Boy, Oh Boy! Towshend!

I'd be very surprised if Focal had used Townshend products, and be even more surprised if in Europe where they make and sell a lot of Focals, that someone hadn't purchased the exact model of your speakers and used Townshend under them.

I would email Townshend Audio and ask them if they have any feedback from customers who use your speakers.

Depending on your subs, disconnecting the RCA connections, or power will suffice. It's just to stop them vibrating the room and undoing all the good isolation Townshend will provide. Then put the subs on isolation if it works.

Speaker bars where you already bolt the feet under your Focals, that's what I'd do first. No modifications to the speakers, and stability for safety of the speakers, should be a great way to start off.

@rixthetrick
Thanks. Good idea. I also emailed my contact at Focal and asked for his thoughts.
As a curiousity, I downloaded the Hamm Seismograph app from Google Play. Figured I'd try what they did at Townshend. One think about those videos, I'm worried that if someone accidentally bumped hard into my speakers, they'd tip over!

Is turning a subs volume all the way to 0 the same as turning the sub off? Or by leaving the sub on even with no volume, its crossovers get in the way of the floor stading speakers crossovers? Or maybe the crossovers are set in stone in my Classe processor....

In any case, just goofing around. I'll do some more legwork. I appreciate your feedback.

@vinylshadow - Contact Townshend and ask them about their return policy, ask them about results on your particular model speakers, by customers.

I suspect the only people who could honestly answer that with any authority are those who have actually done it with your model speakers, which I have not.

Townshend Audio make a well engineered product, by most accounts many speakers like yours have had significant and impressive step up in performance. I cannot tell you with absolute certainty, or express experience with your speakers, to do so would be conjecture. And I don't know what your expectations are for that matter.
I'm not trying to be obtuse or combative, just trying to be forthright.

If it is in your budget, based upon my experience with isolation, it is a worthy investment with high reward to risk ratio.
Placing yourself in a situation where you can back out of the experiment with nominal risk (return policy in place) for your due diligence, would be advisable.

At an educated guess, I think trying the two main speakers, with the subs off just to determine if it's going to be a winner, will have you very impressed. Again, at a guess.

@rixthetrick

Thanks again...My center channel speaker is only playing during 5.1. In 2 channel, it is silent. And yes, it must stay there.

The largest bass driver is the Sub with the spikes in the left corner. It has a corner bass trap behind it. Plus there are 3 GIK Acoustic panels above the couch on the back wall.

The stand is covered in an inert, matte finish. The turntables sit on MDF wood plates decoupled, but epoxied, to the rack.

The rug, I don't know. I was advised to put one there vs. having bare tile. There are no vibrations in the room, which is 36' long, 12' deep and 24' high. The acoustics in the room were pretty good even before I added the GIK panels.

The glass table, I'm not sure, but you might be on to something there. I keep stuff on the table to diffuse but it still is glass.

I guess I circle back to my original question. Will Townshend isolation products make an appreciable and remarkeable enough difference to justify its cost. Esp the ones under my 140 pound speakers.

Putting Nobsound springs under the Basis t.t. pods and Vertere MG-1's feet, that would be an inexpensive try but I'd be a bit afraid of instability, esp. under the very expensive Vertere MG-1.
But I am curious vs an expensive isolation platform.

@pindac
I have three Japanese drumming CDs, and one in particular that I enjoy (Yakudo - Japanese Drums) which is more traditional sounding and organic of the three.

Isolation has proved to provide a fast articulate bass from my stand mounts, where the timbre and speed produced are more convincing to my mind of drums I have heard at live events. I used to regularly social dance to Latin music, at venues where live artists played.

The tone of the drum and the skin used over the drum frame are very clear and have such character, just as singers voices vary so much, the drums have their own timbre.

I had this discussion with another Agon member yesterday, we spoke about how as we refined our systems we can enjoy them at lower listening levels. I suggested that as the distortion was removed each step of our upgrades, for example for me power conditioning, the information in the sound produced was all still there at lower listening levels.
We enjoy listening at lower levels, also lowering distortion, because the noise floor and unwanted reflected energies were sufficiently removed as a process we were engaged in, because we didn't lose audible information at lower levels.
Not unlike listening later in the evening where both outside noises drop off and the air seems cooler and settles.

Some perceive that there is a lesser bass with isolation techniques implemented. The drivers are moving as they were before, however the resulting energies that deform the speaker cabinet will be attenuated to the point where the energies aren't transferred through the substrate.

The muddiness you refer to detracts from everything else, just as you said.
With isolation correctly implemented it's like to room boundaries are opened up, as the very walls themselves are decoupled from the bass.

Playing bass rich music at higher levels (let's face it, Rock music requires some ooomph to really get you there) where you cannot feel vibrations through your feet, through the chair you're sitting on, it's very different the first time you experience it. The resulting sound information that can be discerned is the pay off. 

Yes pindac, seems my ears favor that which you discuss, also.

What is quite important and a factor to put into the to discussion is a persons sensitivities to a unclean Bass Note.
By Unclean I mean my perception of unclean.
A Note that is not fast and is quick to decay and does not seem to be coloured, but a Bass Note that has a overpowering presence and lingers, at times not seeming to decay and finish as a note, but blend into the next.  

Again I speak from my own personnal experiences gathered over the years.
I am Bass Sensitive and I live with this as a inherent part of my make up.
If I am at a live music event, the quality of the Bass from a PA can detract my attention from every thing else.
I ’from pre covid times’ find when I am at a live event, especially where there are multiple stages and Bands to be heard, my preference is to select the Bands that have a very tight bass line and clean decay and not the ones with a boom and very smeared decay that dominates the music presentation.
The more the Bass is becoming Bass and Dub the more I lose sight of the other areas of a performance.
My mind accepts the antithesis of Bass and Dub as a category of being the most honest.

In a HiFi system, the Clean Bass Note and clean decay is the most welcome and again in my mind the most honest rendition.

I listen to many systems and have just began to be able to enjoy this activity once more.
I have learnt through this undertaking that an individual has their very unique tolerance for different frequencies being produced.
A good friend is Valve Amp and Horn Speaker orientated, I know just how unattractive the Bass is to myself through this system, and I have always been drawn from other attributes as the Bass has been a detractor and pulled a lot of my focus from sharing in the pleasure to be had from the whole of the frequency range.

I took a pair of Quad ESL 57’s to this home and put these on in place of the Horn Speakers.
To my ears the wonderful Upper Mid’s and Highs were a perfect marriage for the Valve Amp’s.
The Bass was lean and airy, which decayed with noticeable shimmering, that ot me was a sheer delight at times.
The Systems owner was quite keen to end the demonstration and get back to the Horns.

It really is a Personnal perspective and very individual, as to how much presence a frequency should have in a presentation.
In a nutshell ’ Horses for Courses’. 

My previous posts have all been relative to building structures to support equipment to move toward a Bass that satisfies myself only.
Another set of ears might just revere in the colouration offered from the system if there was a deconstruction of my supports being demonstrated.

mijostyn wrote

The problem is your floor resonates which is what muddies the bass. Back when I was installing systems (a long time ago) we hung speakers from the ceiling on chains or cables. I really do not think that work particularly well. Instead of muddy bass we got no bass. Things like bass drum impacts disappeared. The real solution is a sturdier floor which is only possible if the floor is open below.

This is an issue with floor joists and second story wooden framed homes, I have been suggesting for quite some time to pre-load the substrate using a very heavy mass under the speakers. Spanning joists if possible, as they are engineered for load bearing. The obvious issue is having something shallow enough to not raise the speakers too much. The extra mass aught to somewhat alleviate the floor movement, and the extra mass will help to deform the springs, using Newton’s laws of motion. Almost the more practicable mass the better. The entire goal is for transient energies to deform the springs, rather than transfer energy where these energies will infiltrate into other items such as the other speaker, the rack, the walls etc.

@vinylshadow

I wonder if any of you have an opinion on any significant benefit of putting isolation platters under suspended tables on an immobile rack.

Your rigid heavy rack should certainly help, however your center speaker (yes I saw the photos, thanks) will be a localised source of energies to excite the stand, and everything on it.

Also, I have 140 pound JM Lab Mezzo Utopia speakers each on 4 fat spikes/metal discs with felt bottoms on tile which is on top of the concrete foundation.
They sound fantastic but I don’t know if they could sound better with different Townshend isolation bars/podiums...Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks.

It is my best guess (I have not had to contend with your exact situation, the following is based upon observations and my brand of logic).

If you isolate all of your speakers, particularly the center speaker and those with the largest bass drivers (I haven’t seen your entire system). This will probably be the best solution, as a first matter of isolation. Mitigate at the source of the vibrations, rather than implement control measures at critical component level, is my methodology.

Possibly better would be to remove the center channel speaker and have it on it’s own stand, I’m guessing that may not be practical though?

Personally, it is my opinion that it is after the speaker isolation is primarily resolved (that center channel for sure), that your TT should be addressed. Because instead of eliminating the vibrations into your TT through the stand, you’d be making efforts to transform energies leaving your speakers via springs (it needs to be a broad spectrum of frequencies you can attenuate), from even entering the stand and everything else on it. Concrete floor, is better for isolation than peer and beam, you are already ahead in the game.

** Thoughts: The rug could be bigger to deal with first reflections, and does that glass table get some reflections bounce off of it?
If you absolutely cannot live without it, maybe drop something over it during critical listening or a movie that is special?
Possibly try it and see if it even makes a difference?? You can tell me to pull my head in, I’m just making observations.

@pindac - thanks :-)

@rixthetrick
I am home from todays social get together with Friends meeting and HiFi at the centre.
I made a mistake about the Electrostatics, the Footers are not the Gaia model but the IsoAcoustic Pods.
The Gaias are under the SP10R.
My HiFi Racks are now seated on a 1100mm X 750mm X 12mm (43" x 29" x 1/2") Steel Plate.
The Base Plate has Two Footers of Granite 1000mm x 100mm x 150mm (39x4x6), with a Hard Foam Board and a Rubber to separate the steel from the granite.
This is the only place I have used Steel Plate on the System.
I know of a German Forum Member who has access to extremely expensive HiFi Devices and he uses 40mm Thick Stainless Steel Plinths under his SUT’s.
The Anti Vibration Material is a Industial Material and I was given it by the Company Installing it.
The Manager informed me it is regularly installed by them when sensitve equipment is to be used in rooms, in this case Laboratories.
I took a selection of Slabs, ranging from 100mm, 75mm and 30mm.
I used these from a Single layer and built up to the 500mm.
As said as soon as the Amp’s were supported the improvement was quite noticeable.
The 500mm Height was produced as the Amp’s started to look a little more attractive when elevated and at near eye level.
I will get the Brand name of the Product as the Company that uses it are
still met regularly.

@rixthetrick

Thanks but I wasn’t able to figure that out.
But if you go to imgur dot com slash a slash FEI0zPQ pics are on im gur.
If you are able to, you’ll see the 300 pound Sound Anchors rack and the Basis turntable. But I’m adding a 2nd to the left of the center speaker.
Then you can see 1 of my speakers on the spikes/disc and a Rowland Model 12 behind it. Also on a spiked Sound Anchors amp stand.
Hope that helps!

@vinylshadow - if you can, post a picture of those items you are specifically talking about on a system page. Something about a picture says a thousand words... I’m not even suggesting your whole system if it’s an issue, just that which you are enquiring about.

Using the same type of Isolation that has been used under a Shelve/Sub Plinth and used as footer separating a Device from the Shelve/Sub Plinth Material has shown more meaningful and noticeable changes to a Devices performance.

Yes!

I also trial with Tiers of materials to produce a Shelve/Sub Plinth and MDF has not found its way as go to material in these permutations either.
It has been a long time since MDF has been trialed so I can’t quite recollect why it was not desired, but any material that I perceive as
Bass Heavy Footed is rejected by myself, as this in my mind is smearing the details and suppressing the Mid’s to Highs of the frequency range.

MDF laminated to steel plate - ever try that? It’s good. HDF laminated to steel plate, is even better.

I have produced a Sub Plinth, that consists of a Material used under Laboritory Floors to absorb Micro Vibrations, this is Multi Tiered and has produced two Piers to a Height of 500mm.

I don’t care if you PM me with it, I just have to learn what it is ... please??

Starting the experimentation is the key, finding a material of permutation of materials that are perceived as a time well spent and a noticeable improvement over the previous used will be the reward.

Great post!

Your experiment correlate with mine to some degree...

I used what i called a "sandwich" under my speakers which are on my desk and the same sandwich with dac and amplifier...

Quartz feet,granite plate,sorbothane in between, another granite plate, cork plate, bamboo plate...

This improve the sound quality...

BUT,

It was not enough....And i was not conscious of what was missing..... 😊

I used then 2 set of 4 boxes springs, one set of 4 under the speaker over the sandwich, another set over the speaker, under a fine tuned damping load of concrete ( 78 pounds)...
The essential point is the application of a dyssimetric compressive force between the 2 sets of springs which are then compressed with a different load....This decrease the negative effect of resonance of the rectangular enclosure....I was inspired by the " building tuned mass damping" principle....


Results : Amazing....On all acoustic count, timbre, bass, high frequencies....

Cost: under 100 bucks....

I had another idea about this to improve it , i must wait for another experiment in the week to come....


I dont think that those who cannot afford costly method must renounce isolation.... Isolation control is mandatory....

From My Experience and these following comments are from a personnal view point.
Not using a Turntable Support as an example, as there are major benefits to be discovered from using permutations of Isolation/Support under one.

A Isolation Placed Under a Shelf/Sub Plinth on a Rack has not changed anything to the point it is recognised as a noticeable improvement.
From recollection the use of the Isolation might alter the perception of the way the device is presenting, but this could also be imaginary.
Using the same type of Isolation that has been used under a Shelve/Sub Plinth and used as footer separating a Device from the Shelve/Sub Plinth Material has shown more meaningful and noticeable changes to a Devices performance.
A delivery can be perceived as ranging from Bass is Light Footed to Bass is Heavy Footed, depending on the Footer Material and Design.
I try and keep these types of footers not too complicated as design and a affirdable to source material.
When a Footer is discovered that is seemingly adding a value to a device being used, I will then use this footer under the Shelve/ Sub Plinth as a measure of a self satisfaction, whether needed or not.

I have trialed with different Shelves/Sub Plinth Materials and MDF has not been a preferred material.
I also trial with Tiers of materials to produce a Shelve/Sub Plinth and MDF has not found its way as go to material in these permutations either. 
It has been a long time since MDF has been trialed so I can't quite recollect why it was not desired, but any material that I perceive as
Bass Heavy Footed is rejected by myself, as this in my mind is smearing the details and suppressing the Mid's to Highs of the frequency range.

Most of my Shelves/Sub Plinths have a Granite in use as one of the Tiers.
Different Densities of Foam are regularly used as well and a Cork Pad that will usually be found as separater of the the materials from the Supporting Frame and be used under a device as the footer. 

After various Permutations of Materials to used to support my Mono Block Amp's.
I have produced a Sub Plinth, that consists of a Material used under Laboritory Floors to absorb Micro Vibrations, this is Multi Tiered and has produced two Piers to a Height of 500mm.
Sitting on the Pier Material is a Granite Lintel that weighs in at 250Kg (550lb)
Seated on the Granite Lintel that Bridges onto the Two Piers is a Layer of Hard Foam which offers a resistance to being compressed, as well as a Layer of a Highly Compressed Foam Board which has structural. properties.
The diffference of the perception of the Amp's presentation when lifted from the Floor on a Sub Plinth to the seating on the Granite is immeasurable, it was a instant WOW!.
The fine tuning with the Foams as the final tiers in the permutation was more of the obsessive personality than essential, but the Foam Board is my go to material as much as Granite in a Sub Plinth that has additional tiers.

My Hifi Racks Rigid Frames and all the Shelves are with a Granite as a minimum sitting on a Cork Pad.
This Rack was a few years ago seated onto a Purpose Produced Sub Plinth Support.
Again this added treatment was perceived to have produced a small improvement, but most importantly it gave a reassurance and future endevours are starting from the best base. 

Starting the experimentation is the key, finding a material of permutation of materials that are perceived as a time well spent and a noticeable improvement over the previous used will be the reward.  

    

I wouldn't mind advice for my situation.I have a 300 pound Sound Anchors rack. It is solid steel bars filled with sand. With spikes and discs on each corner.
On top of the rack will be a Basis 2001 with silicone filled suspension pods(allows the table to shimmy if touched) and a Vertere Acoustics MG-1 with its own suspenion system. Both on MDF wood planks that seat within the rack...
I used to have a Townshend Seismic Sink under the Basis but the air bladder blew out. Twice. But I'm not certain how much benefit the table received from it. 1, due to its own suspension and 2, the Sound Anchors immobile rack. The rack is unaffected by footfalls or anything.
I wonder if any of you have an opinion on any significant benefit of putting isolation platters under suspended tables on an immobile rack.
Also, I have 140 pound JM Lab Mezzo Utopia speakers each on 4 fat spikes/metal discs with felt bottoms on tile which is on top of the concrete foundation.
They sound fantastic but I don't know if they could sound better with different Townshend isolation bars/podiums...Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks.

@rixthetrick 
                    I've been making variuos types of Isolation available to be used by Audio Minded friends for a good period of time.
It was the AT 616's used on a friends speakers that sealed the idea of his acquiring Towsend Skids and shorly after Towsend Plinths.

It is my loan of Solid Tech Feet of Silence that was the motivation for another group of friends to attempt to find a Footer that offered a similar effect. 
That is how the GAIA's become used within the group as the progressive search led to these and they are highly rated.
The use of these under the Electrostatics is an extension of the investigations, and the results from the time of the trials are reported as being a noticeable improvement.
I am to visit the Speaker Owner tomorrow, I will make further inquiries about the effects.
SolidTech 'FOS' are great footers and I have seen very impressed peaple as well as myself when used under a TT.
One friend built his own Sub Plinth using the design concept, sort of like a SME TT Hybrid design.
I know it was also upgraded as a design so that a attachment point for the O Rings could be used to add additional rings, to allow exta weight to be supported if need be.
                        
                   
 

Townshend seismic platform under my turntable was an incredible improvement. Just be sure to match the weight to the podium version selected. Doesn't remove footfalls however. To do that, I had to put my table on a wall mounted shelf. The improvement even without the shelf was so significant that I was willing to live with the footfalls and use the platform.

I also use Symposium products under my speakers, amp and phono stage and noticed nice improvements there as well. They clean up noise. The advantage to them is that they drain nose internal to a component and isolate it. That's why I like it for speakers. They make platforms with multicomponent levels and roller blocks that isolate by making the boxes float.  

Remember though, proper isolation does not "add" anything, it removes the bad and lets the good come through. So, if you have a well isolated set up, rack or whatever, the improvement may be less. 

How about filling the stands with cat litter ? An inexpensive solution.

@pindac - I am wondering if the Quads 2912 do benefit from isolation?
They don’t appear to have a conventional bass driver? I am happy to read of your experience, and acknowledge that I have never heard an electrostatic panel on isolation of any kind.

An example of probably not needed is electrostatic panel speakers for example, well unless it has a sub built in, or dipole speakers...etc.RixTheTrick

The above comment was based on discussions in previous threads on spring isolation of which I have always been outspokenly pro-isolation on speakers and equipment since joining Agon.

Everything in my system is isolated on some sort of spring system, I am actively pro Townshend, and many in here know that I have also named Sweden’s SolidTech, great looking and by all accounts I’ve read, effective isolation. ( I haven’t had opportunity to hear or use them yet)

Oh, I have heard stand mount speakers on the Townshend Audio bars, just simply transformative. This is why I am so very much into isolation, and I have isolation on everything.

Townshend Pods under my TT (thanks for the tip @millercarbon ) and the difference is quite noticeable. I have another TT with the AT-636 as feet and (even though that plinth is much less mass) I feel that TT picks up more vibration and occasional footfalls when my kid dances. I need to try them vice versa but I'm 100% sold on the pods for under a TT regardless.

In US, you can contact dan at info@ear-usa.com.  They are the US distributor for Townshend.

@arafiq 

@arthur1260
I have the Townshend podiums under my Tontrager stands where sits my Harbeth 40.2’s.  Zero issues. Totally secure.  Insane improvement in my room. 

I met Max Townshend at the Premium XFi show in Holland where he had a demo going on 2 pairs of identical speakers, one pair mounted on his platforms and the other pair on spikes adjusted to equal the heights, it was impressive. Basically he is isolating the speakers from mini seismic tremors (his explanation)

Equally as impressive was the demo of his super-tweeter. Adding the device improved more than just the very high frequencies. It was producing the upper harmonics of all instruments allowing them to sound more real.

A lot of you will be shouting ’but I can only hear up to 14Khz’. Well it doesn’t work that way. The harmonics contain much of the spatial information and provides clues to the performers relative position. If you hear an instrument that has had the harmonics removed you will be listening to a pure sine wave. Does not matter if it is a sax or guitar, if they are both playing middle C for example what you will get is a pure tone at about 262Hz. Now when the harmonics are present you are able to identify the instrument and it follows that the more faithfully and completely the harmonics are produced the more a piano will sound like a piano. It’s quite uncanny when heard.

Taking cognisance of the above it will be easier to understand why room treatment is so important. If all this info is left to bounce around the room unhindered the very fine detail (harmonics) is just a jumble, confusing the imaging and making it harder to identify vocals and instruments.

OP, I apologise for going off track but Townshend’s name triggered my memory.

I had a customer who made me some Harleyish floorboard inserts out of medium-hard rubber.  They work perfectly on my tile over concrete floor.  All equipment is next door in the ex-laundry room, with its two 110 volt 30 amp (10 gauge) outlets, converted from a 30 amp 220 volt dryer outlet.This solved several problems:  Plenty of reserve amperage from the two circuits, resonance to the electronics, clutter in the listening areas, and hiding and routing dozens of interconnects between the two preamps, three amps, three tuners, CD player, head amp, turntable, sub crossover,etc.  Cost: Under $100 for two outlets, 2 110v breakers, and two more outlet plates for the speaker wire holes on the wall.

Speaker spikes are useless. Vibration is not limited by the small surface at the tip of the spike; it pass through regardless. And massive platforms don't help; low vibrations pass easily through all large surfaces. Concrete floors are not "vibration absorbers" and this is not like grounding a signal. The energy must be redirected through an effective isolator. 

The manufacturing industry has dealt with vibration for decades, using springs and ball bearings for vibration control of large machinery. While the scale is much smaller with audio equipment, the principles of physics apply equally. As a result, you see the most effective (and most expensive) premium isolation products apply either or both of these approaches.

As for Electrostatics not needing the benefits of Supension Isolation.
Within my local HiFI Group .
There was a investigation to try and find Isolation Footers that work offering a comaparable impression to my SolidTech 'Feet of Silence' and Audio Technica  'AT- 616'.

The lesser value choices were experiened up to IsoAcoustic Gaia Models.
The Gaia's got the vote for use under TT's and a set og Gaia's eventually ended up under a group members Quad 2912 Electrostatic Speakers.

I am due to listen to these speakers on the upcoming weekend, it will be my the first time in almost a year listening to this system. 
 

@rixthetrick yes exactly, filled with quartz sand.
@millercarbon thanks, will check them

@mijostyn
Yes the kick drum is punchier, I can feel / sense the strike of the petal.  Toms too.  Upright and electric bass also much more "live".  Yes I have bouncy suspended floors.  Before I got the Nob Sound springs under my turntable, I would need to sneak up on it to not activate the suspension.  

The problem is your floor resonates which is what muddies the bass. Back when I was installing systems (a long time ago) we hung speakers from the ceiling on chains or cables. I really do not think that work particularly well. Instead of muddy bass we got no bass. Things like bass drum impacts disappeared. The real solution is a sturdier floor which is only possible if the floor is open below. I have not heard Townsend products in use but it seems you are happy with the results which is all that counts. Do kick drums come through correctly? 

Jaguar audio design in Seattle Washington sells Townsend products.

Any thoughts? I was thinking to use the same under my turntable, it sits on 3 spikes as well, with small washer like metal rings underneath.

For under a turntable? Anything around that price I would go for Nobsound, they will be way better than those cork-rubber things. And for a lot less. Nobsound are about $30/set of 4, the cork is 4X the price and I bet not even as good. Get both and compare. Pods are in another world performance-wise, but also cost-wise, so try Nobsound first.

I used Nobsound under mine. Was using BDR before that and springs were a big improvement. So seriously doubt there are any cones or spikes you can put your turntable on that will be as good as a spring. At least until you get up into Townshend territory. Nobsound are on Amazon and the same thing is sold under different names, slightly different appearance, but the same springs. Have seen versions priced as low as $25/set of 4.

TonTräger stands look good.

@arthur1260 - these? SS-6 | Vintage Hi-Fi Speaker Stands

Thanks all for the great feedback. It seems I’m better off trying some damped spike bottoms, was looking into these as they are nearby and fairly priced: https://www.bfly-audio.de/en/produkte/produkte-unterlegscheiben.html
Any thoughts? I was thinking to use the same under my turntable, it sits on 3 spikes as well, with small washer like metal rings underneath.

I Took Audio Technica AT 616 to a friends who was contemplating the use of Townsend Plinths under his Floor Standing Speakers.

The affect on the presenttion was quite noticeable and as said the Bass had become tighter and the notes more defined.

My friend then went on to trial Townsend Sleds and now has a Plinth for the Speakers.

I have taken my ESL Speakers out of use and have been using Floor Standing Speakers for approx' 6 Months.

I have worked through permutations of Isolation, Starting with Spikes only and through to Two Teirs of Sub Plinth, trying out different materials for a Teir.
The AT 616 were introduced at teh stage of using a Sub Plinth and through the comparisons undertaken have proved their value and have a taken up a permanent place upun a Two Teir Sub Plinth assembly.

The last trial in my mind that can be done is a upward facing spike between speaker and AT 616. 
No rush for this one to be carried out.

The Top of the Speakers each have Metal Weights rested on them with 1/8" Cork Pads as Separaters.
The Weights were increased in increments upto 12lb (6Kg).
The initial addition of a  5lb Weight and the movement of it around the Top of the Speaker found a position that added a noticeable 'if small' improvement to the detailing.
Adding weight when the seating position for the weight was discovered, was perceived as underpining the improvement to the detail retrievel that was already noticed.
I have a personnal listening room so aesthetics are not too important,
weights added to the Top of Cabinet are in my view worthwhile as a invesigation.
Whether it is as ubiquiitous at producing the good impressions suspension footers can make will require further feedback from other Speaker Owners to confirm. 

I had the same experience. Following @millercarbon’s advice a few weeks ago, I got some Townshend podiums under my Tannoy Kensingtons. Wow. The soundstage became very crisp, tight bass and much better clarity of the sound. Really good investment.  Thanks millercarbon!  Now I don’t believe any of the things they say about you🤣

I am the biggest skeptic when it comes to tweaks.  I own the Podiums for my second story speakers on a suspended wood subfloor.  Tried spikes, no spikes stone with spikes and other isolation techniques.  The Townshend podiums worked the best for me.  I do think it's an essential component for this type of application.  Not sure what the impact would be on a solid concrete floor.  Just for another twist, I also enjoy the Synergistic Research HFT's in various combinations.  However, I have been a critic of their fuses since in my system they blow at the rated amps.  As always your experience may differ.

OMG Rick and F1 cars are only 200 mph, the speed of sound is 761 mph, krikey! you're right they should totally be tethered!

facten, bdp24, appreciate the info. Sounds do-able after all.

Last I heard Sound Advice in Long Beach, California is Townshend Audio's U.S.A. distributor (as well as that of EAR-Yoshino and Helius Designs, both, like Townshend, UK companies), but that was a few years ago.

Finding Sound Advice's Dan Meinwald to pretty pretty useless, I contacted John directly. All my Seismic Pods have come from John (his Townshend Audio relative Mary does the product packing and shipping), and as everyone else has said, he is fantastic to buy from. 

My Townshend turntable isolation platform will be delivered tomorrow. John is fantastic to work with. For those who might worry about the overseas wait...don’t. I ordered it less than a week ago and it is here.

@arthur1260 - scratch the idea of using open cell foam on the front of your stands, I just tried it with 4" foam from the floor to base of speakers, it didn’t make any noticeable difference. And my stands when I rap my knuckles on them they ring a little.

Mapman is correct, experimentation isn’t going to cost you much to get an idea if it’s going to benefit you or not. The Townshend products have been developed over decades of experience, and rarely don’t improve the sound of speakers in my experience, and many reports here in Agon. An example of probably not needed is electrostatic panel speakers for example, well unless it has a sub built in, or dipole speakers...etc.

Many of us have been trying to get the word out, because we want others to get a the benefits of isolation technology. There’s plenty of threads where isolation is used on all types of devices, the greatest improvement across the board, seems to be speakers, it affects both the analog and digital crowd.

And millercarbon, before you go there about analog - Anti-NIKE
Just Don’t Do IT! hahahahaha

Speakers safety-wired, like the hood on a Mustang.

F1 cars have wheel tethers, pretty cool safety feature.


+1 ozzy oi oi oi - sorry I just had to

rixthetrick,
Yes that is the post.

ozzy

Lots of things work to isolate speakers and make a big difference in sound when needed (not always needed). It’s not rocket science and need not cost a fortune.

It is pretty crazy watching my 125 lb 20"x30" Belles float. When I touch them they move like a suspended turntable. It would make me nervous if they were on stands. Definitely want to secure them.

That I would like to see. Speakers safety-wired, like the hood on a Mustang. Way cool.

@hickamore - No US dealer you have to order direct from Townshend and they ship from the UK

ozzy - this one?
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/townshend-seismic-isolation-podium-platform-review?highlight=...

Check out my Townshend Platform review in the members review section.

ozzy

@pack66184 - why? Because they actually work?

Does Townshend have a USA dealer for the seismic isolation bars? Everything I see is UK.