IsoAcoustics GAIA

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by MGW

Thanks, rnrmf1971, presumably your Harbeths are also mounted on stands?

Yes, my Harbeth speakers came with Skylan stands which have a platform the entire speaker sits on. I decided to try Orea footers between the platform and my Harbeth 40.2 speakers.
Although going back and forth comparing wasn't convenient, I did it a few times and I think the Oreas made an improvement.
It makes me interested in the sound of the fully open design of the Ton Trager stands.

[MGW]

My Sonus Faber's are on heavy SF stands and I am interested in trying the Gaia (IIIs) in place of the spikes at the bar if the stands.

Had anyone tried this stand mount-Gaia configuration? I cannot really see how it is so much different to simply replacing the spikes on floor standees with the Gaia.

Something between the speakers and stands woukd not work overly well for thus setup or our domestic arrangements

I have been trying to get information from Isoacoustics but messages through the their contact page seem not to elicit any form of response.

[MGW]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Mike,

Regarding speaker decoupling and footers, consider all Herbie's Audio Labs "Fat Dot" series of dBNeutralizer material for placement between speaker and stand and Herbie's Decoupling Gliders for use as a footer at the bottom of the stand. I use the Decoupling Gliders under my big Dyns on carprt to very good effect. They are also very inexpensive compared to other footers.

Square Fat Dot made of dB Neutralizer material: "This firm yet loosely crosslinked material is formulated specifically for blocking mechanical soundwave energies. Wide footprint gets a good grip and provides excellent lateral stability. Each Big Fat Dot supports and isolates from five to more than 200 pounds (90kg)."


Threaded Stud Gliders. These have a Teflon base and make it easy to slide the speaker around on carpets and rugs.
"Nifty glider replaces threaded spikes or cones for loudspeaker or rack isolation and mobility with superb lateral stability. (With an efficient decoupling approach, spikes are not really needed at all.) Fiberglass reinforced dBNeutralizer-filled vinyl base with smooth polymer bottom handles virtually any weight load on bare or carpeted floor. With jam nut to lock-in height adjustment. (Superb also for use as turntable or amplifier feet.)"


FWIW, these decouplers are recommnded for speaker decoupling and footers by some setup professionals that use the Masters method.

Thanks PC.
These operate in a fundamentally different node to the Gaia. These, while I am sure that they are much better than sorbothane, seem to fall within that general category.
The Gaia, well the website is quite an interesting read ... This, combined with the reviews, is what set me looking in that direction.

[Formerly YB-2]

Just ordered four (4) of the small Dots & a pair (2) of the large Dots to place between my Canton Ref 9K monitors and the stand tops. The stands came with four (4) small rubber dots (one per corner), but I'll replace with the small Dots at each front corner and center a large Dot at the rear. I use IsoPucks under the corners of my TT and am pleased with them.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by MGW

Thanks PC.
These operate in a fundamentally different node to the Gaia. These, while I am sure that they are much better than sorbothane, seem to fall within that general category.
The Gaia, well the website is quite an interesting read ... This, combined with the reviews, is what set me looking in that direction.

No, the Herbie's Threaded Stud Gliders do not function the same manner as sorbothane.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Just ordered four (4) of the small Dots & a pair (2) of the large Dots to place between my Canton Ref 9K monitors and the stand tops. The stands came with four (4) small rubber dots (one per corner), but I'll replace with the small Dots at each front corner and center a large Dot at the rear. I use IsoPucks under the corners of my TT and am pleased with them.

Hi Glenn,
Are you referring to the Herbie's small and large Dots?

Cheers and thanks,
Stephen

[MGW]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

No, the Herbie's Threaded Stud Gliders do not function the same manner as sorbothane.

... what I was getting at was the difference between sorbothane and other items, including the threaded stud gliders, which have no preferential plane, and the Gaia, which do have a preferential plane for movement and/or vibration. This does mean that the mode of operation is fundamentally different.
It is worth reading the Isoacoustics website on the Gaia, whether the product interests you or not the science behind the Gaia is quite interesting and the approach to the engineering of the product is certainly innovative.

[Formerly YB-2]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Hi Glenn,
Are you referring to the Herbie's small and large Dots?
Cheers and thanks,
Stephen

Stephen - Yes. No adhesive. Install should be very simple. Should arrive on Friday. I'm not sure when I will have the opportunity to do some serious listening, but will report back once I do. I'm waiting a warranty part delivery and have to get that installed to get my system's 'baseline SQ' back to normal before I can make a meaningful comparison. Holiday travel starts next week for me, so may be after the New Year.

[MarSanz]

Originally Posted by baddog

Hmm, I have the Gaia footers, it's been a while so I was unaware of the Orea Series, they might be a good solution for my turntable.

Thanks!

Two weeks ago I set up a new TT, made my own wood platform and used 5 IsoAcoustics Red Bordeaux isolation discs. The dynamics are incredible not to mention a nonexistent noise floor. I highly recommend them, YMMV.

[imprezap2]

Trying the Gaia I's on my Magico V3's at the moment, still a bit on the fence result wise, losing a bit in transients (less fast and articulated) and soundstage is less deep and precise. But mids/highs are a bit smoother. Some bass heavy tracks sound better as the wooden top floor (concrete below) is quiet now.