First impressions of the Isoacoustic Gaia 1’s

Thanks @bdp24 for the reply. I understand now.

JD

Oh @seanheis1 

I did notice. 😁

Thanks @ozzy

The bumps probably add 1/2” in height  to the bottom plate, but the plate adds about 3” in the front and about 5” in width on the back and while there are currently No tubes in this system, I would still be concerned about it being more tippy.

All the best.

JD

Thanks @ozzy 

That was my thought as well. Next, do I order the Indigo pods for my amp or is there better alternatives.

JD

Thanks Oz,

 I’ll check out Critical Mass footers.

JD

@mrskeptic 

While the kit comes with three different size studs and nuts, they did not fit my KEF speakers for two different reasons. I called Isoacoustics and told them what I had and they told me I needed( 8m 1.0 long studs) and UPS dropped them on my doorstep five days later. 

All the best.

JD

Gosh, I sound like a Shill, but I guarantee all , that no one gave these to me!

JD

How much of a change should I expect to hear if I put pucks under My Hegel H390? It weighs 44 pounds so I will need 4 Orea Indigo pucks @$240. What are other options?
 

JD

@ronboco 

If you’re interested, Isoacoustics have their Gaia Titan series. Not sure of all the specifics, but I know they can fit your 220# speakers. Oh, and the carpet spikes they sell are designed for the floor you have(carpet on concrete).

All the best.

JD

I really was ready to return them and put the $1000 back on the card, but the change really was noticeable and in a good way. 

JD

@bdp24,

Following your plan would definitely save a bunch of money and I have the shop to build what I would need. I have another week on the Gaia’s, so I could go that route. @$560, that would definitely be a large savings.

Thanks for the tip.

JD

@norton ,

 I completely agree with you. I moved into a new to me home and started building a new system.  When I bought my KEF Reference 5 speakers they were to heavy to move around on the fully carpeted room with the spikes on, so I left them off. After I got them close to where I wanted them, I put on the spikes and didn’t hear much of a change.  I had some sample blocks of hardwood flooring and I put them under the spikes and I heard a difference, things opened up and the bass was a little clearer.  I then got some pieces of granite countertop and put the spiked speakers on the granite without the wood samples and again I heard a difference. So with a money back if I didn’t like sale I tried the Gaia 1’s on the granite countertop pieces and and I am really impressed!  The speakers are the same and so is the amp. Neither were updated in any way.

All the best

JD

@mrskeptic 

The bottom of the stud is a standard 12 mm with a notch on either side to tighten it into the foot.  Do you know anyone who knows how to weld? You can get a foot of the 12m and 1/4 20 all thread from Granger or Fastenal and for just a few bucks you can make your own.

All the best.

JD

@ozzy 

The Reference 5’s have a heavy steel plate bolted to the bottom with small bumps where the spikes screw in. If I got the Townsend Platforms, would I remove my steel plate and sit it on their steel plate?  Does the Townsend platform screw into the holes formerly used by the spikes?

Thanks.

JD

@bdp24 

“@curtousjim: No, the Townshend Podium does not screw into the holes of ANY loudspeaker or it's bottom plate. The Podium is just a metal plate with Pods bolted onto it. If you want to keep the Reference 5's bottom plate (I would), just install a set of Pods in place of stock spikes. You COULD remove the stock plate and set the now-baseless”
 

So are you saying I would need pods and the podiums?

That seems like major overkill to me.

JD

@seanheis1 

On my KEF’s,  the Gaia’s raise the speakers maybe half an inch higher than the spikes.  With the dispersion of the tweeters, I’m not sure there’s going to be much change in the sound.

JD

@holes3 

Billion and billions!

@phillyb 

If the KEF’s were on Hardwood or similar flooring, I’d tend to agree with you, but we’re talking carpet and pad that seems to suck the life out of them. I started without anything but the plate, then to spikes (no difference) then spikes on blocks(little difference) then spikes on one inch granite (noticeable difference) and now the Gaia’s with a big difference! By the time the granite sunk into the carpet everything is about 1 1/4-1 1/2” higher. 
 

It’s still a work in progress.

JD

@celtic66 

What do you have under your carpet and I’m guessing pad? I have oak hardwood and was told that the way the spikes work is by going through everything until it hits solid. When I asked about possible damage, the answers were all over the map. I couldn’t see how they couldn’t do damage to my floor, so I came up with an alternative.

All the best.

JD