@bdp24
After reading same review I stumped up for a set of 4 Gaia to go under my Nottingham TT.
Should be here tomorrow......
After reading same review I stumped up for a set of 4 Gaia to go under my Nottingham TT.
Should be here tomorrow......
Isoacoustics Gaia Speaker Footers
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/
http://www.audiostream.com/content/isoacoustics-gaia-isolation-pucks#IVXH8EtVAjQdwbuj.97
http://www.isoacoustics.com/products/gaia-series/gaia-i/
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Following up on my impressions post the GAIA II install on Thursday. My Found-Music 2A3 monoblock amps are threaded and I used a full set of GAIA IIs per amp. Amp weight is 62 pounds, each. The install meant powering down, removing cables, removing the tubes, moving the amps to my workstation and then turning them on their side / over to mount the GAIA footers. The footers are all oriented in the same position (logo facing forwards) and are level / same height. The amps were previously on Herbie Tenderfeet > Maple Platform > Spikes > Herbie Gliders > Hardwood (Oak) suspended floor. The only change is from the Tenderfeet to the GAIA IIs. Since the amps had to be powered down, the tubes removed and reinserted (the same with the cables), and the amps moved/handled in a major way...I chose to evaluate after a full two days of allowing the amps, cables, tubes, etc to sit and settle. I have run the amps for approximately 20 hours. Difference in sound was immediately apparent. The impressions I am sharing are after two days and ~20 hours of runtime. In descending order, i.e. in absolute difference: Bass is improved...in definition, weight, impact, solidity, separation, etc. I’ll label bass tone as being very slightly improved, I think, due to the added definition and separation which has helped in my further perception/awareness of bass notes. Soundstage is wider, maybe slightly higher (I’m going off of inaccurate memory regarding the height) and a tad deeper. What is different about the soundstage is a slightly clearer / more defined separation / placement of instruments and performers. Transparency has increased, resulting in the very minutiae of musical information being expressed and being expressed more clearly / wholly / completely. My preference is for a balance between the cerebral and the emotional. At this point in time I will label the shift in gestalt slightly towards the cerebral. Overall, the impact of adding the GAIA IIs is slightly greater than ’subtle’ in that the differences / changes were easy to hear and experience and connect with. I’ll add that the upside is (at this point in time) positive and worthwhile though not substantial. IF I notice any changes / movement in/of gestalt, after 50 hours of runtime on the amps, I’ll share. |
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I now have over 60 hours on my amps after installing the GAIA IIs. Please refer my previous post, three up (5/18 10:43am), for context. Due to the time involved in powering down, removing the tubes and cables, moving the amps, and installing the GAIAs (and the reverse in setting them back up) PLUS the time for the amps, tubes, and cables etc to settle back in... ...a quick A/B (which I find best for my evaluations) is not possible. In other words, I believe "head to head"comparisons (with the GAIAs vs other footers) would be separated by 3 to 4 days, at a minimum, for my system. Overall and general results are that the sound quality is ’better’ and more enjoyable. Most importantly, the balance of heart and head and the connection to the music that I value has returned and significantly . I cannot parse WHAT and HOW MUCH is attributable to the GAIAs, the resettling of the amps, and / or a possible cognitive reset. The GAIAs are staying. |
I am curious about the GAIA when used with an Omni-directional speaker such as my Duevel Venus. As to the directionality/placement of these footers, would one place each outward facing? Would it matter? Maybe a call to Iso is in order at some point. I know I do like the Orea Indigo's under my Innuos Zen Mk2, so have been somewhat curious about the footers for my speakers. |
Another update as I close in on 100 hours running my amps with the GAIA IIs. Warmth, naturalness/organic-ness and realism have significantly returned. For my goals, I now have 'that rightness' (in of itself) as well as a 'rightness' of balance with the cerebral aspects. How much of this is attributable to my amps coming back on song versus solely the GAIAs, I cannot say. Based on the differences from 9 days ago (prior to the GAIAs going in) the contribution from the GAIA footers under the amps is significant for my system and for my goals and was worth the investment. I'll add that my trial with the GAIAs under my speakers (a while ago) was much easier to hear immediately. |
Well I did fit the Gaia under my TT this afternoon and solid coupled using the m6 threads. Right now I am not liking it too much, appear to have lost bass weight and authority and even gained what I would term some lower mid, upper bass "boom". Now unfortunately the speakers are also relatively new so the change might be them as they change during break in period. If no significant change in next few days I will first place speakers back on the carpet and not the platforms/spikes and Herbies they are now on. Then pull the Gaia out from under the TT again and evaluate. Ah well not every step can be a positive one. How we suffer for our art..... 😇😇 |
I posted elsewhere on the forum today that I am totally impressed with the SQ improvement with the GAIA III's under my Spatial Audio speakers for the reasons described above. It is a pricey tweek ($684 with the carpet spikes), but it is a really significant improvement in the SQ of my system. No question about it. |
I got the Gaia II for my ProAc D48R today and installed them a few minutes ago. The changes that I noticed were:relaxed presentation, sound stage expanded, pin point imaging, better definition of overall music. And stable sound stage - very noticeable. One important observation was - even at low volume there is details and you don’t have to strain to hear what is going on. The thing that concerns me most is that, on the footers the speakers wobble when you push them. On spikes they were rock solid. Hopefully I will get used to this. But overall, I am glad that this tweak worked for me and the money is well spent. |
Forgot to mention that I do not have the spikes. The footers are on a thick granite slab. They have suction-like property. Once placed on the granite, you have to pull up the speakers hard. The footers then come off the granite with a "pop" sound. So, you really cannot change the speaker positioning once you attach them to the speakers. |
Listening to Beatles Past Master Disc 1, "This Boy". Very very strange that the right vocals seems to come from 2 feet (on the right) beyond the speakers and couple of feet behind. But the music (no vocals) from the left speaker seems to come thought the left speakers - no changes there. Sorry for gushing out. Will stop now and focus on music :-) |
@mcondo ,I had the speaker on the spikes that came with them, supported by Herbie Audio Hush Puckies. I was actually sold on the Gaias from a 2017 AXPONA demo. $ was an issue then. So I waited for a good deal to come by. Which ProAcs do you have? @twoleftears ,I suggest that you reach out to Isoacoustics and get their recommendation on the specific standmound speakers. I see that they have Isopuck that could better suit standmount speakers. |
Another positive experience with the Gaia Orea feet. Placed under my VPI TNT 3.5 - huge improvement in depth, detail, and imaging. Placed between the upper and lower cabinets of the Verity Parsifal - much improved image and detail, much bigger soundstage. I'm waiting on the feet to screw into the bottom of the Parsifal - expecting the same or better. |
In audio with a decent system anything you add, even 4 hard fresh apples under a preamp say and it will cause a change in the sound. Any footers will also, more furniture in a room and so on. In the end you have to like the change in the sound, because sometimes you lose weight and body which real music has for more details and highs that stand out which is the change I heard with the G ia's. But if you like it then enjoy! The gear we buy was voiced as you receive it, you can modify it with audiophile parts but your just trading one sound for another and hopefully you like the results. Tiptoes were the rage under gear and never liked the results no matter the material or style. Most high-end gear come with the footers designed into the final sound of the unit, I worry more about getting the stand/rack right 1st as well as your room acoustics. |
"....The thing that concerns me most is that, on the footers the speakers wobble when you push them. On spikes they were rock solid. Hopefully I will get used to this. But overall, I am glad that this tweak worked for me and the money is well spent." Speaker wobble/movement will cause audible distortions. That needs to be addressed. |
@turnbowm,I reached out to IsoAcoustics and that is by design. No issues at all. I love what the Gaias are doing in my system - especially the bass and spaciousness. @phillyb ,In a philosophical mood eh? I have read a few user reviews that indicated what you mentioned. In my system, I lost neither weight or body. In fact it became much more tight and resolving. Did you try the Gaias in your system? MusicDirect allows you to return them, if they don't work in your system. |
The greater the ease of motion in a particular direction the better the isolation. So, the challenge is getting the greatest ease of motion without getting things unstable. That why there are usually three of four isolators instead of just one, even though one would have much lower resonant frequency than three of four. You need the lateral stability to prevent things flopping over. |
Ok, with all the rave about these ISO Accoustics footers, I bought two sets of the Gaia II for my Focal 1038BE and installed them yesterday. So far first impression over two days is mixed... not sure if I would say I heard an improvement, as many have expressed from their experience, but probably more so sounding different, and more a matter of taste. I echo Jim Austin’s impression on these from his assessment.. at https://www.stereophile.com/content/focal-naim-isoacoustics-and-damnedest-audio-demo-ive-ever-experienced “The soundstage flattened—in the sense of becoming less center-filled and curved around to the sides. Now it extended straight out beyond the edges of the speakers. When I say it flattened, I do not mean that soundstage depth collapsed. It didn't. Instead I mean that the sonic canvas, which previously had been a bit loose, suddenly stretched tight. ...The effect on the soundstage, described above, is, I think, a matter of taste. You might prefer the greater concentration of the image toward the center, as presented by the speakers with spikes...“ With the Gaia II, I sacrificed a greater concentration of center imaging (which I prefer) with a diffuser extension of the soundstage that I guess many may call that an improvement. I will give it a week or two to see if anything changes to my liking before deciding to keep or return them. I’ve already spent thousands on cables and quite happy with my system and these Gaia were supposed to be a game changer, but so far I think it comes down to matter of taste, and I suppose if it is to one’s liking, then they are an improvement but so far not for me. |
@avhifidelity ,Did you install the Gaias per the instructions? The logo should be EXACTLY facing forward or backward. Did you tighten the nuts? Ironically Focals floor standers are the most widely used ones in Gaia demos.My experience is different than yours. In my case, the imaging tightened up and the bass gained tightness. But the most significant change was a "naturalness" to the sound. |
Yes, the logo is facing the front on all footers and nuts tighten. The speakers are on Berber carpet, which is low profile carpet... not sure if using Gaia carpet spikes would make much of a difference. By the way, I did check out some of the comparisons on You Tube. Check out this one, which is I think what Jim Austin at Stereophile commented, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SiloqE18DQ. This is very similar to the difference I’m hearing on the Focal1038BE. I would be curious to know the experience of others in comparing to this demo, if you are hearing much greater sound difference. |
@ryder , Does anyone know if the Isoacoustics Gaia require break in after installation to sound good?I first thought you were kidding. But if you do not hear improvements immediately after installing them as suggested by Isoacoustics, then you need to return them back for full refund, since they did not work for you. I am hoping you got the correct size (per the weigh of speakers) and have installed them properly (logo facing front or back and not to the sides). |
Thanks for the response Milpai. I heard an improvement but read on another forum that the Gaias need few days to sound their best. I’m not sure if they need some time to "settle" as some isolation products usually require few days to settle down after every adjustment due to the loading. It took me 2 days to install them correctly. On the first day the sound quality was poor after I found that the levels were not correctly set up. |
Why would anyone put a footer under a speaker that allows the speaker to move at all? That defeats teh purpose of seeing a speaker in place as the drivers are moving around. That's just me, but I've never in my life heard a speaker sound better using any footers that allow movement, but that's me. I do like the Isoacoustic feet under some electronic gear that is in metal folded boxes and not the milled ones. For my dollar, HRS is the best as I've never heard them degrade the sound of anything (although I have no idea about their racks as there is just no possible way you can just move racks with your gear to A/B things, lol. |
Thanks to @csmgolf, @lancelock. One more question: vibration in suspended hardwood floor is considerable. Can be felt through soft slippers with socks, 34' downstream from source. (I play loud & speakers have a peak at 35Hz). Since the Gaias are said to fully decouple from floor, presumably the vibration vanishes? Speakers are sealed, not ported, if that matters. |
At least with the GAIAs you're speakers won't be moving around, even in the slightest, smearing the focus of the sound when it arrives at your listening position, creating a smoothing effect. I have yet to read of any recording engineer or studio that uses springs under their speakers but they definitely approve of the GAIAs. All the best, |
I am guessing that you have a set of Legacy Signature SE. I have a custom set that I expect to get from Legacy within the next couple of weeks. I ordered the GAIAs for them ahead of time from Paragon. I would not expect them to keep the floor from vibrating. I would expect them to keep the floor vibration from going back up into the speaker cabinet as well as keep the speaker cabinet still. I have a set of Oreas under an Esoteric DV-50 s and they work as described. |
@csmgolf, you guessed it. Have used the Signature SEs 3 years, tried various Herbie's and other things, no luck to date. Note the thread size on these is M12. Gaia I come with 12M adapters but they are a bit of overkill for 106lb towers. Just read reviews saying Gaias are difficult to install, tighten, level, so believe I will hold off pulling the trigger until hearing your experience. I will be away for the winter anyhow, so time not of the essence. Your expectation re vibration is probably correct. Hard to tell how much feedback I am getting without first trying these (or Townshend platforms whose cost I can't justify with no serious known problem to be solved). Appreciate your commentary on this subject. |
I had Legacy Classics many years ago and at over 100 lbs each, I still managed to put on and remove spikes all by myself to see how they fared, both on the carpet and on a flat wood platform. If you can get someone to help move, tip and position them, it shouldn't be that much of a hinderance. All the best, |
I just added GAIA iii to my Sanus speaker stands, replacing its spikes. It was an unusual transformation. Before, the speakers were mostly invisible, with the soundstage taking place in the center, center/left, and center/right. Once I added the feet, the soundstage widened, vastly. Now there is a far left, far right, along with center/left and center/right. It also added some three dimensional depth, but what struck me the most was the insane bass response. The drum hits now boom with more force. |