Isolation Feet Recommendation for Equipment Rack


I just bought a 4-tier equipment rack to set up a 2nd system. It’s not audiophile standard and comes with standard spikes. The sound quality of the system is decent with this rack but I intend to replace the spikes on the rack with something else in the near future and was wondering about the available options.

The target support weight inclusive of the rack is up to 150 lbs (on a more accurate level it's around 130lbs). Apart from the Isoacoustics Gaia, are there any other worthy options around the same price range? What about the Finite Elemente stuff such as Cerabase and Cerapuc? I have the FE Cerapuc installed on the equipment rack in the main system but did not compare the Cerapuc with anything else for the past 15 years of ownership.

I would appreciate experiences from folks who have switched from spikes to any of the "audiophile standard" isolator options on the equipment rack, going from coupling to decoupling. These isolation feet will need to bring some noticeable if not significant change or improvement to the sound quality of the system after they replaced the spikes on the equipment rack. If the difference is subtle to the point of negligible, or the sound becomes worse instead of better, I’d say forget it.
ryder

Showing 4 responses by lowrider57

There are so many other options other than Townshend. Have you looked at all the isolation and vibration control threads in the archives?


DH Cones use the principle of draining vibration from a component to a hardwood platform. My platforms float on the shelf using a gel material underneath. Sorbethane is what's commonly used. Component sits on its own island. 

@tvad 
I will buy more EVP's. The price was raised, that's what stopped me for now. A set of DH cones only set me back about $180.

Grant, are you using EVPs? 


EVP’s are fantastic. I use a set of three under my preamp. They provide isolation from vibration, add no colouration, and allow the component to open up with increased dynamics and soundstaging.

I’d like to buy more but my other components are already vibration free using DH Cones on a maple platforms.


I paid $45 per footer. They're now $90. I wanted to order four for my power conditioner and 3 for my DAC, but I'll wait til I can afford it.