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I have many many footers, platforms, etc for isolation and have been using them for over 25 years, some of which cost over $1,500 for a set. I've been looking for some to put under my speakers to meet the following criteria:* Must work on carpet.
* Footers that do not need to be bolted to bottom of speaker (difficult with my speaker design).
* Footers that at least preserve the bass I get with them directly on carpet, and hopefully improve the bass tautness and reach to lowest frequencies (my speakers have a 15" driver that is quite capable down to 25hz)
* Reduce speaker coloration, remove some midrange congestion and soundstage reduction my speakers have directly on the carpet.
* Don't make treble edgy or soft.
* Are weight compatible with my speakers which are about 25 pounds each.
I've tried 10 different kinds of footers, and most improve the coloration and congestion my speakers have directly on the carpet, as I think being directly on the carpet is just bad for that. But directly on the carpet produces some of the best bass for these speakers I've tried. All of them reduced the bass output somewhat, even if some did improve overhang, and tightness.Most of these footers were not well known, the most well known footers I tried were Isoacoustics Orea Bronze which cost $400 for 8. I liked a what the Orea's did for midrange and soundstage and detail. The midrange was very natural, detail was increased, and images floated independently of the speakers better than any of the others. Bass was very sculpted and dimensional, but all the bass moved back behind my speakers some distance, and bass level was substantially down, sounded almost 4-6db down subjectively. As much as I liked the other qualities, losing bass is a no go for me.
Enter these Amazon Chi-Fi sprung footers for about $45 for 8 (nearly 90% cheaper than the Orea's). And have a 30 day return policy. I don't think this brand is any better than the other clones I've seen on Amazon or Ali Express. They have 7 springs in each footer, the springs fit snugly in their holes, making the footers easy to move around.
I think the 7 springs make the footers a bit too stiff for a lot of applications. I removed the center spring, leaving 6 springs, this seemed to provide a bit of bounce on my 25lb speaker. If I was to use it under components that are lighter, I would probably just leave three springs in for a more bouncy action. A certain amount of spring is required for the best isolation and absorption of vibrations IMHO. I've worked with sprung isolation before and finding the right bounce is the key. I've never used springs under speakers before though, and it seems counter intuitive to providing a stable base. But in this case, it was right on the money.
The result? The bass is the tightest, most tuneful and textural I've ever heard it in my system, while also extending deeper and more powerfully/dynamically than I've had before. Midbass has real slam, and the lowest notes shown through clearer and more profound. In fact every frequency simply had more clarity and transparency. Midrange was so clear, and almost a bit 'creamy'. Treble was more detailed extended and resolved, the biggest surprise is how dimensional treble became. Things like rimshots ricocheted in my room, making me turn my head and think I heard something in my home. But at the same time, there was no edge, harshness, graininess or artificiality added. It was just clarity without a downside.
Downsides? Well they ain't pretty. I figure I'll paint the purple stripe black sometime.
I might try some kind of glue to the bottom of my speakers to couple them better, which should improve them. Need to find one that will be hard, but also removable if it turns out to not be positive.
Edits: 11/01/23Follow Ups:
I believe the purple ring is nothing more than a sticker that you could peel off.
Are your spring footers directly in contact with the carpet?
voolston - audiophile by day, music lover by night!
Poor man's Townshend pods.
I have used spring support with good results and I am not surprised they sound good to you.
Buy some black Velcro of the appropriate width and wrap it around once, just loose enough not to interfere with the spring action and you will not see the purple or the springs.
Yes, they have contact directly with the carpet. I've also tried some spike solutions, but they didn't work as well as these for some reason.
"this seemed to provide a bit of bounce on my 25lb speaker"
In my way of thinking that "bounce" can only take away bass and make it less tight. The idea is that the only thing you want moving is the cone.
Not the speaker box, not the floor.... If your floor is moving then the isolation you are getting might help with that and that is the improvement you are hearing.
A concrete floor with spiked feet on the speaker box going through the carpet so the box can't move (and of course being concrete the floor can't move) is the best set up I have heard.
Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"
This has always been my thinking too, otherwise the speaker cabinet might resemble one of those bobble head dog things people used to put in the rear windows of their cars. (And for those who take things too literally, that is intended as an amusing visual exaggeration of degree of movement, nothing more)
This is all theory on my part though, having never done any real experimenting beyond cone coupling. Tuckers results are interesting.
Hi, here is my cheap and easy sub or speaker footers. Get at the hardware store 4 hard rubber ( dark brown ) bed and furniture floor protectors. Fill the inside with Plastine or modeling clay, the kind that does not harden.Level the clay with the top lip of the floor/ furniture protector, Put a wooden nickel, or some small circle of wood in the center of the leveled modeling clay you just filled the floor protector with. Here you can experiment with what lies on top of the clay but the sub/ speaker's cone feet should rest on top of those 4 sub woofer isolation feet you just made....Mark Korda
Hi Tre,
I have also been a fan of good solid spikes directly into the floor when possible. You might think that these spring feet reduce bass, I would have thought this too. But it is not the case here.
I designed my room to be acoustically sound. This included extra joists below, and both one inch plywood and 1 inch of MDF as the base of the floor! So my floor is very stable.
But I am getting stronger deeper bass with less overhang with these springs, and increased clarity across the spectrum. Even after 40 years in audio, pro and amateur, you can be surprised by things! :)
Strangely enough, I too have had similar positive results using Zu rubber footers under my Omen DW's. I hear no down side from this somewhat "bouncy" approach. This is on a tiled concrete floor. When I did spike the Omens directly to the floor,(with protective cups) the sound is indeed more vivid with a shade more impact. Yet truthfully over time, this presentation becomes fatiguing.....at least to me. As always, YMMV.
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