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Interesting discovery when my carpets were cleaned yesterday!

I have some bookshelf speakers that sitting on some Dynaudio Stand 20 speakers stands. They are each filled with 50lbs of lead shot and my speakers are attached using some blue tack stuff (it helps hold them in place kind of like mounting them with screws). 

Anyways, while having the carpets cleaned I removed the Dynaudio spikes that came with the stands so that the speakers would be easier to move around as a whole because they weight 110lbs-ish each. 
When the carpet guy was done we put the speakers stands on some foam blocks to keeps them off the wet carpet until it dried. 
Later that night after getting the speakers dialed back in (I have certain measurements to get them back to where they were), I kept the foam blocks on the stands until I know they were right. 
Well, it actually sounds better with the foam blocks than the spikes. So now I’m on the hunt for something to actually use instead of the spikes. 
My room is carpeted  with carpet padding underneath on a second floor (a wood sub floor). So I need the ability to lock them down so they won’t get knocked over as I have a five year old. 
I’m not sure which type of feet I should use. Should I isolate or what what?
I don’t think I’d spend tons of money on something like this but I want to see what you guys would say. I’ve looked at the Gaia II feet and although they seem to come recommend I would prefer not to see them being silver in color...don’t know. 
Ideas?
todd1010
todd1010 OP
74 posts
 
Responding to someone that asked why it sounded better...When I say that it had a very distinct center imaging (I checked to see if some how my center channel was on...it wasn’t). Now this could be that the speakers were slightly different than before but I have a laser level that produces lines for me to get my speakers exactly back where they were. I have specific measurements that sound superb to me for my room. 
Mostly the imaging was better and instruments were very defined. 
mitch2
3,715 posts
 
Lots of users here report good results using the IsoAcoustic Gaia footers under their speakers.  While I am certainly not questioning the sonic effectiveness of the Gaia footers, I am interested in learning more about the technology behind how they work their magic....so I did a little searching.  The reviews mostly seem shrouded in mystery with the most revealing I could find stating:
The Gaia ‘pod’ itself comprises a machined and dark-chromed stainless steel top and base section, separated internally by a secret-sauce internal elastomer structure, this prevents any resonance from the ground interacting with the loudspeaker and vice versa. There is decoupling in the vertical and horizontal planes, which is why the positioning of the Gaia logo is important: it aligns the decoupling with the plane of the drive units. Hocus-pocus status: revoked!
I am envisioning an internal structure supported on both the bottom and sides by an elastomer material with the material being stiffer in one direction, which is why they want the Gaia logo oriented to the front or back.  Anyone here able to pull back the curtain and provide more specific information?
todd1010 OP
74 posts
 
Mitch, 

The Gaia II’s are a front runner for my choices but I just fell like it’s expansive for what it is. I’m not saying they aren’t worth it I just feel like I may be able to obtain something doing the same sting for a lot less. Trust me, I called my local store about ordering them until I realized all they had in stock was the silver ones and if I were to buy them it would be the black chrome ones. 

I did find these interesting at a fraction of the Gaia II’s but don’t know anything about them. 
https://www.everestaudio.com/Soundcare-SuperSpikes-Standard--Set-of-4-Spikes_p_31.html


jacobsen1948
24 posts
 
Why not just stick with the foam pads. The price is right and you hear a difference.....you  know they are effective!
optimize
164 posts
 
Regarding safty:
One aspect that are seldom talked about is how manufacturer determine no of degrees when the tipping point occur.
When a stand manufacturer test their stands (with speaker it of course change) they just tip them until they get to the point where they are on the point to tip. They note that angle.

It is all about the stands center of gravity.
How we can change that?
If we fill the stands like in the OP case with lead (sand or whatever) to the top. Then the center of gravity of those stands will be higher up. And give us a stand that tip earlier and in other words will tip easier with less number of degrees before it reached amd passed its tipping point.

What to do to increase the safety?
By fill the stands only up to 2/3 or 3/4. Then we actually lower the center of gravity and also increase the number of degrees that is needed to get it to the tipping point. (It will even be better performing in this regard than if the stands were empty)

In short have in mind the center of gravity. :)
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