Isolation feet and speaker stands
- Thread starter Paulq2
- Start date
Alun Rains
Jus Juan Cornetto
Hope you are really pleased with them. With their offer of a full refund within 30 days if you are not delighted then its a win-win situation anyway.
rontoolsie
pfm Member
The SINGLE biggest improvement I have done in the last ten years has to get my 100 kg + speakers off from the heavy duty spikes and place them onto four (per speaker) Cerabase 'inspired' supports...that are a two piece affair decoupled by three ceramic ball bearings. These appear exceptionally well made and finished, although the rubber pads do pong a bit with a 'new tire' smell.
Having done so, bass gained a great deal of clarity, precision and extension-something that is even apparent at low listening levels. Imaging also improved to no end, as did decay of notes and articulation.
The height of the upper 'turret' is adjustable by rotating it on a central threaded bolt, making it possible to get a rock-solid support using even four of these bases. My floor is slightly uneven, and without this adjustability there would have been considerable rocking that would have largely negated any potential benefits.
The total cost...with shipping and taxes- was around $170 US for all eight, including the optional ceramic bearings. Which is exactly 90% cheaper than buying the original Finite Element Cerabases. Who knows if these work as well, but for 10% of the price they can offer enormous benefits.
After years of experimenting with speaker positions, different speaker cables (even the $20,000+ Ansuz Diamond), and dense platform supports with and without spikes beneath them, this was the only cure for the problems I had been hearing.
Having done so, bass gained a great deal of clarity, precision and extension-something that is even apparent at low listening levels. Imaging also improved to no end, as did decay of notes and articulation.
The height of the upper 'turret' is adjustable by rotating it on a central threaded bolt, making it possible to get a rock-solid support using even four of these bases. My floor is slightly uneven, and without this adjustability there would have been considerable rocking that would have largely negated any potential benefits.
The total cost...with shipping and taxes- was around $170 US for all eight, including the optional ceramic bearings. Which is exactly 90% cheaper than buying the original Finite Element Cerabases. Who knows if these work as well, but for 10% of the price they can offer enormous benefits.
After years of experimenting with speaker positions, different speaker cables (even the $20,000+ Ansuz Diamond), and dense platform supports with and without spikes beneath them, this was the only cure for the problems I had been hearing.
Iain
pfm Member
These look very interesting. How do they attach to the speaker? And where did you get them? CheersThe SINGLE biggest improvement I have done in the last ten years has to get my 100 kg + speakers off from the heavy duty spikes and place them onto four (per speaker) Cerabase 'inspired' supports...that are a two piece affair decoupled by three ceramic ball bearings. These appear exceptionally well made and finished, although the rubber pads do pong a bit with a 'new tire' smell.
Having done so, bass gained a great deal of clarity, precision and extension-something that is even apparent at low listening levels. Imaging also improved to no end, as did decay of notes and articulation.
The height of the upper 'turret' is adjustable by rotating it on a central threaded bolt, making it possible to get a rock-solid support using even four of these bases. My floor is slightly uneven, and without this adjustability there would have been considerable rocking that would have largely negated any potential benefits.
The total cost...with shipping and taxes- was around $170 US for all eight, including the optional ceramic bearings. Which is exactly 90% cheaper than buying the original Finite Element Cerabases. Who knows if these work as well, but for 10% of the price they can offer enormous benefits.
After years of experimenting with speaker positions, different speaker cables (even the $20,000+ Ansuz Diamond), and dense platform supports with and without spikes beneath them, this was the only cure for the problems I had been hearing.
I am not sure as I do not have experience with both Townshend Podiums and bars. I made the remark as the owner wasn't sure if the Bars were an improvement on the Isoacoustics Gaia as the change was purely based on aesthetics.
mikemusic
pfm Member
I read somewhere the podiums are better. Forget where
As a podium user I'm happy with that
I actually prefer the looks of the Bars to Podiums. If they sound exactly the same that would be useful.
rontoolsie
pfm Member
You have a choice of either by resting them on the rubber top surface, or if you do not install the rubber pad, there is a threaded recess that allows you to mount a bolt that screws in to the speaker. One set of such bolts are supplied, but they did not fit my speaker, so I just plonked them on top of the bases and they have a very firm rigid support.
I got them from Ali Express. Took about 8 days between ordering and delivery. If you do a search for 'Cerabase' these will pop up.
They are only a couple mm different in dimensions from the genuine Cerabases, but the construction otherwise appears to be identical.
Several vendors sell these, with some being rather more expensive than others. You can pay as much as $300 or as little as $170 for a set of eight.
The wildly successful implementation of these 3-bearings per module have whetted my appetite to try some clones of the Stillpoints Ultra 6.
These appear identical in construction to the genuine Stillpoints and use 60 ceramic bearings per support instead of just 3.
The genuine Stillpoints sell for $1050.....EACH; and I would need eight.
Their clones sell for $140 each (and I would still need eight), which while not cheap still would be about $8000 cheaper than getting the real deal. And the $1200 USD would be around the same price as the Gaia and Townshend platforms.
Both use same loading cells and I'd be surprised if there was any noticeable difference, platforms are definitely easier to set up and position/move around.
Big John
pfm Member
Today after an initial listen I rang Stack Audio & spoke to Theo telling him the Auva 50's worked with my OTA Quad 57's later I received the email below from Stack Audio offering a discount codeUpgraded from Soundcare Superspikes to Stack Audio AUVA 50
Wed 17/04/2024 10:39
Hey John,
Hope that you are well. Theo said it was a pleasure speaking to you a moment ago. Just for clarification on the code, it works with Loudspeaker Isolators and our Equipment Isolators. At this time it is not active on the SmoothLAN Network Filter due to excessively high demand at full price vs stock levels.
The code is 7.5wigwamgroup, it is currently active until the end of May.
When I spoke to Theo a while ago he was apprehensive that the Aura's would work with Quad 57's indeed any electrostatics as he did not feel they produce the energy of other types of speaker.
Since I have good bass in my room & when touching the OTA Quad 57's when playing music there was considerable vibration in the knowledge there is a return period I ordered 8 x Auva 50's
The Auva 50 feet arrived earlier this morning than expected beautifully packed & substantial, very well engineered.
I had them assembled & fitted in minutes. I immediately heard the bass though just as deep has lost a "bloom" making double bass, though still with it's plummy note, sounding even more natural, bass drums whether pop or orchestral still have a distinct punch.
Trebel & midrange are cleaner, subtle sounds are easily discerned, like the sound of snare drums or Tabla indeed the difference twixt wooden Tabla & metal Punjabi Dholl, is more distinct, the strings of Sitar or Rudra Veena & Sarod are vibrant as are the guitars on a recording of the Shadows farewell tour concert.
Voices on complex coral works have more separation, on a recording of Cat's on my Virgin HD Tivo box of Cat's, on one number 3 "cats" sing a background their voices sounding very Andrews Sisters which I think was the intent. This also applies to male voices. There is a greater sense of the acoustic on live performances or the the studio reverb applied by the engineer...
Touching a OTA Quad 57 frame after fitting the Auva 50's playing music the perceived vibration is reduced in amplitude. Theo Stack did say as the contents of the 50's settle they should improve things further. After 3 hours that appears to be verified not cheap but money well spent.
The music used to asses the Auva 50's : while(1<2)(deadmau5) CD, The Mikado on DVD, several performances of Indian classical music also Tubular Bells( Mike Oldfield) & War of the Worlds (Jeff Wayne) The Shadows farewell tour concert & snippets of orchestral recordings including The Messiah (Handel) with Iestyn Davies countertenor, via recordings on my HD Tivo box. Snowflakes are Dancing (Tomita)LP Tapestry (Carole King)LP, Dark Side of the Moon & Wish you Were Here (floyd) LP's.
Salamander
pfm Member
Alun Rains
Jus Juan Cornetto
Yes indeed the Auva 50's are excellent, aren't they. Very pleased with mine on Atacama SLX stands supporting Harbeth Super HL5 Plus speakers. My findings were similar in many ways to your own.
$1050, each. LOL. Some people will buy anything if it's sufficiently expensive.You have a choice of either by resting them on the rubber top surface, or if you do not install the rubber pad, there is a threaded recess that allows you to mount a bolt that screws in to the speaker. One set of such bolts are supplied, but they did not fit my speaker, so I just plonked them on top of the bases and they have a very firm rigid support.
I got them from Ali Express. Took about 8 days between ordering and delivery. If you do a search for 'Cerabase' these will pop up.
They are only a couple mm different in dimensions from the genuine Cerabases, but the construction otherwise appears to be identical.
Several vendors sell these, with some being rather more expensive than others. You can pay as much as $300 or as little as $170 for a set of eight.
The wildly successful implementation of these 3-bearings per module have whetted my appetite to try some clones of the Stillpoints Ultra 6.
These appear identical in construction to the genuine Stillpoints and use 60 ceramic bearings per support instead of just 3.
The genuine Stillpoints sell for $1050.....EACH; and I would need eight.
Their clones sell for $140 each (and I would still need eight), which while not cheap still would be about $8000 cheaper than getting the real deal. And the $1200 USD would be around the same price as the Gaia and Townshend platforms.
Big John
pfm Member
Alun Rains
Jus Juan Cornetto
Jason Kennedy in Australia has done a video review comparing Auva's to Gaia's. Think it is on Youtube or otherwise via the Stack Audio website. Not sure if they were the 50's though. Anyway, the Auva's won out by a fair margin.
Realysm_42
pfm Member
Townshend stuff really does work a treat.
Big John
pfm Member
This morning after a good sleep I woke up realising I had put the comprehensive fitting instructions for the Auva's to one side before fitting them having spent hours pouring over video's of Auva's in all 50,70 & 100 guises in my excitement at the sound when first fitted, I had not adjusted them for height, just set them all at minimum.
The fixing adapters are M8 at one end the other end specific to your application in my case the OTA Rupert stands have brass M6 inserts. I had firmly locked the M8 thumb nuts fixing the adapters to the Auvas before fitting.
l had not locked the M6 thumb nuts to the bottom of the OTA Rupert stands, I rotated the front Auvas only lifting the front of the OTA Rupert's a few millimeters until minimum movement of the speaker by rocking at the top, I then locked what are described as thumb nuts, though they are not knurled like the M8 thumb nuts possibly a later addition to the printed instructions round but with "flats" to fit a supplied spanner. Though Stack Audio sent sets of screw in spikes with a hard floor, I have used the felt bottoms that Auva 50's come fitted with .
Now the bass is even tighter, a Virgin HD Tivo recording of Norah Jones at Ronnie Scotts is so life like & so intimate with drums & bass homogenising with her piano & voice though each remaining a separate entity. On another recording Carly Simon on the QE2 her voice has a slight change of timbre with a warmer or more relaxed backing orchestra & singers but all more individual.
Even TV adverts sound has improved with less fuzz? or bloom around baritone/tenor male voice overs.
On another HD Tivo recording with Anna Lapwood playing The Albert Hall organ (the voice of Jupiter) on the Saint-Saens organ symphony 3rd Symphony (the organ symphony) is outstanding.
The fixing adapters are M8 at one end the other end specific to your application in my case the OTA Rupert stands have brass M6 inserts. I had firmly locked the M8 thumb nuts fixing the adapters to the Auvas before fitting.
l had not locked the M6 thumb nuts to the bottom of the OTA Rupert stands, I rotated the front Auvas only lifting the front of the OTA Rupert's a few millimeters until minimum movement of the speaker by rocking at the top, I then locked what are described as thumb nuts, though they are not knurled like the M8 thumb nuts possibly a later addition to the printed instructions round but with "flats" to fit a supplied spanner. Though Stack Audio sent sets of screw in spikes with a hard floor, I have used the felt bottoms that Auva 50's come fitted with .
Now the bass is even tighter, a Virgin HD Tivo recording of Norah Jones at Ronnie Scotts is so life like & so intimate with drums & bass homogenising with her piano & voice though each remaining a separate entity. On another recording Carly Simon on the QE2 her voice has a slight change of timbre with a warmer or more relaxed backing orchestra & singers but all more individual.
Even TV adverts sound has improved with less fuzz? or bloom around baritone/tenor male voice overs.
On another HD Tivo recording with Anna Lapwood playing The Albert Hall organ (the voice of Jupiter) on the Saint-Saens organ symphony 3rd Symphony (the organ symphony) is outstanding.