If the Gaias are anything like the Oreas, then you want to use about 50-70% of the weight limit capacity of the footers, and not anything approaching 90%. I found that out with my Oreas.
Also, If you haven't returned them yet, do try them with some flagstone, paver, or whatever, between the carpet and the footers. Back when I just had a wooden stand for my monitors, using some flagstone that way improved the sound and it's all I used on my carpeted floor.
If not, then it's good you're happy with the sound back to where you like it. 👍
All the best,
Nonoise |
I appreciate all the suggestions. I solved the problem in a very scientific manner. I removed the Gaia’s and went back to the way I had it before with the original carpet spikes. It sounds great! It was an example of over tweaking and over thinking. |
Speaker cones should move, speaker enclosures should NOT. |
Try placing something on top of the speakers.
Wood blocks (one pound, rosewood) can help tame vibrations.
Experiment with fo.Q tape!
Once the speaker is isolated form the floor, doesn't it still
vibrate when reproducing music? |
Hi,
I have used several expensive and cheap devices for this kind of problem. My speakers are 40kg heavy and my floor is made of gres. I have found the best solution for me is the following:
A base of thick bamboo (I bought it at Ikea, but they can also be found online or in highly specialized hifi stores); then a single or double layer of 1cm cork panel (a good quality pressed cork panel); then 4 feet made with the same cork.
A variant of this system includes two layers of plastic bubble for packaging.
This is a very cheap but really effective combo.
In the past I also used a Townshend platform, different dampeners (the best being one type made for industrial machines... I don’t recall the brand name), spikes, balls, stone platforms, graphite, everything else; so please don’t think this suggestion is bad because cheap!
For my room and speakers it has been the best. |
@puppyt, No I did not have to. The footers made a huge difference with my speakers placed as is. |
I was on the same journey with isolation vs. coupling to the floor on a second story carpet over wood floor. I did several experiments, herbie's gliders, 1 3/4 inch stone with spikes, spikes through the carpet and no spikes. I was experiencing some transmission of bass through the floor and it was creating a trampoline effect of where the bass was exaggerated and some nodes were showing up. I was going down the Isolation accoustics route but did like the idea of the cups and carpet. I settled on the Townshend seismic platforms and they work really well. The bass tightened up, bigger soundstage, and the placement of the instruments are more precise. They are a spring based solution and the way they are designed don't affect the overall height of the speakers. One would thing that they may be unstable but that's not the case. They do move if you touch them but can't fall over. They have become a must have accessory especially on wood type floors rather than concrete. |
@stereo5:
Did you have to adjust speaker placement when you applied the Gaia’s? |
I am usin the GAIA II with their carpet spikes under my GE Triton Reference speakers and they really helped dial in my system. Best $700.00 I ever spent. Well worth it. |
I appreciate all of these responses. I’m going to go back to my original setup and see how that works. |
Nothing should move but the drivers (and any annoying neighbors).
Spikes for those speakers, nobody living below (over garage you said).
Soft only to prevent transfer to neighbors or prevent vibration if floor not solid.
Over a certain weight, then I like 3 wheels to easily adjust toe-in occasionally, as well as push back out of the way when more space is needed. I have a grid wood floor to help me re-position, otherwise you need some inconspicuous marks.
Your speakers, tall type, even if heavy, would be unstable on 3 wheels.
|
Using only the spikes you are coupling your speakers to the floor, while the Gaia feet decouple the speakrs from the floor.
Simply put, decoupling and raising the speakrs doesn't work in your room.
You are losing low mids and upper bass. You might want to try re-positioning your speeakers -- or simply go back to using spikes only and enjoy the music! |
I have used the Gaia’s with there own carpet spikes add on. They say that is there connection to the floor. Why would the Stillpoints be better? |
I second the Stillpoints. I'm using Ultra SS which come with carpet piercing spikes as an option for those in your situation. (Though the folks at Stillpoints will tell you that they prefer the hardhats to the spikes in this application). Plenty of threaded insert options that should work with your speakers. Not cheap but very well made and effective. |
Stillpoints Ultra Minis. I put them under my speakers and the appeared to double the value and impact. They are $750 for 6.
they use ceramic bearings instead of rubber in the Gaias. I believe speakers need solid connections to the floor.
You may be able to get a demo of the Stillpoints. And you can get them without their bases with screws directly to the speaker bases for $150 less! |
