To Spike or Not to Spike- that is the Question

For many of us with floor standing speakers the spikes that come with the speaker seem the ideal solution. Spike the cabinets to provide a pathway for excess energy to drain to the floor. For years, this has been the accepted method and the logic behind doing it this way seems as solid as the floor itself.

IsoAcoustics recently sent us two sets of their GAIA II Isolators ($299/set of 4) along with Carpet Spikes for the GAIA II's ($69.95/4). These are part of a series of GAIA footers. Choose between them based on the weight of the speakers. Having some extra time during this period of "social isolation," and wanting to be thorough, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to give these a try.     

Changing out the supplied spikes for the GAIA II's is something that can be done by oneself, but only if you are very careful. If you have a willing helper in your isolation bubble, use them! The GAIA II's come with three sets of threads and one of them was exactly what was needed for the 105 pound speakers. I did it solo; replacing one spike at a time while tipping and balancing the speaker on the other 3 feet does take some patience, but after a few minutes, it was done. Putting the Carpet Spikes under the GAIA II Isolators was a much easier task. (NOTE: IsoAcoustics does make a jack for this purpose for super heavy speakers.)

The GAIA II's with the Carpet Spikes make a very stable base- even more so than the speakers on spikes. So, what did I hear? I was surprised by the increased level of resolution, clarity, and focus from the speakers. Nothing else had been changed or touched during the process so the improvement in sound quality can be directly attributed to the impact of the GAIA II's. My expectation for any sort of difference was pretty low and quite frankly I thought going in that the spikes were going to be the more resolving option. I was dead wrong. No question the GAIA II's were superior and well worth the price of admission. No matter what music I played, whether analog or digital, the increased resolution of very familiar speakers in a very familiar system could not be ignored. Highly recommended!