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Townshend Seismic Isolation Podium Platform Review:

Townshend Seismic Isolation Podium Platform Review:

Comparison:  To the Iso- Acoustics Gaia 1’s.

Procedure: I removed my Iso-Acoustics Gaia 1’s that I have had under my Focal Sopra 2’s speakers from their entry into my system to compare the sound with the Townshend Seismic Isolation Podium Platform.

With the 2 Townshend Seismic Isolation Podium Platform size 3 now in place. BTW,  I must add that I placed the order from Townshend in England from the USA on Tuesday, they were shipped on Thursday and I received both of them by Monday. Pretty fast shipping, Oh, if only the USPS could get there act together…

Starting with the bass. = There is definatly more clearly defined bass notes. Defined is my choice word. I listened to familiar tunes with prominent bass notes.  I like to imagine if I can feel a real bass player playing along. That is; with the power and tonality of a live performer. Can you feel the bass pluck?

Midrange. = I hear more hidden clues in the music. I listen for the clarity of the voice and instruments. Live recording’s is usually the best to examine. (See my conclusion below)

Treble. = The highs are extended naturally. Nothing added or taken away. I think the treble sounds more open, cymbals shimmer longer, better? Again, I think so.

Soundstage. = Definitely an improvement in both front/back side to side images. Very happy.

Conclusion:

Ok, I admit I am an old time rocker. My favorite group is Creedence Clearwater Revival. On the “Green River” tune (24/192hz download), previously I could sense the rhythm guitar of John’s older brother Tom strumming but could never quite hear it clearly. No wonder he got pissed.

Well today with the Townshend Platforms in place, I can hear the brother clearly strumming along, a little left of center, sort of floating above the speakers. This tells me that I am hearing deeper minute images that were once buried in the mix.

I like the livelier sound on the Led Zeppelin track “Rock & Roll” HD 24/96hz but it always seemed a little anemic, like it should sound more dynamic. Well now with Townshend Platforms in place it does! The drum whacks have more presence. And the cymbals really ride with the music. Most impressive.

The size of the Platforms fit my Focal Sopra 2’s perfectly, almost like they were made for them. Edge to edge in all directions, perfect fit. For smaller rooms the outrigger extensions may be cumbersome but in my open room they look fine.

Nothing negative to report, except maybe the cost. But I also own many Critical Mass footers that are quite impressive and I can’t believe what those little buggers’ cost.

Quite frankly, instead of trying other footers that are perhaps cheaper and sort of a band aid approach that will cause you to keep searchin’ for that missing element, go for the real thing(s) and finally enjoy your system.

ozzy


128x128ozzy

Showing 3 responses by cd318

cd318
2,636 posts
 
@millercarbon,

"Internal resonances are internal resonances, distinctly different than ringing"


Thanks for the clarification. 
cd318
2,636 posts
 
"Because the way I see it, what this shows is not just that this one particular thing is really good, but that this one fundamental concept is really good." MC


I agree, but let's not forget that it wasn't so long ago that we were being advised to rigidly couple everything together as far as possible - speakers/stands/floor, tonearms/head-shells/cartridges.

Now were seeing a complete 180 degree turnaround in a matter of years. Some even going as far as introducing compliant cartridge mounting.

I still remember in Hi-Review of one senior reviewer casually admitting that he preferred his cartridge sound with the bolts slightly loosened but decided against it because of what his more esteemed colleagues had told him. 

A fine example of dogma-led thinking.



@senza,

I'm a little surprised that you found the Townshend bars to be effective under the Harbeth M40.2s. 

If ever there was one speaker brand where all of the effects of cabinet/driver resonance had been taken into careful consideration, it would be Harbeth.

With my Tannoys even a few 3mm x 44mm sorbothane/rubber squares have similar effect as the OP has described. 

Anyway it's good to know that even further improvements via the Townshend Platforms (or even undamped springs alone) might be available if the need ever arises.
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@senza, yes it will be interesting to see what happens.

Much of what I've learnt about this hobby has largely come from the writing of two men - Peter Aczel and Alan Shaw.

The sheer depth of research, testing and innovation that goes into a Harbeth loudspeaker, particularly the design of its BBC style thin-walled cabinet, would suggest that a Harbeth loudspeaker might be the one place where speaker isolation would have no sonic benefit.

After all, haven't all the panels, the joints, the assembly, the way the baffle is attached to the frame, the way the drivers are attached to the baffle in a Harbeth all been designed in such a way to render cabinet resonances below the threshold of audibility?

Alan Shaw has previously indicated that he doesn't even believe that purpose built stands are necessary. Didn't he once test one of his designs as it was casually stacked on top of a pile of telephone directories?

So if some form of isolation is having a measurable effect, then perhaps someone should tell Alan? 

Could it be that even the much vaunted relatively low mass Harbeth cabinet is not as free from internal resonances (or ringing as MC likes to put it) as was previously thought?

I would tend to think anything mechanical must be affected by its relationship to the surface it's placed upon. Therefore it seems obvious that this must, to some extent at least, (depending upon the speaker and its location) also apply to loudspeaker performance. 

However it would still be interesting to hear what experienced loudspeaker designers think of this issue.
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