cheap alternative to gaia isolation footers !

  • Thread starter Deleted member 188516
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
a friends system is based in an upstairs room hence carpet over wooden floorboards. as a result the bass from the speakers (b&w 601s2) was traveling through the floor boards and could be felt under his feet several metres away. this was despite the speaker stand spikes resting on metal pucks. to combat this he has attacked wine corks to the bottom of each spike and this problem has all but been eliminated with no loss of sound quality ! might sound daft but it has worked and cost very little !
 
a friends system is based in an upstairs room hence carpet over wooden floorboards. as a result the bass from the speakers (b&w 601s2) was traveling through the floor boards and could be felt under his feet several metres away. this was despite the speaker stand spikes resting on metal pucks. to combat this he has attacked wine corks to the bottom of each spike and this problem has all but been eliminated with no loss of sound quality ! might sound daft but it has worked and cost very little !
Like the idea but hopefully the friend likes wine as those corks will eventually disintegrate. :)
 
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
The Gaia Isolation is a good solution yes it costs but do not regret it not one bit they do what they say and bet if a lot more people used them they would have a good upgrade in sound quality and save them money in the long run buying new kit

i agree as i believe the gaia product(s) would be the best available in this category. the corks being used are just a cheapo alternative effort as the speaker stands and loudspeakers being used were purchased 2nd hand for £100 !
 

James105

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2019
274
191
5,070
Visit site
The Gaia Isolation is a good solution yes it costs but do not regret it not one bit they do what they say and bet if a lot more people used them they would have a good upgrade in sound quality and save them money in the long run buying new kit

To be fair the ratio between the cost of the feet and the cost of the speakers is acceptable, and how many circles would you have gone around it trying different speakers?

I think it's worked out well for you and I'm happy that you're happy.

James
 
I must admit I'm erring towards them rather than the SolidAir feet, purely because the look so good. Vacuous, I know. The drawback being that the SolidAir ones will cope with a very heavy load, so if I bought heavier speakers in future the Gaias might need upgrading. Not an imminent decision, mercifully.
 

Blacksabbath25

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2015
309
88
10,970
Visit site
To be fair the ratio between the cost of the feet and the cost of the speakers is acceptable, and how many circles would you have gone around it trying different speakers?

I think it's worked out well for you and I'm happy that you're happy.

James
I do still think if your going to invest in some expensive speakers then its well worth it and the gaia are a good investment you can make to get the very best out of those speakers .
Its a shame that the gaia are not cheaper so more people would try them so the product fits all pockets and budgets
 
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
I must admit I'm erring towards them rather than the SolidAir feet, purely because the look so good. Vacuous, I know. The drawback being that the SolidAir ones will cope with a very heavy load, so if I bought heavier speakers in future the Gaias might need upgrading. Not an imminent decision, mercifully.

do the solid air products float speakers in mid air via magnets ? i understood the gaia products attempt to absorb vibrations hence work in a different way ?
 
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
Almost everything they make does, and they do magnetic speaker isolation bars, but the ones he recommends are on the website under 'string theory'.

if you think about it the only way to properly isolate kit is to float items via magnets in mid air.
(hence the isolation bars should be the best solution).
you then have the "problem" though of trapped vibrations but this does not always mean a worse sound (?).
video from townshend that applies to solid air product too i guess :-
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW9-r83IvhI
 
  • Like
Reactions: nopiano
Good for you. Ex-couch potato here, but started exercise about 15 years ago. Walk 20 miles a week, and had been swimming 4+ miles pw week in the four years prior to lockdown, now trying to do 200km a week on the exercise bike as I don't see us rushing back to the pool in a hurry. Twenty years since I've had a ciggy as well, although Mrs 12th still misses them.

But a life without alcohol? <<shudders>>
 
D

Deleted member 160668

Guest
I've been around the houses and tried most things. I have a suspended wooden floor.

Dont bother with auralex gramma, or copies for floorstanders, too wobbly. Similarly sorbethane pucks under granite plinths are less than stable. A cheap/effective solution is..... washing machine anti vibration shoes, which are only a few quid a set. These have been effective under my Audio Physics.

However, I've now shelled out on some Gaia III's today and they arrive tomorrow as I've bought some new (to me) speaks that I'm picking up friday 😁
 
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
I've been around the houses and tried most things. I have a suspended wooden floor.

Dont bother with auralex gramma, or copies for floorstanders, too wobbly. Similarly sorbethane pucks under granite plinths are less than stable. A cheap/effective solution is..... washing machine anti vibration shoes, which are only a few quid a set. These have been effective under my Audio Physics.

However, I've now shelled out on some Gaia III's today and they arrive tomorrow as I've bought some new (to me) speaks that I'm picking up friday 😁

please report back your thoughts on these.
 
D

Deleted member 160668

Guest
For floorstanders they are rubbish. I bought, then returned some, as they were super wobbly. They only added the weight limit onto the website as I enquired, it wasnt even on there before.

If anyone is on the Wam, there is a long and detailed thread with various suggestions and including some of my various attempts.

I will report back on the Gaia's. However i wont be fitting them until Sat, when i pick up my new speakers. Dont want to put them on the Audio Physics.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts