@stereo5,
The RELs have a curved rail on each side with 2 small 4 mm machine screws on each end. These seemed too small to hold well so I didn’t even check if Gaia had an insert option that small. I would of liked to bolt the new footers on tight. The OREA footers are supposed to have a suction cup effect on the sub side so I guess I’ll see. |
OP,
the aurelex subdude makes a big difference under a rel. The bass becomes much better defined. Music with varying, fast, bass notes become much better defined.
I imagine that you’ll be happy with the isoacoustics. Your room is not going to shake as much but the bass should have better definition and be tighter as well |
@ronboco,
The SVS Footers came with 3 different sized machine screws. I believe they are 6mm, 8mm, and 1/4 20. My GAIA were already using 1/4 20 screws. Mine bolt tight on the sub as there are 4 inserts built in which accept the machine screws. |
@phusis . Thank you for the input. There is a hard plastic rail on each side of the subs. I have 4 subs. I figured there would be some type of rubber sole as well. There is only a thin felt like layer on the bottom. I believe that is why they are scooting around on me. I’m going to see how they sound with the OREA footers and if they don’t sound good I’ll send them back and try something else. Perhaps a thin layer of rubber under the rails. |
@ronboco -- ...
I just got off the phone with the REL guy and he said NOT to put footers on the subs as they perform better coupled to the floor.
Depending on the stability of your hardwood floor I'd nonetheless go with his advice; couple, not decouple your subs to the floor. The REL guy has no interest in promoting or selling an(y) accessory that will likely have the product he actually does sell perform differently/worse than what and how they intended. Nothing conspicuous about that. With my own subs (+200 lbs. each), also placed on a very solid hardwood floor, I've placed a "wedge" (actually it's a few mm's thick piece of hard plastic used for distancing tiles and such) centered under the front, bottom edge between that and the floor of each sub, that are otherwise placed directly on the floor. This stabilizes them completely so they don't make any rocking motions on their floor position, and also has upper, backside edge of each sub lean directly against the front wall. This fully secures them to "fire" off bass in an unwavering fashion, regardless of SPL. In your case with REL subs I gather they have some kind of rubber footers, and I wouldn't deviate from that as these will couple the subs quite effectively to the floor. That would be my outset. If on the other hand you feel the REL's (how many?) sound too boomy and undefined, having tried out a range of positions, then, and only then would I consider decoupling them. Just my $0.02.. |
@ stereo5. Were you able to bolt the Gaia ll footers to your sub or just set the sub on top ? My REL S-510 subs only have 2 small screws on the end of each rail so the Gaia footers wouldn’t be able to bolt tight to the sub. I ended up ordering the OREA Bordeaux footers ( the style recommended by ISO acoustics) for the subs and Gaia footers for the mains and surrounds on stands. |
I tried my GAIA II footers from my GE Triton Refs on my SVS PB2000 pro sub and it made a big difference for the better. I put the footers back on my speakers and bought a set of SVS footers for the sub. It’s almost as good which is good enough for me especially when the SVS footers were $45.00 compared to $299.00 for the GAIA.
My house is 100 years old and my floors are wood suspended. As the sub is on the second floor of the house, everything on the first floor would vibrate before adding the footers, not so now. |
I’m not familiar with Sub Dude but will definitely check it out. Thanks |
I use a Sub Dude under my REL R305.and it made a huge difference in my set up. Works well, I put one under my Dad's sub and the bass is great and it doesnt rattle the rest of his house. He kept playing movies too loud and it was keeping my mom up , so I went by one day with a Sub Dude. He didnt even know I put it under, i set his trims correctly and boomyness was gone. Great product |
I have Gaia's under both of my subs (Tekton 4-10's) & they work wonderfully to decouple them from the floor. That stated, if I didn't already have the Gaia's, I would follow Noromance's advice above. |
Thank you everyone for the advice. I really look forward to reading the daily posts. You all have taught me so much in the short amount of time I have been here. |
Forgot to mention we have a suspended hard wood floor Again Ron, nothing should be coupled to a suspended wooded floor, as it just becomes a "muddying sound-board" for whatever is coupled to it. Cheers George |
Your best most cost-effective move will be Nobsound springs under the subs, and Townshend Podiums under your speakers. Read the reviews and comments, Gaia do not seem to be worth the huge price differential vs Nobsound, but Townshend is worth the huge price differential over Gaia. Also it just makes much less difference under subs, compared to mains.
Not kidding about the manufacturers btw. Called a bunch of em. Total waste of time. And yes one did tell me I would kill myself. And no this is not the AI Millercarbon, I am still here even in spite of having committed the sacrilege of improving upon perfection. |
I’d isolate any sub on a suspended plywood floor for cleaner more articulate bass that does not obscure midrange. Take a look at affordable Auralex Subdude platform to do the job |
@millercarbon.
Sound wisdom. I wish I would of thought of that. Thank you!! |
@oldhvymec.
Very cost effective idea. I like it ! |
I just got off the phone with the REL guy and he said NOT to put footers on the subs as they perform better coupled to the floor.
If you would like I have a long list of manufacturers I can put you in touch with, every single one of whom will tell you their products are so perfect nothing you can possibly do will ever make them any better, might void your warranty, and quite possibly be fatal. The last thing I would ever do is ask a manufacturer how to make his product even better. Worst thing you could ever do. |
An inner tube works really well to.. TO see if that's what you want.. No kidding. Air it up give it a listen. If it's good (It will be), gussy it up or get the Nobound or what ever you like.. The inner tube does work good though.. and you can adjust the dampening. George reminded me of that... I used the inner tube thing on 500 lb bass bins.. Stopped the waves in the neighbors pool, too...
This may sound kind of weird. BUT it doesn't have to be completely de coupled.. I tip one edge to get an angle with springs sometimes and set the other on the amount of dampening I want.. Could be another set of springs, a block of wood or just carpet rolled up. You can control the amount you want to feel through your BUTT.. Some times you need.
Ex: A recorded live concert. It's not suppose to be perfect.. Suppose to be a little Boom Boom in the Room Room.. LOL
Regards |
@noromance
interesting idea I’ll look into that as well |
Put a 2' square paving slab on the floor under the sub, and sit the sub on 4 Nobsound springs. |
Thank you for your input. I will try both ways but I suspect de-coupling will be best as well |
yes, decouple subs is very important
sorbothane hemisphere would probably work even better then the overpriced gaia footers |
I put my sub on Townshend Bars.-Mostly due to them being on the same Sound Anchor stand as my monoblocks.
John Rutan and Samir of Audioconnection set them up, and the seem to work as they should. I had my older subs sit directly on the stands prior to my upgrade, but they weren't dialed in like my new subs, so I can't really compare the two.
My advice is to try both ways. Though I have a feeling you will like having them on isolation. I say that because everything I have put on Townshend Platforms/Bars/Pods seem to 'tighten the bass' and add 'clarity/definition' to the sound output.
Bob |
Forgot to mention we have a suspended hard wood floor |
