I would like to provide some feedback on the Isoacoustics Orea isolators, three under SGCD and three under S300 amp. Indigos at the model for each.
So far I am extremely impressed with the SQ gains with these. I would describe them as neutral, I don’t hear any thinning or over emphasis anywhere. What I am hearing is dramatic reduction in homogenization. Instruments sound more like they should, timbre is improved. Midbass and bass localizes better to individual instruments instead of blurring. The stage feels more airy and the sound is less forward and more enveloping if that makes sense. General timing is improved and everything sounds a bit more live in a very natural way.
I have 2 more on order to add underneath my Dectet which is currently on tile floor.
Overall very cost effective since you can get 6 for $360. They are a little springy so in principle they provide a floating platform for your equipment. The Indigos are rated for 16 lbs per isolators while the Boudreaux are rated to 32lb per isolator.
These really make me want to try the Gaia isolators.
I had a new pair of Monblocks on order and needed a new set of "footers’ to place under one of the amplifiers when they arrive. I have been using VooDoo Cable Iso-Pods under all my components, they sound very good to me and the cumulative effect is exceptional. I decided to try the Oreas for one component, freeing up a set of Iso-Pods, because the Oreas were considerably cheaper.
I got 3 in and put them under my preamp. The package had arrived late and sat outside all night at about 20 degrees temperature when I pulled them in the next morning. Immediately it seemed as if there was a bit of a bass bump and forwardness in comparison to the Iso-Pods. Which did not exactly float my boat. But over the course of the next hours the sound improved and the overall characteristics became very similar to that the Iso-Pods presented. Still I preferred the sound with the Iso-Pods AND/OR I was very used to that signature effect. I put the Oreas under my Dynalab Magnum tuner. . and was very happy with the sound they presented there and have left them there.
In the meantime my new Decware SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with the 25th Anniversary modifications arrived and are on Iso-Pods. The whole system has changed. . . for the better. . .and everything is sounding wonderful.
The Oreas are very nicely made, look sharp, and work well. I may buy a few more sets for my second system as time goes by. . . .
I have them (4) under my DS and (3 each) under my M700 monos and Hegel preamp. I really like them and as an added bonus they look great.
I bought mine on the strength of the Gaia. I attended a hifi show in the UK and the Gaia demo blew me away. They had two sets of identical speakers wired to the same amp&source. One set of the speakers was on Gaia and the others were not. The difference was astounding. The image and clarity of the soundstage of the Gaia mounted speakers was WAY better.
I’d gone to the hifi show considering a speaker isolation product three times the cost of the Gaia. I bought the Gaia and used the savings to buy Oreas!
The Oreas don’t contribute nearly the same magnitude of difference as the Gaia but they’re still a great purchase.
Hopefully you’ll pardon me going slightly off topic here but after my experience at the show and buying the Gaia & Orea I found the below review where the reviewer had the same experience, at the same show! Just a year earlier
I started with the Orea based on the Gaia demos too. Although I didn’t hear the Gaia’s in person. I think I listened to the same demo you went to over headphones and I couldn’t believe it was audible over a recorded system.
Anyway, I’m still fiddling about with positioning my Tritons and I plan on getting Gaia’s this summer. How easy is it to move speakers with Gaia’s installed?
Thanks for starting this thread. I too have been curious about the other IsoAcoustic products. I recently placed Gaia II’s under my Triton Ones and the changes were not subtle. The biggest difference was the imaging. The placement of instruments within the soundstage is more precise and focused. Additionally the low end is deeper and tighter. I’ve found myself turning the bass knob below 12:00 when it used to stay between 12:00 and 1:00, depending on the recording.
Unfortunately it is not easy to move the speakers once the Gaia’s are installed, at least not by yourself. Mine are on hardwood floors and the rubber on the bottom of the feet really stays put. I was able to make some minor toe in adjustments because you can kind or rock them back and forth to a minor degree.
In my situation decoupling is the answer for my speakers, not coupling to the floor. I’ve tried a few things and found these to be the best, though they are no longer made: the first version of Iso-Pods from VooDoo Cable:
They don’t adhere to the speaker though I guess they could, but they really work. … imaging is improved, the high end is like Goldilock’s porridge, “just right.” They weren’t expensive either, I got a number of sets priced three for 65 dollars about five years ago.
Some advice the IsoAcoustics guy gave me was to put a tea towel under the speaker until you have it wher you want it and the slip it out from under when finished. Handy when changing speaker cables and stuff too
I’d echo what BrumTech said. The Gaia really improved the SQ but the price is that its harder to move the speakers. I have tiled flooring in my living room and the Gaia stick quite firmly to the floor. Makes messing around behind the rack quite difficult to get in. But it sounds much better and is pretty cheap compared to the price of a component. A price worth paying in my books.
Good advice from Veneet on the tea towel. Wish I’d thought of that.
cxp, have you tried these in the other possible implementation, with two on the back corners and one in the front center? In my experimentation with three of them I preferred the sound with two in the back, one in the front.
Eventually I bought a fourth and have two in front and two in back which may be better . . . or not, I’m not really sure. At least it’s not “worse” and I really love the looks of these under my Decware ZTPRE preamp–the preamp has two large chromed volume control knobs on its red faceplate, and the chrome on the Oreas really make these “POP”–it’s a real visual improvement.
I JUST replaced Herbies Tenderfeet with Oreas under my First Watt J2 amp and BHK Pre for an absolutely noticeable, full spectrum improvement in sound quality. Three under the amp and four under the preamp, just because it seemed like a good idea at the moment.
I have not tried but will experiment eventually. I have been fiddling with placement. Working with an asymmetric room takes a while to get right, the speaker that is on the open side always sounds good but the one 3 ft from corner is another story.
I hear ya! My room should be a nightmare. . . but I’m lucky that my speakers have omni-directional drivers that fire towards the ceileing as well as directional ribbon tweeters, midrange drivers and passive radiators in the bass. Somehow that all works and I get a very good left to right soundfield and tonal balance.
