because the pucks are integrated into my stands, I have machined recesses to make placement super easy. This is not required. Just take care to space them evenly.
Take the weight of your speakers and divide by the number of pucks you would want to use which would typically be 3. That will give you the appropriate weight rating to decide which Orea (Bronze, Indigo or Bourdeaux) to use.
The Orea Puck has sort of a suction cup surface on the top and bottom (the Gaias have it on the bottom). Puck sets on stand, speakers sit on pucks.
Same experience with the Gaias, improved resolution esp mid bass, I have wood over cement slab floor in the listening room, so no need for spikes and imagine others with less solid floors will have even better results.
So if you had large speakers that nevertheless were still standmounts, where do the Gaias go? Between the speaker and the stand, or stand and floor. If the latter, how do you couple/decouple the speaker/stand interface?
I am working on a subwoofer and machining feet was going to cost as much or more than just buying the Gaia IIIs and including them. I have tried no feet and feet, not an alternative but they make a huge difference.
As a result, I ship Orea pucks standard with my stands to place under my speakers.
When i introduce floor-standing speakers the Gaia feet will be standard. Too good of a product to try and create a workaround.
I normally scoff at people who think they can tell anything about a system from a YouTube video...
BUT, there is an A/B demo of the Gaia’s on there from Pursuit Perfect System that is just crazy. He’s got them on KEF refs and you can EASILY hear the improvements they are making. Much more focused imaging and vocals. Much more articulate bass, and even more extension.
I have Sopra 2’s and considering Isoacoustics demos the footers on these I’ve taken the plunge too. $1,350 was a tough pill to swallow but I honestly can’t imagine any other upgrade for even 5 times that amount that would have that much impact.
Really have jumped off of the audiophile carousel. These check all of the boxes. Of course I’m running them with a top front end, otherwise it all suffers. I reviewed the speakers here a couple of months ago under category speakers.
I truly am listening only to music and not equipment. I’ve no ego in this and readily admit to having owned many less than stellar pieces during 45 years of the hobby. The were all fun.
I decided to go for broke and stop continually upgrading. It’s great! Hope this helps. Ciao
They're just a flat cup/small circular tray with three rather ferocious spikes on the underside. I would imagine you enlist a helper and have them rock the speaker to one side, and insert one or two. Repeat until done. One thing's for sure: once the footers are in the spike cups, you're not sliding the speaker anywhere...
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