Never tried or heard of the Revopod, but with my Focal Sopra 2's I found the Townshend Podium #3 to be wayyy better than the Gaia 1's. They really transformed the sound quality i.e. bass and soundstage quality.
Highly recommended.
Ozzy
Revopod vs IsoAcoustics Gaia 1's
I presently have my Focal Sopra II’s sitting on Iso Acoutics Gaia 1 speaker isolation feet. I have been trying to do some research on the possibility of replacing the Gaia 1’s with the Revopods. Has anyone on here compared those 2 products to find out which is better? I have been thinking of trying a set of the Revopods which I can get at a 25 percent discount until the end of the year. Even with the discount, the investment would be nothing to sneeze at, plus I am skeptical as to whether or not that investment would be worth it. If anyone has any experience with the 2 different products, good or bad, I would like to hear about it. Or if you think there is a better product out there, please share that also. Thanks
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+1 @ozzy on Townshend. The reviews on their Seismic products are consistently and incredibly positive — rare for any products much less those in the “tweaky” realm — and I wouldn’t make any purchase in this category without at least considering them. Best of luck. |
When you set up your Sopra's do you level the base of the speaker or the top? When I first got mine I leveled the base of the speaker which caused the mid-range driver to be pointed downward, as a result the soundstage sounded like the musicians were sitting down. I lived with them for a short while like this, then decided to level the tops of the speakers to see if that helped, as a result that did help, so now the sounds comes from someone standing instead of sitting. I had to make some longer studs to go into the front Gaia's in order to accomplish that. The only problem with leveling the tops of the speakers is now the base of the speaker it tilted backwards quite a bit, the front of the speaker base is around 5 inches above the floor while the back of it is only around 2.5 inches above the floor. I never really thought about that until now after looking at the Townshend podiums, the way they are built I don't think I would be able to get the top of the speaker level. I don't know, maybe I am doing something wrong but the sound is good with them sitting like that. |
That is what I started out with, but in my room it drove me crazy that everyone sounded like they were sitting down, only after tilting them backwards the sound changed to a more realistic sound stage with performers standing. And yes they were difficult to level by the top, as I said I had to make some longer studs to go into the front footers to accomplish it. I have seen other demos with them tilted back, if fact that is where I got the idea to do that. I have never really cared for the way they look tilted back so I may revisit leveling of the base to see what happens, in fact that is the way the guys a Upscale told me to level them when I bought them. My biggest fear with the Townshends is everyone will sound like they are sitting again and I won't be able to do anything about it using those. Oh well, I think I am going to tweak to see what I can come up with before I make a decision to either keep what I have or try something different. Thanks for the advise. |
The IsoAcoustics made a big difference in the sound of my Sopra’s over the factory spikes and I have been pretty happy with them, but I know there is probably something better out there. So far the Townshends are at the top of my list just from ozzy’s recommendation, especially since he is using them with the same speaker I have. |
Have a serious look at Stack Audio Auva
https://stackaudio.co.uk/product/auva-70-isolator/ https://the-ear.net/review-hardware/stack-audio-auva-70-isolation-feet/
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I am familiar with experiencing in use Townshend Sleds and Purpose Produced Weight Matched Plinths, there is no doubt there is a perceived improvement when these ancillaries are supporting certain Cabinet Design Speakers. It was my introducing a individual to AT 616 Pneumatic Footers and the noticeable changes to the sonic, that encouraged the individual to investigate further suspended footers and in the end have the Townsend Weight Matched Plinths produced. I myself can't agree that there is a Substantial difference to be found in the final produced sonic, between differing footers that offer a Suspension to a Cabinet Design Speaker. At another time I loaned the AT 616 to my Local HiFi Group, they were used on a few different Speakers, Cabinet and ESL as well as under Valve Amps and TT's. From the Group in attendance one followed by purchasing Gaia III Footers. These have grown in the impressions being made and now most of the Group have Gaia III's in use under Speakers and in some cases Valve Amplification and a TT as well. Again these are systems I listen to on a regular occasion and the ones that had the AT 616 in use don't seem to have produced much more than what the 616 could produce. I am not suggesting the AT 616 is the most desirable product, I am merely pointing out that the addition of a Suspension Type Footer can have a noticeable improvement to the perceived sonic. How much one has to spend as an increased outlay to improve on a initial experience is an unknown to myself. One other consideration that is worthy of investigation is not just the Footers but the Sub-plinth arrangement under Cabinet Speakers. My experiences have shown that any Floor Standing or Stand Mounted Cabinet Speaker, can have the perceived sonic substantially improved, when mounted on a Two Tier Sub-Plinth with decoupling between the Floor and Lower Plinth, between Plinths and Upper Plinth and Speaker. After trying out many materials and thicknesses of these materials, the Sub-plinths I have found to offer a lot and at not too much expense is a combination of 50mm (2")Granite and a 40mm (1 1/2") Dense Chipboard (Kitchen Worktop) Spike Decoupling works fine, swapping out the Spikes for suspension footers under the Cabinet will create extra attraction.
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Thanks @jmfinney I can tell just from the conversations with John from Townshend that they care a great deal about customer service. |
Thanks ozzy, I think you were mentioned somewhere in the several messages between John and I. And hey, by the way I have been working on getting my speakers leveled by the base all day and what do you know, they sound great and no one seems like they are sitting down. The only 2 things I can chalk that up to when I first got them is poor set up, (my set up skills are modest at best) and the poor electronics I had at the time. I think once I get the podiums the sound is going to improve a lot more. |
Hi, I have used Gaia 2's under my loudspeakers which definitely improved the their sound. Because I'm I a tinkerer by nature, I replaced the Gaia's a year later with heavy, slightly damped compression coil springs that I found on Amazon. Shockingly, the homemade version sounded better! (Both forms of isolation were tuned to 5-10Hz.) However, in the end I succumbed to forking out for the Townshend Seismic Isolation Podiums. They are stunning: far superior to both previous isolation efforts and completely freeing the music from the constraints of the speaker cabinets. Probably well worth their large price tag... Go for the best!
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