Footers under your Audio Research Gear.
 

Do you use any type of footers under your Audio Research gear? If so, what have you tried and what do you use?

Currently the space between the shelves of my racks does not allow me to have any type of footers and leave room for ventilation. This is especially true for my preamps. But this will change once we move this spring. I plan on replacing my two equipment stands with ones that are larger and have more room between the shelves.

I do use large heavy stainless steel cones under my amp. But that is the only place I played with any type of footers. My ARC dealer has suggested I try Stillpoints. But I am curious what others have found works well.

I am using HRS Nimbus feet under my Ref 10. I used them previously on my Ref 5SE.

I am using the Voodoo Isopods. The do make an instant and obvious good difference. Recommended!!!

Stillpoints UltraSS do work under ARC gear. I'd try four under your amp to start. For several units, they offer threaded adapters to fit the Stillpoint units in place of the stock footers, including the 2SE and 5SE.

I have Stillpoints under my amp and pre. They don’t add a lot of height, but they do add some. Until you get moved that could be problematic. I use Ultra SS treaded directly into the component using the inserts.
A lesson I learned on the inserts......The amp inserts and the pre inserts are 2 different sizes. Both amp and pre are the GS series, so I only checked one of them when ordering the inserts. And we know the saying about the word ASSUME.
I got mine from Ivan (highly recommended).

Footers under your Audio Research Gear.
 

That goes for an awful lot of threaded feet inserts. Please check before ordering. The Stillpoints adapters pages on their website are very useful, but may not show sizes for newer equipment.

My Audio Research Dealer also suggested Stillpoints. I will definitely give them a try.

A new stand will be one of the first things after we move. I have been looking at different stands but I have not decided on one yet. I may have something custom made in maple. I don't want to have to go back to bricks and boards like I had in the mid 1980's.

I'm generally doubtful of the effectiveness of tweaks like footers but I seem to have had noticeable good results with TOAC Tite-35S super insulators under my Ref250SEs and Esoteric K03X. Bought them cheap while on holiday in Japan in March last year. Only $30USD per spike/insulator combination.

What types of improvements did you hear with the TAOC footers - in particular when used with the ARC REF 250SE amps? Where in Japan did you purchase the TAOC footers?

Footers are in interesting adn slippery slope to figure out. There are basically two types of cases...the 'folded' case which most are. They are screwed together and although can be heavy, they aren't as heavy as the solid, milled cases.

There is a thread on another board where a close friend of mine has or will have nearly every footer you can have. He's using them under all his components and figuring out which ones he likes best under which pieces. He personally owns a set of Stillpoint 5's I believe they are called.

So far, for cost, the Isoaccoustics Gia are the best for cost. They even beat out the still points for folded cases. He's in the process of getting the new HRS Vortex as well as the Nimbus feet along with Shun Mook once they become available in the US again.

He likes the spiked footers best for his solid case DaVinci DAC as well as his huge German mono blocks. On his The Memory Player server he likes the soft footers to lessen the vibrations. He will also use the HRS 3lb plates on TMP to further help lower the vibrations.

I too have auditioned many of the footers on the market, including myrtle wood footers (home made) and the feet that Dr Brown used on his BEL equipment (again, folded cabinet). My gear is Ayre QX5/20 and AX5/20. So far, the dirt cheap BEL feet sharpen the sound stage and tighten the bass, without losing the power. I know that the HRS Nimbus are much much better and once I make some electrical changes in my room, I will then review footers/platforms.

I have a lot of friends who own ARC gear and I do know that Stillpoints are loved by some, but most use HRS platforms and feel they make a huge difference for the better. I do know that Richard Vandersteen is using the HRS Nimbus on his soon to be released mono blocks as standard in much the same way he ships his top amp with the properly matched HRS footers built in.

Just with anything, if you can get some footers in teh room, it's best as price may not mean a thing.

Sorry for the late reply.
The sound seems to have more foundation to it - bass is tighter/more dynamic. The quiet passages seems to be less noisy.

I bought them from Yodobashi camera.

ctsooner, Thank you. This is very useful information. I borrowed a set of Isoaccoustics Gia footers from my ARC dealer and put them under my CD player. I was suprised at how much of a difference they made. I was told Isoaccoustics is coming out with footers especially for stereo components later this month. I can't wait to try them. Much more affordable than the Stillpoint footers.

Yes, that will be their new line. I"m still not sure they are as good at the HRS Nimbus, but I'll be checking that out soon I'm sure. Yes, they are much more affordable. My buddy owns Stillpoint 5's and likes the Gia footers as much for his folded boxes.

Folks need to figure out what they are really trying to get rid of. Sometimes, I've noticed, the sound is worsened as folks are getting rid of the wrong things, in the wrong spectrum.

I would love to hear your impression of the new Isoaccoustics footers.

I am waiting to hear the new footers so I can decide which I like better. After hearing the Gia, I am definitely interested in getting aone of the sets of footers for my CD player.

I have my Ref6 on an HRS S3 isolation base. I can't tell you specifically what kind of improvement that alone brings, but adding the bases to all my sources and pre has been a big improvement overall.

I'm not surprised. Those are my favorite bases by a country mile. They make such a great difference. As for the Gia's, they have a new one coming out and I hope to get to hear those soon. My friend has a pair on order.

I have three of the Ayre myrtle wood blocks under my Ref 2 Phono SE.

Ok, my buddy has gone crazy with footers and shelves etc....

The Nimbus are better on all his components than the Iso's...He was using the new Bordeaux's. If you have shelves, he likes the Symposium top shelf with teh double roller blocks. that's going to be more money than most of you will feel the need to spend most probably.

The thing is that you need to try your own components. The new Vortex by HRS is for gear that is made of plate or solid CNC'd aluminum or steel seems to be what they espouse. I know that he owns a Burmeister pre that comes with it's own solid steel plinth with some carbon fiber inserts etc... Lot's of though went into it's own vibration lessening system and it works. He can't get teh sound to change was all with a footer or shelf or combo. Very interesting stuff. I will be trying to get more into my house too.

I'm using Nordost Quasar Points under my LS5 MKI and REF110 (as well as under other equipment too). So far I like the result and I managed to improve the performances of these accessories replacing the original steel ball with a ceramic one.