Speaker isolation - An eye (ear!) opener
Posted by: Alan Willby on 12 December 2017
When I extended my main living (listening) room last year I went for a stone floor over a thickly insulated suspended concrete floor with the screed layer containing a piped underfloor heating system. I previously had carpet over a standard suspended concrete floor and my PMC GB1i's were fixed with spikes as is the norm. I sort of expected that with this much harder and reflective floor the sound I was used to (and liked) would change. It was one of the reasons why I changed from my PMC's as I felt that with their bottom positioned front firing transmission line there might be some bass 'boom'. I went for Kef Reference 1's on their dedicated stands with spikes and floor protection cups. I have been delighted with them - but with a few bass heavy CD's (Neil Young's Prairie Wind being the worst offender for some reason) I was suffering 'boom' that had not been evident before. Now there is no doubt that the Kef's push out more bass - but I was on the look out for a solution. Anyway I have found it with IsoAcoustics Gaia isolation feet - the III model in my case. Not only have they cured the 'boom' but they have opened up the sound stage and increased the level of detail and separation (particularly in the bass registers) that can be heard. Can only think that the drivers are no longer being affected by energy bouncing back up through the stands from the floor and so are more able to perform as designed. Perhaps there is less energy finding its way into the equipment rack as well - who knows. Who cares - it's an ear opener. I was always convinced that speakers almost needed to be bolted to the floor so that the drivers could give their best - but these isolation feet suggest differently.
They might not work for all speakers or all floors/rooms - but from what I have heard I think an isolation solution is worthy of consideration. Mine are not going back.
Back in the Autumn I had considerable success with Quadraspire QPLUS Reference interfaces. I tried one set under my 552 which worked sufficiently well that I tried some more under other black boxes. I ended up with four sets. Not cheap though. Here's a pic of one:
DrPo posted:RaceTripper posted:I am using the Gaia II with my Dynaudio Confidence C2 Platinum. They do deliver.
Here's an unconventional use: I just got a single set of the Gaia III and am using three os them in place of the spikes under my Clearaudio Ovation TT. I unscrewed the spikes from the feet and screwed in the Gaia feet. So far they have helped refine the soundstage, espcially for orchestral music, and they are doing a better job of isolating some rumble issues I have with a few recordings.
I am currently trying the Gaia II in place of the VCF II Magnetic feet under my Audio Physic Virgo 25+ speakers. Not 100% sure they are better (I got them specifcally to reduce bass bloom but don’t hear a significant difference in that area) but having recently upgraded to an Ovation I will certainly try that trick too!
I have the Gaia III for my Ovation, but I'm also trying a set of isoAcoustics Orea Indigo. They look better but are bit more of a hassle to get positioned exactly, since they don't screw into the base like the Gaia do. I'm trying to figure out if either sound better. I don't think so yet, but the Orea *might* have a slight edge.
What arm and cartridge are you getting with your Ovation? I just upgraded to the Universal. It's fantastic and far beyond any expectation I had for it.
