Gaia Isolation anything in this?

[Tim Link]

Could be the height difference more than the absorption as a guess. Not that the layers of absorption aren't as least as good as the silly footers.

Could be the height but I don't think so. It seems like it's adding back some energy and ambience to the room to get that towel off the surface of the cabinet the speaker are sitting on. I also tried putting the towels on top of the speakers, draped over each one. I didn't like that effect either. Similarly slightly suffocating effect.

 

[MattHooper]

I've mentioned before that some Isoacoustic Gaia 2 under my Thiel 2.7 speakers seemed to do some nice things, tighten up the bass, slightly clean up the sound a little. (My speakers are on a springy wood floor, covered by carpet).

I tried them under my Joseph Audio Perspectives speakers this week. The Joseph speakers are very narrow and have two blunted spikes at the back, and use outriggers on the front - a metal bar extending out past the front sides of the speaker, with blunted adjustable spikes. The idea was to completely replace those existing spikes with the Gaia. However I could not remove the spikes from the outrigger. But since they had threading at the bottom, I threaded the Gaia in to the bottom of the front spikes (so now I had spikes and the Gaia on front), and then replaced the Joseph spikes on the back of the speakers with Gaia.

This raised the speakers higher than I wanted. But it was the only way to try them at this point.

It did not work. I did kind of like the raised soundstage due to the speakers being taller now. It almost felt a bit more expansive. But other than that, the speakers sounded worse. The bass just got all bloated and overwhelming. Even tracks that never had bass problems before sounded bloated and overwarm, very "bass room node-like." And if anything the presentation felt "softened" so transients seemed a bit less dense or exciting. Yuck. Gotta take them out today.

I'm wondering what might account for the worsening of the bass response - whether it has to do with the interaction of the Gaia/spikes/floor smearing things? Or since the speakers were raised at least 2" higher, could it have nudged in to some vertical bass node in the room?

 

[fpitas]

I removed my folded fluffy towel isolation tonight and it sounds a lot better. I think having all that towel right next to the speakers was absorbing sound in a bad way. The isolation itself is probably a good thing but I need to do it without introducing a bunch of acoustic absorption in the vicinity of the speakers. That's my guess.

As I said earlier, I usually glue a piece of carpet sample under DIY speakers. Of course I only use OFC (Oxygen Free Carpet).

 

[Tim Link]

As I said earlier, I usually glue a piece of carpet sample under DIY speakers. Of course I only use OFC (Oxygen Free Carpet).

As soon as I can find some OFC I'll give that a try!

 

[Tim Link]

I've mentioned before that some Isoacoustic Gaia 2 under my Thiel 2.7 speakers seemed to do some nice things, tighten up the bass, slightly clean up the sound a little. (My speakers are on a springy wood floor, covered by carpet).

I tried them under my Joseph Audio Perspectives speakers this week. The Joseph speakers are very narrow and have two blunted spikes at the back, and use outriggers on the front - a metal bar extending out past the front sides of the speaker, with blunted adjustable spikes. The idea was to completely replace those existing spikes with the Gaia. However I could not remove the spikes from the outrigger. But since they had threading at the bottom, I threaded the Gaia in to the bottom of the front spikes (so now I had spikes and the Gaia on front), and then replaced the Joseph spikes on the back of the speakers with Gaia.

This raised the speakers higher than I wanted. But it was the only way to try them at this point.

It did not work. I did kind of like the raised soundstage due to the speakers being taller now. It almost felt a bit more expansive. But other than that, the speakers sounded worse. The bass just got all bloated and overwhelming. Even tracks that never had bass problems before sounded bloated and overwarm, very "bass room node-like." And if anything the presentation felt "softened" so transients seemed a bit less dense or exciting. Yuck. Gotta take them out today.

I'm wondering what might account for the worsening of the bass response - whether it has to do with the interaction of the Gaia/spikes/floor smearing things? Or since the speakers were raised at least 2" higher, could it have nudged in to some vertical bass node in the room?

It seems hard to predict whether isolation is going to produce a desirable effect or not. It's another thing to play with. I can only guess what might be going on with your Perspectives. I see from an old review that there's a cabinet resonance around 450hz. Maybe there's a benefit in controlling or altering that by pinning that cabinet solidly to the floor? cabinet modes

 

[Waxx]

I use simple generic rubber feet under my speakers (mostly diy) and those make a huge difference, be it on stone floors (like now) or wood floors. But those rubber feet cost like 1€/piece, not 50 or more. Those expensive ones also work (mostly), but not better than the 1€ ones. And yes, i tested some of those expensive feets and spikes. Spikes on speakers or gear do nothing special, they just keep heavy subs on their place on carpeted floors but are for the rest useless. casters do the same as rubber feet btw (because of the rubber wheels).

 

[MattHooper]

I use simple generic rubber feet under my speakers (mostly diy) and those make a huge difference, be it on stone floors (like now) or wood floors. But those rubber feet cost like 1€/piece, not 50 or more. Those expensive ones also work (mostly), but not better than the 1€ ones. And yes, i tested some of those expensive feets and spikes. Spikes on speakers or gear do nothing special, they just keep heavy subs on their place on carpeted floors but are for the rest useless. casters do the same as rubber feet btw (because of the rubber wheels).

Funny you should say that.

After the Isoacoustics didn't work out on my Joseph speakers for the heck of it I went in to throwing-spaghetti-at-the-wall to see what sticks mode.
Using good old Canadian ingenuity, I ended up with hockey pucks under the front spikes of the Joseph speakers (Gaias on the back). Sounds better!

(As I mentioned, I did find the Gaias worked better on my Thiel speakers).

 

[fpitas]

As soon as I can find some OFC I'll give that a try!

The regular carpet might work, but it's not audiophile rated.

 

[Witterings]

Thread's only a couple of weeks since last post and I've been looking at Gaia's which bought me here.

I get they cost a lot, but if they're that amazing surely EVERY speaker manufacturer would have found a way to copy their design but with minor adjustments to get round any patent to produce their own variant.

Speaker manufaturers must spend a fortune on R&D and the Gaia's (or similar copy) can probably be produced for less than £10 and it'll make their speaker sound considerablty better than any of their competitors ..... absolute no brainer unless I'm mistaken?

The fact they're not doing it makes me question if there's a snake oil element to it.

I have found someone who does home trials and says they've never had a pair returned (maybe only sold to one customer in China ... buyer pays return postage ) ... so I will try them but I have to say I'm sceptical .... but hoping for eureka.

 

[Purité Audio]

Measure with REW before and after fitting the feet, I would expect no difference in SQ whatsoever .
Keith

 

[Jojo]

Some data and thougts from "Joseph Crowes" on those feet : https://josephcrowe.com/blogs/news/iso-acoustics-gaia-iii-isolation-feet-review

 

[Purité Audio]

Intermodulation distortion at -60dB hmmm I would have preferred to see the Fr with and without the fee.
Keith

 

[NTK]

From Joseph Crowe's measurements, the Gaia moved the IMD frequencies away from the signal. It may actually have the effect of reducing the auditory masking of the IMD and made them more audible.

 

[Purité Audio]

Joseph laid his hands upon the subwoofer and he felt less vibration, that’s good enough for me, and the squiggly line diagrams explain how they work.


Much less wiggly with,


Keith

 

[Timsonchin]

Thread's only a couple of weeks since last post and I've been looking at Gaia's which bought me here.

I get they cost a lot, but if they're that amazing surely EVERY speaker manufacturer would have found a way to copy their design but with minor adjustments to get round any patent to produce their own variant.

Speaker manufaturers must spend a fortune on R&D and the Gaia's (or similar copy) can probably be produced for less than £10 and it'll make their speaker sound considerablty better than any of their competitors ..... absolute no brainer unless I'm mistaken?

The fact they're not doing it makes me question if there's a snake oil element to it.

I have found someone who does home trials and says they've never had a pair returned (maybe only sold to one customer in China ... buyer pays return postage ) ... so I will try them but I have to say I'm sceptical .... but hoping for eureka.

Had that eureka yet?

 

[Witterings]

Had that eureka yet?

I actually sent them back .... but to be fair to them, I'm getting some boom / muddiness with some tracks and hoped they'd sort it and it didn't so it's probably my placement / surroundings or maybe my speakers don't suit my room.
They did seem to give greater clarity across the board but that's not what I was concerned about and my timing wasn't great as I didn't have long to make a decision before going on holiday.

Once I've sorted the issue I have I'll definitely try them again but I don't think they're night and day difference so maybe depend how much money you have to burn whether you feel they're worth the cost.

 

[Purité Audio]

I would acoustically measure your room with REW and implement any filters it suggests, that will really work, and the only cost is an inexpensive microphone.
Keith

 

[Witterings]

I would acoustically measure your room with REW and implement any filters it suggests, that will really work, and the only cost is an inexpensive microphone.
Keith

I've got Dirac which I didn't like with my previous speakers as it took too much away (they were bass light) so I'll try that in the next few days and have a look at REW as whilst I've heard of it have never had a look at what it can do before.

 

[Thomas_A]

I actually sent them back .... but to be fair to them, I'm getting some boom / muddiness with some tracks and hoped they'd sort it and it didn't so it's probably my placement / surroundings or maybe my speakers don't suit my room.
They did seem to give greater clarity across the board but that's not what I was concerned about and my timing wasn't great as I didn't have long to make a decision before going on holiday.

Once I've sorted the issue I have I'll definitely try them again but I don't think they're night and day difference so maybe depend how much money you have to burn whether you feel they're worth the cost.

You can put some soft pads under the speakers, spending virtually nothing.

 

[Witterings]

I would acoustically measure your room with REW and implement any filters it suggests, that will really work, and the only cost is an inexpensive microphone.
Keith

When you say "implement any filters it may suggest" .... what might they be?

You can put some soft pads under the speakers, spending virtually nothing.

Any idea such as ???? I did have a post in another forum just before I went on holiday and there were multiple suggestions, the speakers are on laminate floor which is laid on screed, the middle of the room is carpeted but there's a surround on the outside which isn't and the speakers sit on that.

I have some off cut carpet I can test it with to see if it makes a difference and one person suggested putting carpet tiles underneath especially as they're down firing ports for the bass.