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Isolation Feet Recommendation for Equipment Rack

I just bought a 4-tier equipment rack to set up a 2nd system. It’s not audiophile standard and comes with standard spikes. The sound quality of the system is decent with this rack but I intend to replace the spikes on the rack with something else in the near future and was wondering about the available options.

The target support weight inclusive of the rack is up to 150 lbs (on a more accurate level it's around 130lbs). Apart from the Isoacoustics Gaia, are there any other worthy options around the same price range? What about the Finite Elemente stuff such as Cerabase and Cerapuc? I have the FE Cerapuc installed on the equipment rack in the main system but did not compare the Cerapuc with anything else for the past 15 years of ownership.

I would appreciate experiences from folks who have switched from spikes to any of the "audiophile standard" isolator options on the equipment rack, going from coupling to decoupling. These isolation feet will need to bring some noticeable if not significant change or improvement to the sound quality of the system after they replaced the spikes on the equipment rack. If the difference is subtle to the point of negligible, or the sound becomes worse instead of better, I’d say forget it.
ryder
Post removed 
tvad
11,620 posts
 
You might try Townshend Support Corners if you don’t need to constantly move the rack.

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
I have gone from spikes and cones to springs and Townshend Pods. My turntable rack is 750lbs. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 For most of the 20+ years it was on BDR Cones, with the turntable and phono stage on BDR Shelf and Cones, like in these pictures. Then first the turntable and gradually everything else was upgraded to Nobsound springs. Dirt cheap but incredibly effective, way better than BDR and that is saying something. Not just under turntables by the way, but everything- phono stage, amp, DAC, everything. 

Next I tried Townshend Pods, and they were so much better everything gradually upgraded to Pods. See the lower pictures for Pods. Huge improvement!

I haven't directly compared Nobsound or Pods with stuff like Gaia, but those who have Pods are much better than Gaia.

Finally, the last thing was to put the entire 750lb rack on Pods. Townshend makes ones for racks, basically 2 Pods per corner with a frame, two types depending on your rack. Neither style was quite right for me so I just took em apart ditched the bracket and put the Pods two per corner. No pics of that yet.

Based on my experience I would say the biggest bang for the buck is directly under the component. Doing the whole rack is nice, but don't think you do the rack instead of the components, not like that at all. Pods are way better than Nobsound but Nobsound under everything would probably be better than Pods under the rack. I would put Pods under as many components as possible, Nobsound under the rest, and not even worry about the rack. Unless you can do Pods under everything, that is awesome, for sure.

Also don't forget about the rest. Podiums under speakers is more improvement than everything you can do to your rack and all the components combined. This is based on actually trying all these different things- except Gaia, I rely on reliable reports. Basically between Nobsound and Townshend is all kinds of stuff hardly any better than Nobsound just a lot more expensive, so the main thing is to avoid paying a lot more without getting a lot more. 
ryder OP
1,690 posts
 
Thanks for the recommendation. These look pretty unique with a pair consisting of 2 units supporting a point load. One feet looks better than a pair of feet but I guess that’s the way Townshend products work.

If I ever end up with these, they will likely go to the main system as I suspect they are better than the Finite Elemente Cerapuc which I currently own. The Townshend Support Corners are surely premium isolators as they cost multiple times more than my newly bought rack.
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