An audiophile tweak that works?

For decades, the audiophile hobby has been littered with tweaks that make outrageous and unsupportable performance claims. Even so, there are some tweaks that are reputed to work as advertised. These include products from the Canadian manufacturer IsoAcoustics, which manufactures vibration control footers for speakers and vibration control platforms for electronic components and turntables. 

For this review, IsoAcoustics sent me its Gaia III Neo speaker isolation feet. They are said to isolate speakers from acoustical issues that affect image clarity, detail, and low-frequency performance. At $299.99 (all prices USD) for a set of four that support a single speaker (or $599.98 for a speaker pair), they are not cheap. Still, that cost is nowhere near that of some footers, which can run thousands of dollars per set.

IsoAcoustics/Gaia background

According to IsoAcoustics, its products have been developed based on years of research into how vibrations in an audio system can degrade performance. The company started in 2012, developing vibration control solutions for radio and television broadcast studios. It later entered the home audio market, manufacturing products aimed squarely at audiophiles. 

IsoAcoustics’ audiophile product launches include the Aperta speaker stands (2015), original Gaia and Orea Series feet (2016 and 2018, respectively), Gaia-Titan feet (2019), Delos and Zazen component platforms (2019 and 2020, respectively), and Aperta Sub stands (2021). All of these products are still sold by IsoAcoustics, with the original Gaia and Gaia-Titan feet being less expensive than the Gaia Neos.

IsoAcoustics states that the Gaia Neo feet (there are three different Neo models) build upon the performance of its earlier component feet through improved internal components. The Gaia Neo also incorporates improved height adjustment, along with floor sliders that make it easier to reposition the speakers once the feet are installed. As shown above, the Gaia Neo is offered in a choice of dark chrome or black finishes. The models in the series are the: Gaia I Neo for speakers up to 220 pounds, Gaia II Neo for speakers up to 120 pounds, and Gaia III Neo for speakers up to 70 pounds. 

The Gaia Neo feet use proprietary technologies that reduce internal reflections and mechanical vibrations. They are designed to align with the drivers of a connected speaker, and this alignment is said to minimize lateral movement and oscillations. The Gaia Neo’s bottom portion provides stability and can also move to maintain consistent contact with a floor surface, even when that surface isn’t level. 

In addition to the feet and floor sliders, the Gaia Neo’s packaging includes a choice of several differently sized thread adaptors that enable the installation of the feet on most speakers. If needed, adaptors of other sizes can be purchased separately. IsoAcoustics provides an Allen wrench to further facilitate installation.

Installation 

It didn’t take long to attach the Gaia III Neo to a pair of Phase Technology Premier Lux PL950 loudspeakers (approximately $2,000 per pair). Following the instructions included in the packaging, I inserted the ¼-inch thread adaptors into each speaker’s bottom plinth. 

With the threaded pole inserted, I threaded the Gaia III Neo onto the speakers’ bottom chassis with the IsoAcoustics logo facing forward. I then slipped the floor sliders under the feet to position the speakers in a “golden triangle” alignment with my listening position.

Given the height of the Phase Technology speakers, leveling them using the Neo III’s built-in mechanism was as simple as adjusting each footer to be flush with the speaker’s plinth. This brought the tweeters to ear-level, and afterwards, I used a level to verify that the speakers were level.

Performance

I started my listening sessions by connecting the Phase Technology speakers to an Integra DRX-3.4 AV receiver with an Apple TV 4K and Dish Hopper set-top boxes as sources. YouTube videos are hardly reference-level material, but when watching a video of the rock band Ghost performing “Lachryma” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, I heard details I hadn’t noticed before, such as an open hi-hat on the song’s verse sections. The keyboards carrying the song’s main melody line during the chorus also had better clarity. I had not previously discerned these types of details when watching YouTube videos. 

For more audiophile-approved sessions, I connected a Bryston amp and preamp to the speakers via AudioQuest speaker cables. My source components included an Oppo universal disc player and a restored Thorens TD-160 turntable (outfitted with a Rega tonearm and Audio-Technica cartridge) connected to a Cary Audio phono preamp.  

With the Gaia III Neo footers installed, I used the Thorens ’table to spin a Bob Ludwig-mastered version of Led Zeppelin II (LP, Atlantic SD 8236), followed by Michael Jackson’s Thriller (LP, Epic, MJJ Productions 88875143731) and Rush’ Moving Pictures (LP, Mercury 6337 160). What I found was an increase in detail, a significant step-up in dynamics, and enhanced tonal accuracy. 

Listening to a CD of Extreme’s III Sides to Every Story album (CD, A&M Records CD 0006), the Gaia III Neo footers let me better appreciate the round, rich vocals of singer Gary Cherone and the technical capabilities of guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. Other improvements included punchier bass, including a fuller thump to the floor and mounted toms. 

Conclusion

The Gaia III Neo speaker isolation feet are admittedly pricier than some other (but certainly not all) speaker isolation devices on the market. However, it’s fair to say that the Gaia III Neo proved transformative in its ability to enhance my enjoyment of music. Validating my opinion are manufacturers such as PSB Speakers, JBL, Sonus faber, and Marten, each of which uses IsoAcoustics’s footers as OEM components on their speakers. 

If you have only several hundred dollars to spend on a pair of speakers, it’s hard to justify shelling out about $600 (the cost of two Gaia III Neo sets) for speaker isolation. However, if you are spending roughly twice that amount or more, the Gaia's are a must-have addition.

IsoAcoustics Gaia III Neo speaker isolation feet

Price: $299.99 per set of four 

Warranty: Two years parts and labor

Dimensions: 2.2” W x 1.8” H

Weight: 3.2 ounces per footer

IsoAcoustics

Markham, Ontario, Canada

https://isoacoustics.com/

Associated Equipment  

Home Theater

• Sources: Apple 4K TV, Dish Network Hopper set-top box, Panasonic DP-UB820 4K UHD disc player

• Amplification: Integra DRX-3.4 9.2 AVR

• Speakers: Phase Technology Premier Lux PL950 and PL-12 subwoofer

• Cables: AudioQuest 

• Power: StraightWire power cords, Torus Power AVR Elite Series power conditioner, and Power TOT power conditioner

• Room treatments: Primacoustic acoustical panels, Auralex decoupling foam pads

Stereo

• Sources: Oppo BD-101C1 universal disc player, Thorens TD-160 restored by Vinyl Nirvana, Rega RB-300 tonearm, Audio-Technica ML-440a moving magnet phono cartridge

• Amplification: Bryston 9B-ST (bi-amp mode), Bryston SP 1.7 preamplifier (analog bypass mode), Cary Audio PH302-MKII phono preamplifier

• Speakers: Phase Technology Premier Lux PL950 (bi-amped)

• Cables: AudioQuest qsza CSD  CSFDFS C C XGHCREYSGGRS

• Power: StraightWire power cords, Torus Power AVR Elite Series power conditioner and  Power TOT power conditioner

• Room treatments: Primacoustic acoustical panels,  Auralex decoupling foam pads