Anyone try Isoacoustics Gaia’s and Townshend Seismic Podiums?

[SCAudiophile]

Thanks for replying. I believe the knob is only used for freeing the pod to move with the spring. No matter how I turn the knob after that does the level change.

ozzy

They do work,...the adjustments are very small for each quarter turn. They are definitelty meant for very fine-grained adjustments.

 

[SCAudiophile]

I was fortunate enough to be able to collaborate with Townshend on a custom size platform project last year for my 290+ pound Legacy Valor speakers. (This model now available for the asking). I have had them for over a year and I will say they vastly exceed any expectations and hopes for their function that I had. These deliver absolutely to promise and beyond. 3 friends who bought them for Legacy Aeris and another Valor owner report the same.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Silicone blocks on a concrete slab, priceless.

 

[LeBlanc]

Seems like another contender has arrived: https://stackaudio.co.uk/auvaisolator/

Paul Rigby prefers these over his Townshend Podiums: https://theaudiophileman.com/auva-isolator-feet-from-stack/

Hans Beekhuyzen prefers them over his Gaia IIs:

 

[jtcfdog]

LeBlanc, I was the first person on here to report them under spkrs, my Zu Definitions 4.
In summary, they clearly best the IsoAcoustic Gaias.
Whether it's relevant, my Zus have down firing subs with onboard amps, so the Revopods also isolating those amps.
And my floor is effectively 150 year old flexy suspended, 30x50 total span.
Anything specific you'd like to know about them?

I've never heard of this brand before. Really interesting how several methods are incorporated into one footer.I'm a Zu owner also living in an old house with springy wooden floors. I chose Primacoustic recoil platforms under my speakers, which I'm very pleased with. I'd like to try the Revpods under my tubed equipment sometime.I've had sand platforms underneath for many years.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I've never heard of this brand before. Really interesting how several methods are incorporated into one footer.I'm a Zu owner also living in an old house with springy wooden floors. I chose Primacoustic recoil platforms under my speakers, which I'm very pleased with. I'd like to try the Revpods under my tubed equipment sometime.I've had sand platforms underneath for many years. View attachment 108752

They are pro audio designed for studio use. not sure why you could not use it in any of our applications.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I've never heard of this brand before. Really interesting how several methods are incorporated into one footer.I'm a Zu owner also living in an old house with springy wooden floors. I chose Primacoustic recoil platforms under my speakers, which I'm very pleased with. I'd like to try the Revpods under my tubed equipment sometime.I've had sand platforms underneath for many years. View attachment 108752

I bought a pair and stuck them under my Sonner Legato Unum's and I am in heaven. Worth every penny at 4 times the price. No I know why these are used in recording studios. Getting a pair for my mono blocks and my QLN floor standers.

 

[jtcfdog]

I bought a pair and stuck them under my Sonner Legato Unum's and I am in heaven. Worth every penny at 4 times the price. No I know why these are used in recording studios. Getting a pair for my mono blocks and my QLN floor standers.

I know! I've posted on a couple of forums just to offer up a reasonably priced option to try for whomever is looking for vibration control. They aren't as "sexy" as some of the other offerings but they are unobtrusive and work amazingly well. The first pair under my speakers so impressed me I bought three more for my subs.I added one at time, planning to return any in case there was no positive difference, but ended up keeping them all. Under the subs they worked best flat against the bottom. Setting the feet on them had minimal effect.

 

[Re-tread]

Actually, I am currently using one Primacoutic recoil platform under my sub; and a pair of Townshend Podiums under my main speakers. After trying a few permutations, I found I like this combo best in my system (so far). YMMV.

 

[jtcfdog]

Just like everything else no one device will be the best for every situation. It's good that there is a variety to choose from.This long boring (sorry!) video is what made me curious to try the Primacoustics since my speakers are bottom ported.

 

[Re-tread]

Yes, this video (I believe from about a year ago) is what inspired me to try various combinations of both the Townshend Platforms and the Primacoutics recoil pads simultaneously in my own system (& home) to derive my preferred findings.

 

[Bliss Hifi]

This might sound counterintuitive, but has anyone tested whether having Isoacoustics Gaia footers on top of Townshend podiums make any improvement, or at least do not degrade the sonics compared to using the Townshend podiums on their own?

I just got the Townshend podiums and already have Gaia I footers on my T+A Solitaire S 530 speakers. I am too lazy to go back to the stock feet so now I have the Gaia between the speaker and the podiums.

 

[pursuitofnow]

This might sound counterintuitive, but has anyone tested whether having Isoacoustics Gaia footers on top of Townshend podiums make any improvement, or at least do not degrade the sonics compared to using the Townshend podiums on their own?

I just got the Townshend podiums and already have Gaia I footers on my T+A Solitaire S 530 speakers. I am too lazy to go back to the stock feet so now I have the Gaia between the speaker and the podiums.

Did you try this combination? What did you think?

 

[Cellcbern]

Did you try this combination? What did you think?

Wouldn't have thought to try them together since both are movement based decouplers. Doubt that you would lose anything by putting the Gaia-clad speakers on top of the Townshend podiums just don't know if there would be much gain. Curious though-if you do this please report your results. Ideally if you were going to use more than one isolation device on speakers you would want to use a resonance dissipating/draining and/or tuning footer between the speakers and the Townshend podiums (no option to do that with the Gaias). Audio Exotics does something similar for example by using Arya Rev-O-Pods and Wellfloat Delta footers (a movement based decoupler) together on speakers (see photo).

 

[SCAudiophile]

Wouldn't have thought to try them together since both are movement based decouplers. Doubt that you would lose anything by putting the Gaia-clad speakers on top of the Townshend podiums just don't know if there would be much gain. Curious though-if you do this please report your results. Ideally if you were going to use more than one isolation device on speakers you would want to use a resonance dissipating/draining and/or tuning footer between the speakers and the Townshend podiums (no option to do that with the Gaias). Audio Exotics does something similar for example by using Arya Rev-O-Pods and Wellfloat Delta footers (a movement based decoupler) together on speakers (see photo).

I know of two guys with great systems using IsoAcoustics Gaia footers under 200lb+ speakers. They later both added Townshend Platforms and stated they work well together, bass is even more accurate and impactful and imaging/soundstaging improved even over the impressive results of the Gaia alone.

 

[Hamburger]

Does the IsoAcoustics Gaia footers "internal rubber(?) suspension" compress over time (say, after 3 years) due to the weight of the speakers, such that the Gaia does not perform sonically at a similar level when it was new?
Thank you.

 

[Bliss Hifi]

No, they do not, as long as they have not been abused. For example, if you place them over an uneven surface, or the edge of a surface, or if a component mounted on top has a screw on the bottom that rests on one of the Orea footers, there is a possibility that the rubber will be imprinted by the uneven surfaces.

The rubber is only on the surface and fairly thick, with the inside of the unit manifesting in a combination of spring and resin / hard plastic.

As an audiophile, I’ve owned Gaias and Oreas for almost a decade and they’re still going strong despite switching components often. I have been a dealer for them for a year and switch components and speakers out with them more often than I did before.

 

[taww]

I have only noticed Gaias sounding better over time, though I have not had mine sitting put for 3+ years. My issue with them is the opposite - they take many weeks to settle and sound good, and if you move the speaker they need to settle again a bit. They’re also fiddly to level and tighten. But once dialed in they work great. I just put them on my Audiovector R3 and after the usual “ugh these sound terrible” moment on initial install they are working great as they do on my SR6 in another system with very different floors. I’m sure other footers and platforms perform even better but as Hans B says, they don’t pass the spousal aesthetics test…

 

[Hear Here]

They’re also fiddly to level and tighten.

I've found the solution to this problem and it's dead cheap and easy!

Ditch those fiddly knurled rings and replace them with 2 or 3 curved stainless washers like these -

CURVED SPRING WASHERS MECHANICAL ZINC DIN 137A - M2 M3 M3.5 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M10 | eBay

Standard DIN 137A. M10 - 10mm. M3.5 - 3.5mm. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION. Washer Size.

www.ebay.co.uk

These will allow the Gaia to be tightened so that the label faces forward and there is no slack or looseness despite not being fully tightened to completely flatten the washers. Much easier than messing with those impossible-to-grip rings that are supplied.

 

[gfroman]

I'm using a combination of RevoPods and Symposium Reference Platforms under the MBL101E speakers.
This is on my 3rd floor carpet/wood floor joist floor.
(I have since moved the RevoPods, and screwed them into the speaker footer thread locations)

***Note - Also a lot easier to slide the Symposium platforms on the carpet, for micro speaker position adjustments!