STACK AUDIO v ISOACOUSTICS FOOTERS RESULTS & MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE STACK AUDIO AUVA 100S.

[@Eric-q9n]

Shane I owe you all the credit for turning me on to Stack Audio. I’m currently in correspondence with them regarding footers for my TAD CR1 speakers. The Auva 100’s will extend beyond the stands base, but I think that’ll still look okay and offer more of a performance benefit. Thanks again Shane!

[@shanestephenson8423]

@Eric-q9n Hi Eric, I'm really happy you're getting such a big benefit from using Stack Audio products. They really are amazing and still underappreciated, I think, by audiophiles, hopefully not for much longer. The Auva100s will be a real improvement under your TAD CR1 speakers. I'm quite sure of that. Stay tuned on the channel. I have some very exciting news to announce very soon with Stack Audio.👍🎧🙂

[@francois3684]

Great recap and technical explanation Shane! Thanks for the hard work.

[@shanestephenson8423]

It's my pleasure, and thanks for the kind words Francois.🙏🙂👍

[@ashvarma2486]

This was a great comparison series. Many thanks for all your efforts. Very enjoyable and helpful. I would definitely now consider trying the AUVA 100s for my current speakers.

[@shanestephenson8423]

That's great to hear, and thank you very much. These are the sort of practical comparison videos I'd like to keep doing. As far as a tweak goes, I think these are right up there with one of the first considerations one should make. They have made a profound difference to my loudspeakers where I thought not much more could be done to improve them.🎧👍🙂

[@carminedesanto6746]

14:42 ..if nothing else..you have been able to expose and explain the fact that isolation/ micro vibration do have an effect that’s clearly available to be heard …BUT you’ve got to have your system squared away to even begin to take advantage of the footers ( be it ISO or the Stacx ) ..and yes..I run isolation ( ISO’s) under EVERYTHING. Great video with great passion 👍👍

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi Carmine, Yes, I essentially agree with what you're saying. Footers are a tweak they are something you do toward the end of your journey building your Hi-Fi system, but something as revolutionary as these things are, that make such a difference on just about any component I've put them under so far does seem to be an exception to that rule. Even on quiet, low-end audio components, you can hear an improvement in the sound signature. These things are really good! I don't lose my s*** too often about components. I've heard pretty much everything that's good out there and most things in between, but these are something special.👍

[@dyerstrayts1734]

I now have (Stack Audio) footers underneath all my components Number 1 take away. Clarity. Meaning much less smearing. Bass notes are more musical/articulate. I didn't experience significantly more impact, but it did increase. I have hardwood floors on concrete. Vocals improvement was much more engaging. On Mark Knopfler's Tracker "Where ever I go" Ruth Moody's vocal is always slightly smeared .... not any more. My system sounded spectacular before the footers ... now well it's beyond that! Well worth the investment. Josh Stephenson is first class in customer service. Anyone stating: More detail equals a less engaging experience ... I don't experience that at all ... just the opposite. Vocals are "orgasmic". My system: Talon Firebird diamond tweeter/w upgrade woofer and crossover. Audio Research Ref 600 mono block Playback Design MPS5/w upgrade. Bicasti M5 Streamer Redrock/Al Stiefel dual mono linestage preamp 6bl7 tubes. All components sit on top of granite slabs.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Yes, very much the same results I got. But the impact was quite stunning for me in the lower octave. You can see my reaction in the first listen video. These things really work.!!! Thanks for letting us know you're findings 🙏🎧🙂

[@rg6556]

Another excellent series of videos! Thanks Shane

[@shanestephenson8423]

🙂🎧🙏👍 thanks for watching, and thanks for commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you all.

[@paulpavlou9294]

Thanks Shane, I was undesired which way to go for footers for my Elsinore speaker, but now I know.

[@shanestephenson8423]

@paulpavlou9294 Please keep me posted about how you go.👍

[@connorduke4619]

Excellent explanation of the physics, thanks!

[@shanestephenson8423]

I'm glad you liked it🙏 It was a pleasure to bring that series to you all. I really enjoyed doing it. There were some real audible differences that were relatively easy for people to pick even through KZbin, which pleased me. That's really what the channel is all about: real-world testing of things so that you guys can hear the differences. Thank you for the kind words.👍🙂🎧

[@staceymangham]

Great summary Shane, im sold on resonance control and these appear to be at the top of their game 👍

[@shanestephenson8423]

@staceymangham Yeah, mate, they are the best thing I've ever come across.🙂🎧👍

[@dragocelander6671]

I found at least for “No time to die” a big difference in SQ between a native KZbin stream of the digital track and a recorded stream of the same track that is posted on KZbin. I’m still processing this info but thought to share it.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Thanks Drago, please let me know if you come up with anything to share with the group. 👍🙂

[@dragocelander6671]

Besides PJ Harvey’s “Down by the water,” I recommend you demo The Kills “103.” Both tracks have great dynamics that might tick all boxes you desire in a test track recoding.

[@shanestephenson8423]

I'll check them out 👍🎧

[@paulhallford1904]

Morning everyone from tropical Scotland 😁 ( I swear I just witnessed a polar bear mug a granny for her hat and scalf ) I hope your all safe and well 😁 I went 2 2 1 one out of 3 for me, that's the thing about music we all hear differently and have our own reference to the perfect sound, god I love music and see the equipment as a tool to get me closer to what the artist etc intended, please stay safe and look after yourselves 😁

[@shanestephenson8423]

Lol, wow, that's pretty cold Paul. Yes, quite correct. This is a subjective hobby, and people hear things differently. There were no wrong answers here. I appreciate you letting us know how you went. Keep warm up there from sunny Australia down here.😁👍🎧

[@paulhallford1904]

@shanestephenson8423 I do wish KZbin would open there bandwidth up, we live in a world with hi res etc so why KZbin is still doing compression I don't know anyway please stay safe and have a great weekend 😁

[@shanestephenson8423]

@paulhallford1904 Thanks, Paul, the same to you.👍

[@dyerstrayts1734]

Yeah ... I'm sold ... gonna do the whole system.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Me too. After I heard what they did under my dac and then the speakers, I just had to have them under everything. You won't be disappointed man they really are something special. And trust me, I don't say that lightly or very often about anything unless it needs saying.🙂👍🎧

[@PaulParramore]

Hello Shane. May I ask a question (and please accept my apology if you have already answered it somewhere)? In your answer to Tony Martello, you clarified that while Your IsoAcoustics themselves were/are not spiked, they were being used in conjunction with the IsoAcoustic recommended spike platform (i.e. they were being used to get the best possible performance from them). With the Stack Audio AUVA 100s. I gathered that you had spent some time to get them set up optimally, but that you had done that without using the spikes which come with them, because that was the easiest (and recommended) way to move them around during set-up. Were any of your videos made with the AUVA spikes actually in use, or are you planning to put them on when the Wilsons go back in the room? If this is the case, might that lead to a potential further improvement with the AUVAs?

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi Paul, That is a very good observation. The answer is no, at no point in the blind listening videos were the Auva 100s spiked. And the reasons you suggest are correct. I'm still fine-tuning the speakers and moving them around in the room on the carpet. In instructions, it states that you should leave the spikes out and fine-tune the speaker placement, then put the spikes in when you're happy with the speaker placement. I'd suggest you tape the perimeters of your speaker footprint and then you can rock the speaker forward and insert the spikes into the footers and then rock the speaker backwards and insert the rear ones then the speaker is locked in and you haven't moved your speaker anywhere if it lines back up with the masking tape. I must also say that the Auva 100s were brilliant in helping me move the Alexia's around. They made a 116 kg speaker feel like about a 20 kg speaker. There is no doubt about it. There will be a further improvement in the speaker presentation when they are rigidly fixed to the ground. I'll be doing a video when the Wilsons come back in the room showing everybody how to install the spikes in the Auva 100s, and I'll go into more detail about everything I'm doing in that video.👍🎧🙂

[@danielmiller469]

I'm on the cheap side of the hobby rocking a pair of turtle beach stealth 600 gen2 and A usb c to usb a adapter the biggest issue i have is the usb port on my phone clips so easily on dynamic track my phone sometimes resets one of these days I'll get a better setup but until then I'm just gonna have to make do. Until then I might not be able to judge every test video but you'll get a like from me.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Well, Daniel, you're welcome to have a good listen. You're part of the Aussie audio file family, so your opinion matters to me, mate.👍🎧🙂

[@darwindean60]

Good video again Shane. I have been waiting for this video before contacting Josh. I have used offcuts from Bamboo benchtops from bunnings as heavy Amp platforms as it absorbs vibrations really well and doesn't tend to ring like hardwoods. Dean😊

[@shanestephenson8423]

Excellent, thanks for watching the video. I really appreciate your support. Yeah, I've gone with something dense to put the amps on. I will be installing spikes in the platform, and then, of course, the footers underneath the amps. This work best on a hard platform Theo from Stack Audio tells me that's why I went that way. But bamboo is also fantastic, especially for rack shelving it works quite nicely.🙂👍🎧

[@Simplyveej]

Was that IOU by Caroline No?

[@shanestephenson8423]

Yeah 👍

[@PaulTurner-iw1qo]

With wooden floors I wont use spikes, what is the difference without the spikes using the flat base only? Great set of videos.

[@shanestephenson8423]

I have suspended wooden floors, so by virtue of that room, modes to deal with and exciting the floor with the lower octave. On the stack speaker isolation, the spikes are designed to keep the front baffle rigid, which has major benefits to soundstage and imaging focus. These things have a major improvement in the sound profile in my room now, and I could not be happier.👍🎧🙂

[@naikrosh]

Have you tried the EVP from A V Room service ? In my audio club they seem to prefer it over stack audio ?

[@shanestephenson8423]

@naikrosh Hi, yes, I have tried them under some of my components, as I was given a few sets to compare against the stack audio products from a friend of mine who ordered them out of America. I preferred the Stack Audio products. The EVP products seem to create a slight muddiness to the presentation in my system they also seemed to slightly diminish the transient response (liveliness of the presentation) I still think they are a good product (I certainly seen and experienced a lot worse) but I just didn't think they're quite measure up to the same level as the Stack Audio products did in my experience.

[@naikrosh]

@@shanestephenson8423 would it be appropriate to say these components make the most difference under a DAC, speakers, subwoofer ? if not opinions ?

[@shanestephenson8423]

@naikrosh Hi there, it's a difficult question and hard to generalise as I'm not sure what componentry you have in your system, but the rule of thumb with any isolation/decoupling device is to first prioritise anything that vibrates, like speakers and subwoofers. Second would be things that are sensitive to vibration, such as TurnTables, Dac's, any digital equipment with sensitive clocking components integrated within them. Next would be things like preamps, amplifiers, racks, and then eventually cables. That's the order I would tackle things in, and that's how I did it myself, noticing further refinement and Improvements the more components I isolated.

[@teknolojigundemi]

In their website they wrote same spec for 3 different unit " For speakers weighing 275 Kg (606lbs) or less" . Dont understand

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi there, no, it doesn't work like isoacoustics. With isoacoustics, you have to spend more money the more your speaker weighs. With Stack Audio, you spend more money and get more isolation. All three speaker isolation products they sell will handle the same weight. You actually get more chambers of isolation the further up the ladder you go.👍🎧🙂

[@marksironi3324]

I wish they had some higher weight component footers so you don't have to get 6 of the things for big power amps.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi there Mark, yeah, that would be nice. I can talk to Theo about possibly doing a CSR 4, which is the threaded insert that handles the weight. I'll be interviewing him and Josh for the channel soon, and I'll put that question to him. You'll see that interview on a video coming soon.👍🎧🙂

[@marksironi3324]

@@shanestephenson8423 I have a deposit on a boulder 1160 that's ~160 lb plus whatever the 2" slab of maple I got as a stand weighs. I'd love a CSR4

[@shanestephenson8423]

@marksironi3324 Hi Mark, I'll be asking that question in the interview I'm doing with the guys next week, so you might like to watch that when it drops on the channel.🙂🎧👍

[@TonyMartello]

Ok that sounded a bit too much like an advert and lacked a bit of important detail. So what I'd like to know is what is the floor surface below the footers? And were spikes involved? I see you've stated 'stack audio auva 100s' but what isoacoustics range did you compare them with? Isoacoustics start cheap and nasty with the pucks, then you go stage 1, then the iso stands, then the orea range, then you step up to the gaia range and then of course the top tier Titan range. The price for a set starts around a couple of hundred and goes right up to thousands. I think the gaia or Titan range (properly weighted to 1,2 or 3) would have been about right for this comparison so what did you use? And were the spike dishes used with them? I know if they are placed directly on carpet they wont work. You've made some big claims here. Some more detail would be nice.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi there Tony, ok I have mentioned on several occasions that the isoacoustics footers that are under my Wilsons, which have to be the correct model for the weight when you're talking about isoacoustics, are Gaia Titan Theis. They simply can't be anything else or you overload the footers. The only piece of information I did not give (and my apologies for that) is that they were under the ISO acoustic spike platforms as recommended to me by the dealer. The next thing is if you clearly look at all my videos, you can see that my room is carpeted, so I didn't think I needed to state the obvious there. (But maybe I did). This is certainly no advertisement. I'm a reviewer. I take components or products in and do my best to objectively and subjectively review them, which is what I have done here. I have never heard a better isolation component in all of my 35 years of being involved in high-end audio. I stated that in the review, and I stand by every word of it. I was not paid by the manufacturer to say anything favourable. My opinion is my own. I would respectfully ask you not to question my integrity as that is paramount to this channel and my personality. In the interest of being fully transparent here the order that I have made to put this product under every component in my system was substantially discounted by Stack Audio for no other reason then the sheer volume of product I have just ordered. I'm putting my money where my mouth is. I believe in this product because I have heard it make substantial improvements in my already very high-end audio system. So, as far as I'm concerned, any money out of my pocket that I have spent is well spent.

[@TonyMartello]

@@shanestephenson8423 Hi Shane. This is the first video that has come on to my youtube feed from you so after watching it I did not know the model, disks or floor coverings. I just started watching the pre video now when you replied. Sorry for saying the video sounded like an ad, but when you hear claims of 15% better than isoacoustics and see a purchase link it does appear to be an ad. I'm an audio enthusiast living in Melbourne and have owned plenty of systems myself over the last 35yrs. I currently have a set of ATC40's sitting on gaia2 feet and I can't imagine a 15% improvement regarding voices and instruments. They sound so real as it is. But I suppose there is the point that you don't know what you don't know. BTW I feed them and my SVS subs with a Michi P5/S5 combo. Nothing I've heard at the annual SNA shows comes close to sounding 15% better than my system and that's why I sound sceptical. I love your old RHB10 in the background by the way, I had one of those years ago. Subscribed

[@shanestephenson8423]

@TonyMartello Hi Tony, if you are ever in Geelong, let me know. I'll be happy to have you sit in my chair and listen to the Stack Audio products I have here atm given your only in Melbourne. My apologies if I sounded a bit defensive, that was not my intention. If you would like to audition the footers down here, I'd be happy to have you listen to them. What Theo of Stack Audio has done here is combined what the ISO acoustic footers are doing with ridgid spikes and I think the combination of these two technologies is where the new ground has been set in relation to speaker isolation/grounding. 👍🎧🙂

[@PaulParramore]

@@TonyMartello Hello there. I am the guy for whom Shane has been building the Linkwitz speakers.I have known Shane for several years now (well before he started "An Aussie Audiophile"), and also for some time before he first put the IsoAcoustics on his Wilson speakers. Before Shane purchased his IsoAcoustics, I had used them for years with my speakers, and I had told him how much (and why) I liked them. I recall how impressed he was with the improvements in sound signature when he first installed the IsoAcoustics. After he made (and posted) his first impressions video about the AUVA 100s, he called me to talk about the AUVAs. Despite his long experience in the audio Industry, he was still staggered at the improvements which he felt the AUVAs brought to the table (and which he discussed on the latest video) above what he had previously found with the IsoAcoustics. For that reason, I too have placed a significant order with Stack Audio - enough to apply to my components, plus speaker isolators to use with the Linkwitzs. Paul.

[@shanestephenson8423]

@user-hb3go2cc9m Thanks Paul. I very much appreciate your input here on the channel. Paul and his wife also has extensive musical knowledge and have had his fair share of nice Hi-Fi components over the years.👍🎧🙂

[@DarkJeffau]

Are you going to put them under equipment one at a time to see the difference instead of all at once Shane.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Lol😂 I can't quite be sure about that Eddie. I'll be pretty excited when they all turn up to just go bang and put them under everything, but you're right the most prudent thing to do would be to do each component and have a listen. That is probably what I'll end up doing after my excitement dies down a little when the box arrives.🎧👍🙂

[@PaulParramore]

I gather that you did your MPD-8 first up, by itself, and that you were so impressed by what the EQs did there, that you ordered the extra EQs, on that basis? If so, the one off component isolation that Eddie mentions has already been done with one component. Doing the same with all of the rest? Do you take out the EQs which you already have installed, and then put some on one other component? Do you keep adding them one at a time, so the system gets more and more of them working? Some other method? I gather that the improvement you noticed in the MPD-8 was SO significant that you (Shane) decided to just go "put them in the lot"? For my system, we might listen to the system with no Stack components installed, then "treat" everything except the speakers, and finally the speakers will get the AUVA 70s installed. Or, perhaps treat the speakers first, then add the EQs to all of the other components? Either way, it should be fun and interesting. Whatever you do, Eddie's question was a terrific one.

[@shanestephenson8423]

@user-hb3go2cc9m Hi Paul, I think the way to do this is to treat the speakers first. We know that they are a major source of unwanted vibration and harmonics in the floor. By doing this, we will clean up the presentation so that we will be able to hear the other improvements as we isolate the components more clearly.👍🙂🎧

[@captainwho1]

Did I miss it or did you not reveal which one was the Stack Audio in track 3?

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi there, track 3 was Yello. Oh yeah, and the first version was the ISO Acoustics. The 2nd was the Stack Audio.

[@dragocelander6671]

So the isoacoustics footers aren’t spiked? If true, then that likely accounts for the majority of the SQ differences.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi Drago, no, there not spiked. I agree with you. I think that has a fairly big contributing factor to it. But also the ISO Acoustics uses a spring system as opposed to Stack Audio that uses particle dampening technology, which is where I think the rubber hits the road. They just do a much better job at isolating the speaker from my floor. I'm on timber floors with good quality underlay and carpet, but I could always feel the speaker interacting with the floor under the ISO acoustic footers all the original Wilson spikes. I can't feel any such interaction with the Stack Audio footers. So, a combination of both technologies are used here to ground the speakers and isolate it with the Stack Audio footers. And both seem to be very effective at working in harmony with each other.🎧👍🙂

[@dragocelander6671]

@@shanestephenson8423 Springs, while admirably isolating, do present other complications. I seem to recall from physics class that springs have a characteristic resonance frequency or frequencies.

[@PaulParramore]

On the recommendation of a friend who is in the audio industry, I used Iso Acoustics with our last pair of speakers. They work, and work well.The before and after difference was noticeable and beneficial. Because our system will be on a particle board floor, (with good underlay and woollen carpet) on the second storey of the house, I am prepared to lose a bit of bass at the bottom end, to gain the other benefits which Shane (and others) describe as being present with the Stack Audio products.. I have ordered Stack Audio isolation for nearly everything in the new system (Linkwitz speakers and nearly all components). In addition, the people at Stack Audio are great to deal with (as Shane explained).

[@dragocelander6671]

@@PaulParramore I agree with respect to Stack Audio customer service. I’ve been a long-term customer of Theo.

[@shanestephenson8423]

@dragocelander6671 Yes, I think I've read that somewhere myself.👍

[@stevealexander6021]

How would the Stack footers work with electrostatic speakers?

[@shanestephenson8423]

That's a great question. I'd suggest sending Josh an email. I've left the link in the description of this video. Ask him I'm sure they will be able to help you.

[@silverlining682]

Hi mate,whats your thoughts on the spring isolation feet i see youve been using

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi there,Yes, I noticed a very small difference using them from using nothing at all. I've tried all manner of other things live vibe, Townsend platforms, spikes, isoacoustics and now the stack audio isolation which is better than all the others I've tried and by a considerable margin. The particle dampening isolation they use in their component isolation and the combination of that and spikes in their speaker isolation really set them above the rest as far as I'm concerned.👍🎧😁

[@silverlining682]

Great thanks

[@n.lyndley.9889]

Great video, as usual. But @21:14 Massive disservice ✅ Massive injustice ✅ “a massive disjustice…” 🤷‍♂️

[@shanestephenson8423]

Lol, my bad. I was getting pretty carried away at that moment.🙂👍

[@PaulParramore]

I like it when a neat new term is added to the language, and I think it nicely sums up what Shane was concluding about the AUVAs. I am going to find a way to use it later today.🙂 Edit: Too late - someone beat us to it around 2012 when "disjustice" became a recognised word.

[@shanestephenson8423]

@user-hb3go2cc9m lol, yeah, that just came out of nowhere. I was so excited about what I was saying at the time, so let's put it down to youthful exuberance.😂🎧👍

[@PaulParramore]

@@shanestephenson8423 I was watching the news just now, and found a way to use it already. It has entered the lexicon.

[@PaulParramore]

@@shanestephenson8423 Damn. Just Googled "misjustice". Someone beat you to it in 2012.

[@dicmccoy]

Crazy. Looks like I picked the isoacoustics in every round. I found the isoacoustics to be fuller and much much much better with the bass and more romantic with the midrange. The stacks were too thin and caused listening fatigue within the midrange. I did not like them in any of the tracks.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your listening experience.👍 This just reinforces everybody hears things differently.

[@georgekoutromanos112]

Are better than Finite elemente?

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi, yes, imo. I thank this is the best speaker/component isolation I've ever come across so far.👍🙂🎧

[@georgekoutromanos112]

3 or 4 under an amplifier?

[@shanestephenson8423]

@georgekoutromanos112 It depends on the weight of the amplifier. I would always run 3 footers, not 4, but have a look on the website because the numbers corresponding to weights are 1,2, or 3. Reach out to Josh at StackAudio. I'm sure he will be able to help you, and he is a nice guy.👍🎧🙂

[@georgekoutromanos112]

My amb is Luxman 590

[@carminedesanto6746]

GM ☕️❄️🦘 Listening 👂

[@mediascapes2011]

I don't understand what you are trying to say?

[@shanestephenson8423]

@@mediascapes2011 What are you not understanding?