Isolation feet and speaker stands
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Patu
pfm Member
There was one set of Auva 50’s (2x4) available in Finland so I bought it. Let's see how they work under my ATC 50ASL's.
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Alun Rains
Jus Juan Cornetto
Well done. Hope you find them beneficial.
Patu
pfm Member
I hope so. I currently use spikes + Linn Skeets and 3cm thick granite slab underneath. I’ll first try Auvas with the granite slab and possibly also without it if I have enough energy and motivation to remove the granite slabs, which weigh a lot.
Alun Rains
Jus Juan Cornetto
Sounds like a good plan
I"m not sure but I read in a review the Auvas are used between speakers and stands (Harbeth Compact 7ES XD), and the sound improvement is audible. The equivalent is the Isoacoustics Orea which does the same thing.
In all honestly I’m not sure about all their applications, I have only experienced the Auva in other’s systems. The big Auva were used below floor standing speakers and the smaller type were used below components and they were very effective in both locations. I’m not sure if there would be a need for two levels of isolation. I’ve never experienced the Isoacoustics.
Alun Rains
Jus Juan Cornetto
Below the stands for speakers that have stands and below the speakers themselves for those that are not using stands. That is the recommendation.
I have the Gaia 3’s on my Spendor D7.2’s at the moment but am picking up new speakers on Saturday that weight 37kg the weight limit for the 3’s is 30kg.
The Hifi fund is beyond depleted due to a few recent purchases so I won’t be weighing out for the Gaia 2’s anytime soon.
Do you think fitting the 3’s to the new overweight speakers will have a positive effect or will the additional weight cancel out any benefits? And has anyone used speakers heavier than the recommended weights with their Gaia’s and if so to what effect?
The Hifi fund is beyond depleted due to a few recent purchases so I won’t be weighing out for the Gaia 2’s anytime soon.
Do you think fitting the 3’s to the new overweight speakers will have a positive effect or will the additional weight cancel out any benefits? And has anyone used speakers heavier than the recommended weights with their Gaia’s and if so to what effect?
Patu
pfm Member
Installed Auva 50's tonight. First impressions are very positive. They add depth and size to the sound and obviously everything sounds clearer since the room isn't playing along that much. Also I like the bass performance more than GAIAs. Auvas don't seem to take anything away from the punch and immediacy, while at the same time they add more reach to the bass. Overall bigger and more natural sound, very nice.
Tom60300
The truth hurts.
Hi Patu,
Can you tell us about your floor? Tile over concrete, carpet or hardwood/synthetic surface? When you say you prefer the bass performance of the Auva compared to the Gaia, which was leaner/tighter in bass? Thanks for your reply. Brgds.
ex brickie
pfm Member
Tried Gaias on floorstanders and they did nothing. I spent ages with all the lining up etc.
I have wooden floorboards. Another fishie recommended a granite plinth and using the original spikes that came with the speakers. No idea why I didn’t try this earlier - made a huge improvement over the Gaias (and my wallet) . Maybe the Gaias work better on solid floors ….
If I had standmounts I’d try the granite plinth first.
I have wooden floorboards. Another fishie recommended a granite plinth and using the original spikes that came with the speakers. No idea why I didn’t try this earlier - made a huge improvement over the Gaias (and my wallet) . Maybe the Gaias work better on solid floors ….
If I had standmounts I’d try the granite plinth first.
Patu
pfm Member
HI Tom,
It's a wooden parquette floor over concrete element (I live in an apartment building). Between the parquette and concrete there is some kind of dampening material, which I think, is mandatory in Finnish construction laws. Between the parquette and Auva 50's, I left 3cm thick granite slabs still in place. I might later try to remove the granite slabs. I have a two year old kid running around here and I'm slightly affraid that some day she'll knock down the speakers from top of the granite slabs. Especially with the Auva's, having felt under them, makes them quite slippery. Even though the ATC's weigh over 50kg/speaker, they can be slid on the granite and if they go over the edges, they can tip over. Here's a picture I snapped while installing the Auvas, you can see my old spike + Linn Skeets in the pic also. Luckily Auva's are about the same height so the change of height of the speakers wasn't the reason for the difference in sound quality. I also took distance measurements before installing the Auvas, so that the speakers are exactly on the same distance from surfaces as before.
All these custom feet are great and they look cool, but wow, the cost. If you are buying such a thing, I recommend that you try a few DIY options, such as rubber door stops, machine feet (look in an engineering catalogue), boards with Blu tak between the layers, folded towels, old socks (yes, I am serious) before you part with some hundreds of pounds. If the new shiny feet are better, happy days. But if you find that a rubber door stop looks and sounds just as good, and costs 50p, then you have a winner.
naka
pfm Member
Perhaps you will need something well glued to the corners to impede the Auva’s from slipping. Perhaps some “L” shape MDF pieces, half the height of the Auva’s painted in black…
My 4 year son likes to dance around but never more than 2 meters from the speakers, just because someone told him the the speakers can discharge electric shocks when one is near…
Who could have passed that ludicrous idea to that tiny little mind?!….
Patu
pfm Member
I might just have to borrow this idea, when my daughter is old enough to understand the concept of electric shockMy 4 year son likes to dance around but never more than 2 meters from the speakers, just because someone told him the the speakers can discharge electric shocks when one is near…
Who could have passed that ludicrous idea to that tiny little mind?!….
Yeah the prices are ridiculous, but then again Auva's are half the price of GAIA I's, which I'd need for my speakers since they weigh so much. I found my Auva's second hand and almost new so I saved little bit there also. Compared to the prices I've paid for the rest of my gear, Auva's are only a small fraction of it.
Tom60300
The truth hurts.
Thanks for the detailed response, Patu. Sorry but did you recall the difference you mentioned on post #51 in the bass performance between the Gaias and the Auvas? I am "kind of hoping" to choose whichever brand might help to lean and tighten the bass somewhat for my application. Thanks and brgds.
Patu
pfm Member
Yes my comments about GAIAs are from the past when I owned them and later when I demoed them. I owned and used GAIA II's with my previous speakers, ATC SCM40A's. But I also demoed GAIA I's with my current SCM50ASL's, at home. My dealer was kind enough to lend me a set and test them at home. GAIA I was good, but I just couldn't justify the price back then. So I went with the spikes + Linn skeets + granite slab route, which is great also. GAIA I's also add space, focus and clarity to the sound. But the biggest difference with GAIAs, compared to spikes or Auvas, was the bass. While it hit deep, I kind of felt that GAIAs ate some punch and immediacy from the low end. This makes since when you think how GAIAs work (the speaker wobbles on GAIAs). With Auvas or spikes, the speaker doesn't wobble.
A set (2x4) of GAIA I's cost ~1400EUR here in Finland. Auvas are ~530EUR and I got an almost new, slightly used set for clearly less. I won't call it a bargain, since no tweak at these prices is a bargain, but I think it's an ok deal.
I keep saying this: stand heavy speakers on machine feet. If I can stand 600kg of killing machine on 4 machine feet and damp vibration, and I have, your speakers are child's play.I might just have to borrow this idea, when my daughter is old enough to understand the concept of electric shock
Yeah the prices are ridiculous, but then again Auva's are half the price of GAIA I's, which I'd need for my speakers since they weigh so much. I found my Auva's second hand and almost new so I saved little bit there also. Compared to the prices I've paid for the rest of my gear, Auva's are only a small fraction of it.