Isolation Footers on Spatial M3TM

jseymour · « **on:** 1 Dec 2017, 01:29 am »

I had been researching isolation footers and it is this review which convinced me to buy the Isoacoustic’s Gaia III isolation footers: http://hifipig.com/isoacoustics-gaia-iii-isolation-footers/. I installed them on my M3TMs a week ago. I strongly recommend this upgrade or any other good isolation footers to owners of a M3 or M4 series speaker that has the metal struts. It did not take any careful listening to hear the tightened bass, more concise sound stage/imaging and increased clarity and detail. It did everything the article said.

The other benefits are it raised the speaker by 1¾” and the speakers can no longer be easily moved. They are now gripping the wood floor. They use the ¼-20 studs (thank you Clayton for answering that question on a weekend). If you have carpeting, I saw Crutchfield has carpet spikes that go under the Gaia III: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-Ye9E1IDmAHu/p_892GAIASP3/IsoAcoustics-GAIA-III-Carpet-Spikes.html
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targa02 · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Dec 2017, 09:24 pm »

I have heard the demo of the IsoAcoustics products at 3 audio shows, usually with Focal speakers. The difference they make is not subtle. My current speakers have isolation footers built into them already, so I have not purchased the footers yet, but, I will be purchasing Spatial Lumina speakers

and, at the same time, I will be purchasing the IsoAcoustics GAIA product.

2oldcranks · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Jan 2018, 09:08 pm »

I am going to try some of the SVS ones for 50 for four,not sure if they will work as good as the iso's but worth a try for 100 and can return for 45 days. seems nothing to loose ,why not Eh!

2oldcranks · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 05:22 pm »

Well the SVS sound path feet are under the M4TMs now,Bill Frisell is letting my ears know that these are probably the new low buck go to for isolation feet,hope people try them out cause at $50 per speaker they are a no brainer and a easy tweek with IMMEDIATE OBVIOUS results,and thats cool

SFDude · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 05:35 pm »

Quote from: 2oldcranks on 11 Jan 2018, 05:22 pm

Well the SVS sound path feet are under the M4TMs now,Bill Frisell is letting my ears know that these are probably the new low buck go to for isolation feet,hope people try them out cause at $50 per speaker they are a no brainer and a easy tweek with IMMEDIATE OBVIOUS results,and thats cool

Hi! Would you be able to snap a pic of how these look under your speakers? Thanks!

-dave

Don_S · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: 2oldcranks on 11 Jan 2018, 05:22 pm

Well the SVS sound path feet are under the M4TMs now,Bill Frisell is letting my ears know that these are probably the new low buck go to for isolation feet,hope people try them out cause at $50 per speaker they are a no brainer and a easy tweek with IMMEDIATE OBVIOUS results,and thats cool

Looks like they include three thread sizes in each set. I like that idea.

https://www.svsound.com/collections/accessories/products/soundpath-subwoofer-isolation-system

2oldcranks · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 06:36 pm »

They look great,I will take some pics with mamas smart phone tonight.
The included 1/4-20 black phillips heads are EXACT length to bottom out flush on top side of speaker legs,happy coinkadink

I would love to hear the Iso Giai IIIs,but these are so inexpensive relative that I can use em for 45 days or send em back at no loss,had to try it!
So now MeShell Ndegeocello is breaking in the woofers and my heart,she sure is a bad ass bitch on the BASS!
Totall no brainer tweek,the ikea boards under the speakers have WAY less energy in em now and the speaker baffles more energy,so going to Ebay the fo.Q tape (102)for some tweeks on spiders and baffles.

2oldcranks · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 06:45 pm »

Quote from: SFDude on 11 Jan 2018, 05:35 pm

Hi! Would you be able to snap a pic of how these look under your speakers? Thanks!

-dave

I will put up pick tonight,I actually think that the round black foot ties the two round circles in baffle together and improves their asthetics,Kind of completes the look. They dont look top heavy now,know what I mean? Like a full size diesel extended cab 4x4 on stock rims/tires.Then some 22-26" wheels and meaty BFGs or such and your sight line is pulled down and everything is more proportionate
Clayton needs to buy these in bulk from SVS,another Kick Ass american company and include them as standard,how is that for the potential I see in this product!
If svs charges the public 50 you know the wholesale retail deal.Wonder if SVS puts them on their floorstanders?

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 09:01 pm »

Since Spatial loudspeaker don't include a resonating box, how much benefit is there to isolation??

The panels do vibrate, that's for sure. So I built my own isolation devices that serve two purposes.

The first purpose was to raise the speakers so the compression driver matches the height of my ears.

The second purpose was isolate the speakers by absorbing all the mechanical energy the panels produce.

The risers contain three different layers of absorption material so the base actually floats above the floor.

This also makes it very easy to make incremental adjustments for fine tuning of the position and lateral axis.

gab · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 10:23 pm »

Benjamin Moore Split Pea?

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Jan 2018, 10:56 pm »

You got the first part, Benjamin Moore right. I wanted something durable in a neutral color so I went with Aurora bitter green. My first inclination was to match them with the Spatial white. Sometimes I wonder if I should have went that way, but I thought that might draw to much attention to them.

mpv · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Feb 2018, 08:27 pm »

I found this to work the best.Isoacoustics Gaia III

Fazer · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Aug 2018, 08:06 pm »

Hi,

I understand the Isoacoustics Gaia makes moving the speakers difficult?
Is there a suction effect where the footers are sitting on top of the floor boards?
Anyone using these care to comment?

Thanks.

jseymour · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Aug 2018, 08:41 pm »

It acts just like a suction cup, so I will say it is. It does make moving the speakers more difficult, but that is what you want. Before I used the Gaia III my Spatials moved too easily on the wood floor. Now to move them I need to lift them up.

Don_S · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Aug 2018, 09:17 pm »

Quote from: Fazer on 7 Aug 2018, 08:06 pm

Hi,

I understand the Isoacoustics Gaia makes moving the speakers difficult?
Is there a suction effect where the footers are sitting on top of the floor boards?
Anyone using these care to comment?

Thanks.

IsoAcoustic instructions are quite clear--do not slide the speakers because of possible damage to the elastomer bottom.

Yes, there is a suction created that prevents sliding. But on small speakers it is easy to tip them and slide furniture gliders under one side at a time. I use small squares of laminate flooring to adjust position on my tile floor and then remove the squares. IsoAcoustic devices stick to the laminate fairly well and the combination slides for small distances if I am careful and push from close to the bottom. I don't remove the laminate until I am satisfied with placement.

I have actually moved some speakers from room to room using furniture sliders. I would not try that with the laminate squares.

ric · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Aug 2018, 01:21 pm »

I have posted my very positive impressions of the Gaia II's (same forum different topic} which is that for some reason, when I first heard them the sound was somewhat muted, and having bought them used on Ebay, I was ready to resell them

. Then I realized it MIGHT be the rubber suction cup on the bottom so I put some Herbies Big and Tall Tenderfoot (cut into 3/8" slices

) under them and was jaw-dropped (or floored, if you want to make a pun) by the improvement in sound. I don't think the improvement was due to Herbie's (although it might be) as much as the decoupling of the rubber--which has been known to be a problem. Just an uneducated guess....

Fazer · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 Aug 2018, 06:05 pm »

Thanks everyone for your helpful feedback.
Will try out the SVS isolators first to see how they fare.

Regards

Birdbrain · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Aug 2018, 11:20 pm »

Unless I'm missing something, the Gaias and the SVS feet are pretty much the same price, right? SVS at $49/each, and Gaias $199/4.

jseymour · « **Reply #18 on:** 8 Aug 2018, 11:22 pm »

The SVS are 4 for $49.

2oldcranks · « **Reply #19 on:** 9 Aug 2018, 02:41 pm »

Got the SVS on my M4TMs and happy,raises em up a bit and the baffle has more "energy" in it now as its not going into floor through spike coupling
I am pretty sure the gaias are better enginered for the foreward -backward motion as they are directional in their absorbation plane.

Read all their tech stuff, I am happy with the cost/performance compromise of the SVS footers