Critical mass CS2. Prior to moving my whole system to these, I was using footers that cost $1000/- per piece (list) and thought they were brilliant. But the CS2 footers make everything else seem like a joke. About $1200 per set of the lowest series.
Have been experimenting with footers from the mid 90's and been thru all the latest fads over the years. Stay away from all rubber based ones. Yes, rubber does absorb vibration....BUT a lot of it gets reflected back after a delay. This is the reason for the 'soft' sound associated with sorbothane et al
After rubber came cones, then these were improved by bearings. Both types help, cones by acting as a sort of mechanical valve for vibration, and bearings by obstructing the transmission path of vibration. Different brands are more or less effective.
CS2 is a completely new concept - the composites and structure drain away vibration in a way I confess I don't understand, but the effect is undeniable.
I would strongly suggest putting all component upgrades on hold and investing instead in these footers. Once 'burned in' (in my system 300 - 400 hours playing time) one tends to find what one was looking for without messing around with component and cable (also a component?) upgrades.
If you can find a dealer to lend you samples for a try, could be surprised... my ARC Tube power amp loves isoacoustic absorption feet while my class A Luxman plays dull with them, it prefers symposium feet, improves dynamic and rhythm...Without listening sessions it is a wild guess IMO
Isoacoustic Oreas, recommended to me here by another site member, work very well. Unexpectedly, they perform exactly as reviewers say they will. I never would have guessed that would be the case. There's a number of reviews online, and here’s a link to their site: https://isoacoustics.com/orea-series/ Good luck with your purchase whatever you get.
I've recently been replacing my feet under most components with platforms after much A/B testing. Using a Symposium Ultra platform under my amp with great results.
Silent Running Audio (SRA) platforms work great under my amps. You need to have the platforms made (or refurbished) for your specific amplifier(s), i.e., weight, size, and footer location. With their platforms, you can use your amp's existing footers. Their platforms are expensive though. One of their taglines -
Informed by its work in the aerospace, military, electronics and medical industries, the company is renowned for the effectiveness of its mission-critical solutions—whether applied to advanced fighter jets, nuclear submarines, electron microscopes or high-end audio systems.
I drank the Herbie’s Koolaid for a while, spent hundreds on many of their products. Can’t say I ever heard an improvement. There are no shortcuts to better sound. Spend more and get a lot more in return.
I tried a set of 4 Critical Mass Center stage feet under my preamp and simply could not believe the improvement. They are stupid expensive but worth every penny. I have tried at least 20 different isolation feet over the years with varying results, from good to not so good. These feet were simply unbelievable. You have to be patient because when you put them under a component, they will make your system sound noticeably worse, yes, worse. After about 5 days the system started sounding better. After a total of 10 days I heard a profound improvement that surprised me. The reason for the worse/better transformation has to do with a settling in period that is deeply rooted in physics, way beyond my comprehension but clearly audible. They were so good that I decided to get another set for the dac. Again, same results, amazing. The effect and improvement is cumulative. The first thing I noticed was the soundstage. Soundstage has never been that important to me. With these feet under the preamp and dac all of a sudden A huge, well balanced soundstage came out of nowhere. The overall focus at all frequencies was so much better and the clarity from top to bottom improved greatly. These improvements became addictive. You guessed it, I bought a 3rd set for under the transport (remember those). I should have started there because the transport creates the most vibration. Again, huge improvement. You get the idea. A must hear product, just be patient. I can’t wait to put a set under the amp. Good luck.
Herbies Tenderfeet are a good cost-effective footer.
I've replaced my Herbies with DH Cones. They are ceramic and sit under the component with the point facing down onto a hardwood platform such as maple. They do not colour the sound.
Sorbothane sounds like most very soft things....very soft sounding. Great back in 1985.....we've moved ahead light years. Some stay in the past and never try anything new.
I like the $300 a set Mad Scientist the best at that price range. All footers sound different. The Herbies footers are suppose to be great tor the money....way better than Sorbothane.
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