Magico Pods vs Townshend Seismic Platforms

I may be an outlier here but I have tried isolation platforms under my speakers, more than one pair, and can't say that I have ever heard a noticeable improvement in sound.  For me, it has always begged the question, if putting your speakers on platforms was the way to go, then why don't all the high end speakers come with isolation platforms from the factory?   You spend $50,000 on a set of speakers but they don't really sound their best until you spend another $5000 on a pair of Townsend Platforms?  How much of our hobby is science and how much is just Kool Aid?  Fair to say in this hobby, you'll never go thirsty. 🤣

@bigtwin 

Great question. I do not understand why a speaker costing many tens of thousands sounds so much better with Townshend Podiums, they just do for the vast majority of people. It is because of the vibration isolation and reduction. But that is as far as I can tell.

Why don't speaker manufacturers incorporate them... another good question. However, if you measure or watch the video on Townshend's site you can see the difference in vibration. 

I actually started my most recent investigation into vibration by installing and seismograph in my home (on the same slab of concrete as are my speakers) and the vibrations are very surprising and consistent with changes in sound quality at night and on weekends. Also, I can see the effects vibrations transmitted to the speakers and the dampening of the Townshend podiums. I can hear the very obvious improvement. So, at least for me not Kool Aid. 

I may be an outlier here but I have tried isolation platforms under my speakers, more than one pair, and can't say that I have ever heard a noticeable improvement in sound.  For me, it has always begged the question, if putting your speakers on platforms was the way to go, then why don't all the high end speakers come with isolation platforms from the factory? 

@bigtwin  I share your skepticism. Haven't tried the Townshends to be fair, but have tried ISOAcoustics Gaias - and it was simply a waste of time & money, here. Makes it hard to move speakers around, too. Others rave about them - especially  paired to my Tannoys. I now use Herbie's gliders on some of my sets - not for sound quality improvements (becasue there is none I discern) but for the great convenience of being able to slide speakers easily. 

But to each their own - I engage in many aspects of this hobby that read like pure Kool-aid / Snake Oil to many others.

Magico Pods retail for $1950 per their website. https://store.magicoaudio.com/pod/magico-a-pod

You would think a company like Magico would be testing different footers and the like isolation devices. I'd be sticking with the M pods myself

 Put your $$$ maybe into a new power cord. I'm saving up for the Furutech Project V1, once heard I can't get the sound out of my memory and at my age that's no small feat.

You spend $50,000 on a set of speakers but they don't really sound their best until you spend another $5000 on a pair of Townsend Platforms?  How much of our hobby is science and how much is just Kool Aid?  Fair to say in this hobby, you'll never go thirsty. 🤣

The JBL Project K2-S9500 Introduced in 1989 cost $30000, a pair new and came with concrete platforms. I guess it depends on what speakers you buy and the manufacturer! See here.

Mike