The Best Isolation/ Vibration Footers per component - what's your experience?


Hi everyone,

There are probably a dozen of threads out there on Isolation/ Vibration footers out there, but there hasn't been thus far one been that combines the following two assumptions:

1. Isolation/ Vibration effectiveness differs per type of component (from source to speaker).
2. The above with Most Popular brands available as per July 2020.

Some of the most recognised brands thus far:
  
  • Arya Audio
  • Artesania Audio
  • Aurios
  • Black Diamond Racing
  • Critical Mass Systems
  • Gingko
  • Harmonic Resolution Systems
  • Harmonix
  • Iso-Acoustics
  • Shun Mook
  • Silent Running Audio
  • Star Sound Technologies
  • Stillpoints
  • Symposium
  • Townshend

The reason for starting this thread is that in the past few months I have been reading that the Critical Mass Centerstage 2 footers are beating all or most of the above solutions from the other named brands. However, it seems that the Arya Audio Revopods are also beating most of the brands in some high-end select forums and groups as well. 

Do you use and or have/ had any experience with the above and where did you place them and why?

Here is my setup currently.

1. Source/ Network player: Star Sound Technologies Sistrum platform
2. Pre-Amp: No footer yet (Artesania Audio rack)
3. Amplifier: No footer yet (Artesania Audio rack)
4. Power conditioner: Harmonic Resolution Systems Nimbus & HRS platform footers
5. Power supplies for source: Stillpoints
6. Router: Stillpoints
7. Speakers: Stillpoints

I found out that this works the best in my system, but would like to know your experience as I found that using these footers and their effectiveness really depends on the component. Specifically, I would like to hear your experience with Arya Audio and Centerstage 2 footers?
128x128richardhk
How did the Stillpoints work for you? Which did you try and where? In general, the Stillpoints are still reviewed better, but are more sensitive to placement.

They are every bit as good, maybe better. Just very expensive. I kept one set, which are under my Garrard 301 as you can see in my profile. 
From what I’ve researched, the Critical Mass Center Stage 2 seem to be the best by a significant amount. For most positive reviews I’d expect perceivable, good, very good, and the very rare great, after around 10 days of declined performance, the system settles to a WoW (sorry, had to choose some descriptor)! Now I equate their descriptions as at least to the level of a major component upgrade. At say around $1k per set, is the component upgrade worth it? At $5k for 5 component upgrades, some would say this is a bargain.

Yeah, I know for some of you this may sound like abstract dribble, but if you get what I’m trying to communicate, then maybe you’ll benefit... or not ...
+1 for AVRoomService EVTs. Jim Smith knows what he's talking about. If I hadn't already bought some other iso products for most components I would have many more than the 8 I purchased. The effects were instantly recognizable.
I use a combination of isolation for my system. Under server: Stillpoints Ultra 6's / amp: Critical Mass Black Diamond shelf & Center Stage footers (4) / Under speakers: Nordost SortFut / REL subs: Arya Audio RevOpods / Under conditioner, grounding station and other conditioning products: Ultra 6's and Nordost SortKones (TC).  

I have mixed and matched all of the combinations possible with these products and have my preferences.  

I find the SortKones (TC) and the RevOpods equally effective with the RevOpods being warmer and the SortKones (TC) being a little more detailed. SortKones are tall and components tend to slide around a lot. RevOpods are much shorter but also have a hard surface on the narrow end (component side) so components will slide around if pushed or not handled carefully. If space (height) is an issue, the RevOpods will be more accommodating .

The Stillpoints Ultra 6's and the Center Stage footers were far more effective than the above. The Ultra 6's are extremely detailed, focused and somewhat analytical. The center Stage footers (1" & 1.5") are just as detailed but add a warmth and realness that the Ultra 6's don't. The holographic layering of the soundstage with the CS footers is spooky good. After talking with other Critical Mass owners and dealers I decided to add a Critical Mass shelf to the mix. Using the shelf in conjunction with the CS footers was cumulative and by far the best I have ever heard under a component. I plan to add 1 more CM shelf and 4 more CS footers.....Critical Mass is ridiculously expensive but nothing comes close to what their products can do for your system.  
I use a combination of isolation for my system. Under server: Stillpoints Ultra 6's / amp: Critical Mass Black Diamond shelf & Center Stage footers (4) / Under speakers: Nordost SortFut / REL subs: Arya Audio RevOpods / Under conditioner, grounding station and other conditioning products: Ultra 6's and Nordost SortKones (TC).  

I have mixed and matched all of the combinations possible with these products and have my preferences.  

I find the SortKones (TC) and the RevOpods equally effective with the RevOpods being warmer and the SortKones (TC) being a little more detailed. SortKones are tall and components tend to slide around a lot. RevOpods are much shorter but also have a hard surface on the narrow end (component side) so components will slide around if pushed or not handled carefully. If space (height) is an issue, the RevOpods will be more accommodating .

The Stillpoints Ultra 6's and the Center Stage footers were far more effective than the above. The Ultra 6's are extremely detailed, focused and somewhat analytical. The center Stage footers (1" & 1.5") are just as detailed but add a warmth and realness that the Ultra 6's don't. The holographic layering of the soundstage with the CS footers is spooky good. After talking with other Critical Mass owners and dealers I decided to add a Critical Mass shelf to the mix. Using the shelf in conjunction with the CS footers was cumulative and by far the best I have ever heard under a component. I plan to add 1 more CM shelf and 4 more CS footers.....Critical Mass is ridiculously expensive but nothing comes close to what their products can do for your system.  

Hi @ron17, thanks for sharing your feedback with us.

Some interesting things you mention there. I am going for best sound quality and for me that is realism and making the speakers and all components disappear as much as possible. Sometimes that mean maybe less detail or more or less warmth for instance.

You are saying that the Revopods sound warm and what I could find online is that Hifi + is saying "Irrespective of the component they're holding up, the Revopods give the soundstage extra depth and definition. Voices are more resonant and more like the real thing. The individual instrument sections in an orchestra are more clearly defined an delineated." Would you say you agree with these findings? Could you also share with which components you used them besides the sub and what you heard?

For Centerstage 2 footers PF mentions "The resultant stillness this afforded, by way of a darker, starker, background, was just intoxicating, adding a power and persuasiveness to everything I played, allowing me to be informed as much by the silence between musical impulses as by the effortless drive and pace of the musical gestalt itself. Instrumental tone colors, including their textures and verve, had bloomed. There was a newfound effortlessness and neutrality to every aspect of the music I played now" Also here, would you agree with these findings and under which components did you try them?

It's interesting, it seems that on more Western forums (e.g. whatsbestforum) they tend to lean towards the Centerstage 2 footers as best performers. Whereas on Eastern forums (e.g. Audio Exotics) they say that Revopods bested the Centerstage 2 footers.