Townshend Springs under Speakers

Of all the various methods springs are by far the most reliably effective across a wide range of applications. Damped springs like Townshend are by far the most effective use of springs. So I have no hesitation in recommending them.

When it comes to complex specific solutions like this verity audio thing it is impossible to tell just by looking at it whether it is highly effective but costs a fortune, or ineffective but costs a fortune, or somewhere in between.

Only thing we can tell for sure they are using all these different materials because each one has its own peculiar sonic signature. This simply is the nature of vibration and there really is nothing anyone can do about that. What this means is all vibration control solutions inevitably boil down to one of two alternatives: either use springs to allow free movement, or use a combination of materials to try and achieve a sonically neutral or at least euphonic ringing.

Some of these complex materials combinations might work pretty good. When this happens they usually cost a small fortune, because of the complex engineering and construction. Also they tend to be much more specific in application, in other words might work great on one thing not at all on another. Springs in contrast are much more effective across a wide range of applications.

In other words what mitch2 said, you will just have to try it and see. My money’s on Podiums kicking major butt. But you never know for sure until you try.

Thank you @mitch2 and @MC for your thoughtful responses.  I really appreciate your assistance!

I believe that the original Verity speaker lines came with spikes, but a few years ago, Verity designed this platform and included it as standard equipment (at least on the higher-end models).  I purchased my Amadis  second-hard and the platforms came with it, so there's no additional outlay of money as I own it now.  The question is whether I want to trust the default engineered isolation bases or experiment with other platform options.

Earlier in the thread, @grannyring mentioned that he had achieved good results from Star Sound platforms, particularly in the area of instrument separation.  This is of great interest to me, as I listen to a lot of the major symphonic orchestras from the 1950s-70s, and find that the brass sections tend to blend into an undifferentiated mass.  Some system tweaks have allowed me to make some headway with the string sections, but success with the horns has been elusive.

My amp and digital equipment use a hodgepodge of isolation solutions: DIY rollerblocks, Nordost SortKone and Isoacoustics,

So in terms of achieving better instrument separation, does someone have thoughts on what to prioritize? 
 
-Speaker isolation (Townshend Podiums or Star Sound) (or stay with default platforms)
-Equipment isolation (Townshend pods)
-Townshend F1 speaker cable.  

It is helpful that you have taken the time to post your system.  So folks here can give the best answers to your question, it would also be helpful to know about the floor the speakers are supported on - specifically suspended floor over wooden joists, concrete slab on grade, or something else, and also whether there is carpet or not.

Good choices, I have them all, can't go wrong. Podiums typically have the biggest impact of all. Even people who already had pretty good stuff like Gaia still had big improvement going to Podiums. So I would think this will be about like that.   

Pods under components are very similar to Podiums under speakers, and they cost a lot less. It is kind of hard to rate these things but for the cost of one set of Podiums you get enough Pods to do about 5 or 6 components, which all together adds up to about the same total improvement, if you follow me.   

F1 are pretty impressive too though. Ozzy likes his better than any and he has tried a lot more high end cables than me.   

With all of these, the way they improve instrument separation is they eliminate a lot of resonant behavior that colors tone and alters each instruments individual acoustic signature or timbre. This makes each instrument sound so much more real and natural, this lets you hear each one a lot more clearly, and so they naturally appear more distinct or separate from each other on the stage.    

This is how I hear it at any rate. Because pretty much everything has these tone-shifting resonances it is easy to say they will all be better. But without hearing what you have, which one to prioritize, is pure guesswork. My hunch would be Podiums, Pods, F1. But it is likely a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Ah, good point @mitch2 !

I live in an older, urban apartment building from the 1930s.  Top floor of a 3-story building with wood floors that are a bit creaky and not well insulated.  I can hear my downstairs neighbor sneeze.