Iso Acoustic Gaia Series Isolation Footers

[CyC]

I mean the felt disintegrates over time, I can move them ever so gently but not far.  However, I've changed the felt bottoms multiple times, so if you have the VanderCones just make sure to have extra felt around anytime you do any major moves.  I did try the furniture floor pads, but like you side they poked through the plastic and any little sand or dirt will cause marks on laminate flooring.  

My best lucky today was using a furniture dolly with an old piece of remnant carpet between the speaker and dolly.  Actually worked quite well from the front where there are two spikes.  Have another person around for balance but you can move them virtually anywhere this way.   

*By the way my dolly was rated 300 pounds, I am guessing a cheaper one at Home Depot may not work as well.

 

[ctsooner]

Guys, the 'felt' on the Vandersteen shoes are not normal felt.  It's the reason they sound better than the others.  I know a few folks who have had these since day one and never had an issue with them.  I don't know what to tell you.  I don't move my speakers much at all. I'd never move them with the shoes on though.  The best way to do it is to get three pennies.  Put them in the sliders under the spike and then move the speakers where you want them.  THEN use the spike shoes from Richard.  As for sand under them etc.. I guess the only way to stop anything from scratching hte floor is to hand clean the heck out of the floor where you will be moving them to make sure nothing is under the sliders.  Even putting felt under the sliders would scratch the floor if there was dirt on the floor.  Nothing will fix that.

I will say that moving the granite plinth is a breeze on a carpet.  The shoes are all meant to be installed after you have the speakers where you want them.  YMMV.  if you have the spike shoes, you should send them back to have new 'felt' installed.  

[BKDad]

29 minutes ago, CyC said:

I mean the felt disintegrates over time, I can move them ever so gently but not far.  However, I've changed the felt bottoms multiple times, so if you have the VanderCones just make sure to have extra felt around anytime you do any major moves.  I did try the furniture floor pads, but like you side they poked through the plastic and any little sand or dirt will cause marks on laminate flooring.  

 

I think we might not exactly be talking about the same things with felt on them.  I was talking about Vandersteen Spike Shoes, which are separately purchased items put beneath cones and/or spikes found on Vandersteen loudspeakers.  These are stainless steel (I think...) discs about an inch or so in diameter and maybe 3/8" thick, with a machined dimple in them for where you place the pointy end of the spikes and cones.  Felt on the bottom.  Their main purpose is to prevent damaging uncarpeted floors.

Is this what you mean?  If so, I could imagine that this felt would get ground up if you slid heavy loudspeakers using the felt as the "lubricant".   If the Spike Shoes just sit there, I'd  think chemical decomposition is about all that could degrade the felt.  But, I don't know.  That is why I ask!

[MNSki]

CyC, another idea would be to use a set of Herbies cone/spike decoupling gliders when moving the speakers. 

https://herbiesaudiolab.com/collections/loudspeaker-rack-decoupling-and-isolation/products/cone-spike-decoupling-glider

I have a set of these that I used before getting the Vandersteen spike shoes. They are easier to move the speakers on than the Vandersteen shoes. Before moving the speakers, swap the Vandersteen and Herbies shoes. Once in place, put the Vandersteen shoes back under the spikes.

[CyC]

40 minutes ago, MNSki said:

CyC, another idea would be to use a set of Herbies cone/spike decoupling gliders when moving the speakers. 

https://herbiesaudiolab.com/collections/loudspeaker-rack-decoupling-and-isolation/products/cone-spike-decoupling-glider

I have a set of these that I used before getting the Vandersteen spike shoes. They are easier to move the speakers on than the Vandersteen shoes. Before moving the speakers, swap the Vandersteen and Herbies shoes. Once in place, put the Vandersteen shoes back under the spikes.

Why would you switch back to the Vandersteen cones?  If these allow better movement and accommodate for spikes, is there a tradeoff?  Way cheaper than the VanderCones too.

 

What size would I get for the 5As?

Edited December 7, 2020 by CyC

[CyC]

19 minutes ago, CyC said:

Why would you switch back to the Vandersteen cones?  If these allow better movement and accommodate for spikes, is there a tradeoff?  Way cheaper than the VanderCones too.

 

What size would I get for the 5As?

Actually these are about the same price as the VanderCones, I didnt do the math on each.  I'm thinking I'll still make the investment.  Not many other options. 

[ctsooner]

Vandersteen spike shoes will probably sound a bit better due to how Richard makes them and as I said, that is a special type of felt used.  Are you talking about cones/spikes or the spike shoes?  Just confused and trying to fully understand.  

[BKDad]

2 minutes ago, ctsooner said:

Just confused and trying to fully understand.  

As am I.  I think these forums are way above my level, so I intend to minimize my presence as a demonstration of good grace and responsibility.  (I can at least try, right?)  Nothing personal intended toward anybody.

[ctsooner]

no, you're one of the great posters here, lol.  DON'T leave1!!!  

[CyC]

5 minutes ago, ctsooner said:

Vandersteen spike shoes will probably sound a bit better due to how Richard makes them and as I said, that is a special type of felt used.  Are you talking about cones/spikes or the spike shoes?  Just confused and trying to fully understand.  

The VanderCones (I think that is their official name) are just machined metal, the felt doesn't seem to be anything special.    I am not aware of what the  difference between spike shoes vs cones.   I assumed they were the same. 

[ctsooner]

Cones are the attached to the speakers.  The shoes hold the cones attached to the speaker.  The felt isn't actually felt.  It does make a bit of a difference and why Richard uses them.  It costs more than regular felt is what I was told.  Semantics, but BK and I keep thinking you may be talking about the cones/spikes.  Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, that's all.  I'm going to get Brad to start posting over here sa eh can give us the tech answers that many want.  I'll usually get in touch with Richard on many of these issues so that I don't give the wrong advice.  

[MNSki]

Shoes or cones, we are talking about the same thing. Richard commented that his spike cones should sound better. Part of the idea is you don’t want them to slide at all once placed. I think the Herbies options indicate how much weight they hold in the specs, but I would probably go with the larger ones. The smaller ones are stable when sliding my quatros.

[CyC]

1 minute ago, ctsooner said:

Cones are the attached to the speakers.  The shoes hold the cones attached to the speaker.  The felt isn't actually felt.  It does make a bit of a difference and why Richard uses them.  It costs more than regular felt is what I was told.  Semantics, but BK and I keep thinking you may be talking about the cones/spikes.  Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, that's all.  I'm going to get Brad to start posting over here sa eh can give us the tech answers that many want.  I'll usually get in touch with Richard on many of these issues so that I don't give the wrong advice.  

Ok, that makes sense.  Well whatever previously was on the bottom came off easily and wore down over time.  I have moved them considerably, they are extremely heavy...any material on the bottom of those shoes would be under considerable stress.  It would be awesome to add caster wheels then a method to have spikes come down somehow.  

[MNSki]

Sorry, we are referring to the puck that protects the floor from the spikes. I think we’re all talking about the same thing.

[CyC]

6 minutes ago, MNSki said:

Shoes or cones, we are talking about the same thing. Richard commented that his spike cones should sound better. Part of the idea is you don’t want them to slide at all once placed. I think the Herbies options indicate how much weight they hold in the specs, but I would probably go with the larger ones. The smaller ones are stable when sliding my quatros.

This is an absurd assumption if that is what Richard had in mind. How else can one move these things around?  For all the engineering that went into these amazing speakers, placement logistics  was overlooked. 

[ctsooner]

Guys, moving any heavy speaker is similar. As I said earlier, just try pennies inside the furniture gliders.  I did cost me six cents as I put holes in the pennies, lol.  Honestly, I believe it would be cheap and easy.  Just wash and wax the floor where the gliders will slide. over your floor so it's slippery and has zero grit.  Once set up install the pucks (or shoes or.... we are all on the same page now, lol).  No matter what you use under your cones/spikes, once in place, you'd install them the same way.  

Do you have someone to help you move them?  If so, that should work well too, :). 

[Steve Edwards]

It would be nice if Brad or Richard chimed in; just to clarify the terminology.  I have Quatros.  My understanding is there is a spike in the rear of the cabinet.  There are two pointed cones in the front of the cabinet.  For non-carpeted floors, Vandersteen makes footers for the spike and cones to sit in. 

Per John Rutan's advice, I just swapped out my Herbies Cone/Spike Decoupling Gliders (brass) for Richard's footers.  I immediately noticed a significant improvement in the sound.  I don't mean to exaggerate, but quite honestly, I was taken back.  It wasn't subtle.  

Regarding moving your speakers, 5's are definitely heavier than Quatros.  The Herbie's Gliders made that moving my Quatros around on my laminate over concrete floor quite easy.  But, I have been playing with toe-in since going with the Vandersteen footers; and while those little adjustments are fractions of an inch, I've found it quite doable, albeit not as easy as with the Gliders.  

So, there is a trade off; but for me, the improvement in sound far outshines the ease of movement with the Gliders.  

[CyC]

56 minutes ago, Steve Edwards said:

It would be nice if Brad or Richard chimed in; just to clarify the terminology.  I have Quatros.  My understanding is there is a spike in the rear of the cabinet.  There are two pointed cones in the front of the cabinet.  For non-carpeted floors, Vandersteen makes footers for the spike and cones to sit in. 

Per John Rutan's advice, I just swapped out my Herbies Cone/Spike Decoupling Gliders (brass) for Richard's footers.  I immediately noticed a significant improvement in the sound.  I don't mean to exaggerate, but quite honestly, I was taken back.  It wasn't subtle.  

Regarding moving your speakers, 5's are definitely heavier than Quatros.  The Herbie's Gliders made that moving my Quatros around on my laminate over concrete floor quite easy.  But, I have been playing with toe-in since going with the Vandersteen footers; and while those little adjustments are fractions of an inch, I've found it quite doable, albeit not as easy as with the Gliders.  

So, there is a trade off; but for me, the improvement in sound far outshines the ease of movement with the Gliders.  

Thanks for the info, I'll take the advise to use the Herbies to find my location and Vandersteen footers once I find that desirable sweet spot.  The problem with the Vandersteen footers they tend to jump off the footer when they get stuck hitting a plank transition in my laminate flooring.  

[Steve Edwards]

I can see how that could happen.  Laminate floor with the distressed look can be pretty uneven.  Even with the Herbie's Gliders, you might want to cup both hands under the corner and give the speaker a little lift.  Hope you don't need to move your 5's far.  Be careful & good luck.

 

[CyC]

9 minutes ago, Steve Edwards said:

I can see how that could happen.  Laminate floor with the distressed look can be pretty uneven.  Even with the Herbie's Gliders, you might want to cup both hands under the corner and give the speaker a little lift.  Hope you don't need to move your 5's far.  Be careful & good luck.

 

Moving them any distance is a potential gouge in the floor 🙂  Thanks for the tip.  

[CyC]

I just got the Herbies giant titanium footers, probably should make a new thread as its a bit off topic but they allow my 5As to move like silk.  Wow, wish I knew about this a very long time ago.  Not yet listened but functionally a perfect solution so far.

[ctsooner]

Glad you found your easy solution.  Great news.

[MNSki]

2 hours ago, CyC said:

I just got the Herbies giant titanium footers, probably should make a new thread as its a bit off topic but they allow my 5As to move like silk.  Wow, wish I knew about this a very long time ago.  Not yet listened but functionally a perfect solution so far.

Glad they worked for you! I have not found an easier/more secure way to move the speakers with spikes/cones installed.

[John Gallup]

I've been able to move Treos and Quatros around (over a "rustic" wood floor with slightly uneven surface) by myself by putting a pair of 2x2s as skids, one in the front and one in the back. You still have to be careful not to tip them over, and just move them a couple of inches at a time. If you listen with the skids under the speakers (rather than the cone/spikes) you're not getting the proper rake angle, so once you reach the desired position you have to pull them out, ideally without putting one of the spikes through your finger.

I'm curious about the "Vandercones" mentioned above in this thread. Can't find them on vandersteen.com.

The pictures show the disks I use under the supplied cones/spikes. You can't move the speakers around on them, at least not on my floor. I thought I got them at Audio Advisors but can't find them on their website anymore. 

[ctsooner]

Who is your Vandersteen dealer?  Just call them and they will get them for you. Very inexpensive.  They are called the spike Shoes if I recall correctly.