The design of the Townshend Pod was clearly explained in detail here quite a while ago, several times. I was contacted privately in regard to my postings on them by several members, who also posted about them. All the while the new convert ignored the Townshend products, not to mention the springs offered by Geoff Kait (which are also worthwhile).
Speaking of GK, he and I discussed in public the benefits vs. penalties of employing damping with a spring; the Townshend design includes a form of damping (which I referred to as brilliant), Geoff’s springs don’t. Kait made his case against damping, I defended it. It’s all on the record. Also covered were Max Townshend’s earlier isolation platform, the Seismic Sink. I at one time owned and used eight of them, now having replaced all but three with Pods. The sink uses top and bottom damped metal plates separated by an inner tube (or two, or three, depending on the weight capacity), an idea dating back to the 1950’s (though I learned of it in the mid-80’s from Frank Van Alstine).
I cited the YouTube videos in which Max Townshend explains the design of the Pod, and demonstrates it’s effectiveness in providing isolation, and Geoff went so far as to provide links to the various videos. So the only reason one would not know about---and realize the possible benefits provided by---the Townshend isolation products, is because one chose to ignore them. In one posting I stated I was giving up mentioning them, as people continued to cling to their belief in whatever other means of achieving isolation they preferred, the carbon fiber shelves of BDR (Black Diamond Racing) being a common one. Though the BDR products are great (I own them too), they are not capable of doing what the Townshend Seismic products do. It’s great that more people have had their eyes opened to that fact.
Anyway, if you have yet to try one of the Townshend Seismic products, consider it. Buying the Pods is much cheaper than the platforms which include sets of Pods, so if you already have a nice shelf the Pods are the way to go. Try one set, and see if you hear the benefits. But as with all "systems" (interconnects and speaker cables, power cords and conditioners), the results are maximized if you fit your entire hi-fi with them. Every chain in the link is quite capable of "blocking" low-level information, which may "mask" any improvement wrought further backstream. Max and John recommend starting with the speakers, as their improved sound will make improvements further back in the system more audible.
