December 2025

Our Verdict Is In: IsoAcoustics GAIA I Neo Series Isolation Feet Review
An evolutionary product that has been gaining traction over the years.
Review By Rick Becker

   In a time long ago, well, it was the early 1990s, and audiophiles in greater numbers were accepting that cables and power conditioners could really make an improvement to sound quality. "Perfect sound forever" was coming to the realization that even with digital music, improvement was necessary, giving birth to the stand-alone DAC. Reviews on tweaks like the IsoAcoustics GAIA I Neo isolation feet / footers and such were rare, though now here on Enjoy the Music.com. And back then, Tiptoes were the solution to improving the resolution of components, while floorstanding loudspeakers had spikes to keep them anchored in the floor and drain vibrations from the cabinets while limiting vibrations coming up from the floor... or so the story went.

After a decade of being a novice audiophile, covering the Montreal shows from the mid-1990s on, and finally becoming a valuable product reviewer for Enjoy the Music.com, I wrote the premier review of Stillpoints footers in 2003, shortly after they brought their product to market. Being relatively poor for an audiophile, I was keenly aware that product tweaks such as this were an effective way to leverage significant improvements in sound quality versus spending large sums on new components. Product reviews of Symposium Rollerblocks and their vibration-absorbing shelves followed, as did a lot of experimentation with other materials and products that never made the Big Time.

Moving Forward
Fast forward more than a decade to 2015, when I discovered IsoAcoustics at the Montreal Salon Son et Image audio show. At that point, they were just getting started. After years of tinkering, Dave Morrison developed several products that were distributed by Focal. With a deep history in pro audio, Dave Morisson had access to the Canadian National Research Council (NRC) to test and refine his products. Given the rudimentary demonstration in an open hallway at the show, I wasn't terribly impressed, but kept it on my radar over the years. By 2019, they were performing demonstrations in a room at shows with footers on identical floorstanding speakers. Sitting through a complete demonstration was a hit or miss proposition, depending on when you visited the room. In 2022, at Montreal, I had a more definitive experience where, in a quiet moment, Dave let me use the remote control to switch back and forth between speakers. This made it much easier to pick up on the differences. While not game-changing in the large Focal exhibition space, the improvement seemed worth the price. Somewhere around that time, the footers began to take off in popularity.

I missed the boat on requesting review samples of the GAIA footers when they came out, but it became increasingly clear over the following years that the concept of using a vibration-absorbing footer was becoming popular and successful—and I pointed this out in my show reports many times over. Even Marten speakers from Sweden were using custom-designed IsoAcoustics footers as their OEM footers. Their new flagship Coltrane Supreme Extreme four-tower speaker incorporates GAIA Neo technology in the elaborately designed footer. More recently here on Enjoy the Music.com, Gershman Acoustics began using a customized version on their 30th Anniversary speakers, as well as their new Symphoria speaker that premiered in October and reported within our Toronto Audiofest 2025 show report. Special IsoAcoustics isolators were used to separate the mid-tweeter module from the bass unit. Most recently, IsoAcoustics has partnered with JBL to develop low-profile footers for three new models in their flagship Summit series. To date, Dave says they are now involved with 70 brands in one way or another.

When I saw the press release for the GAIA Neo versions, I let my interest be known. I had reviewed other very successful footers for components and speakers, which I still had on hand, so I was in a position to offer comparisons. The first review of the original GAIA footers was in 2017. Enjoy the Music.com republished a review when they were priced at $1200 for a set of eight. The equivalent GAIA I Neo for speakers weighing up to 220 pounds is now $1480 for a set of eight.

Both the original and the Neo models will be offered simultaneously. (The original GAIA I is now $1140 for a set of eight.) Pretty much everything I've read from people who have actually tried the original GAIA has been very positive, so I didn't expect any major discoveries or shortcomings with the GAIA Neo. It is exceedingly rare for a high end manufacturer to come out with an inferior product unless they are intentionally aiming for a lower price point.

A Brief Overview
Like the original, the GAIA Neo comes in black and in Dark Chrome at the same price. The fit and finish are superb, as you would expect from this premium product made in China. The shape has been slightly refined, and there are now two grooves around the circumference rather than one. The double nut locking mechanism of the original is gone, replaced by a rubber O-ring that tightens down firmly to the bottom of the speaker, making installation much easier. There is still a ‘front' and ‘back' dictated by the internal design, which counteract the forward and back motion of the drivers. (You simply adjust the feet with the label facing forward.)

There are also three sizes dictated by the weight of your speakers or subwoofers. GAIA Neo I, up to 220 lbs. (100kg), the Neo II, up to 120 lbs., and the Neo III, up to 70 lbs. The new GAIA Titan Neo series for speakers and subwoofers is in the works for speakers up to 620 lbs, but it will not likely be released until mid-2026. The threaded inserts are removable, and each footer comes with three different sizes to accommodate different speakers, depending on the size of the footer. I had to order 3/8-16 threads for my Acora speakers. Other size threads are readily available. Just ask.

A set of sliders comes with the IsoAcoustics GAIA to facilitate positioning and alignment. The slider works great on carpeted floors, but if you've got a wood floor, you can apply the accompanying felt pads to the bottom of the sliders. It's easily done, depending on the weight of your speaker, of course. Once you have them positioned and aimed properly, using a laser tape measure, you can simply tilt the speaker to remove the sliders from the GAIA footers.  The bottom layer is a durable rubber with a tenacious grip that will hold the speaker in position on either carpet or solid floor surface.

To facilitate leveling and ensure solid contact with the floor at all corners, the lower part of the Neo extends out for 0.34" (8.5mm) of height adjustment. Counter intuitively, twisting the lower part counterclockwise extends the footer. Once you've done a couple, your brain has been reprogrammed.

It makes common sense that you would want all four corners firmly anchored, but I didn't appreciate the importance of dialing in other dimensions until Val Cora properly set up my Acora speakers with the OEM spike feet with a pair of laser tape measures. Not only did he dial in the distance from the center of the front wall behind the speakers, but he also corrected the slight tilt in both axes and adjusted the height of the speakers so the tweeters were on a horizontal line with each other. The before-and-after differences were only fractions of an inch, but they were significant enough to be noticeable. Floors are rarely level. Val uses this technique at shows, and it is one of the reasons his rooms consistently win honors.

Sadly, this is too much of a chore for me when I'm swapping speakers and installing footers with frequency. Hitting 95% still sounds pretty damn good, but if you're willing to go to this extreme, the Neos make these adjustments easy by just twisting the lower part by hand. The fore and aft alignment of the footer with the speaker remains constant while you make these adjustments. That's a lot easier than wrenching the lock nuts and raising or lowering the original GAIA footers. If you are as fanatical as Val about aligning your speakers, this one improvement alone is worth spending the extra bucks for the Neo version of the GAIA.

For the installation of the GAIA Neo, your speaker should be light enough for you to tilt it far enough to insert a short 2x4, or better yet, a block of 4x4 under it to hold it up while you install two footers. Just do the same for the other two. If your speakers are heavy enough to require the GAIA Titan Neo series footers, IsoAcoustics makes a very nice speaker jack for achieving the same result with little effort and greater safety.

The Theory
The GAIA Neo footers are primarily about improving the resolution of your speakers. (Things like soundstage depth and width are a function of your speaker placement, your room, and the position of your listening chair.) The GAIA achieves this by reducing internal vibrations generated by the drivers and reducing external vibrations coming from the floor, which are excited by the music and people moving around in the room. HVAC ductwork and refrigerators in an adjacent room can also create vibrations that may be transmitted to your listening room.

I achieved a noticeable improvement in my listening room with a joisted floor by installing 4x4 posts directly beneath my speakers to couple them to the concrete floor in the basement. Even so, various footers I've used have taken the resolution significantly higher. And comparing those same footers on a friend's Wilson Sabrina speakers in a room with a concrete floor, I experienced comparable improvements. Even speakers with high-density composite enclosures, aluminum, or stone benefit from vibration-absorbing footers. Open baffle speakers without a resonant cabinet also benefit from them.

My first successful footer was the precursor to the Soundeck footer, which Les Thompson created at my suggestion after I reviewed his initial product, the Sound Dead Steel Isoplatmat for turntables, in 2006. It is basically a sandwich of viscoelastic material between two plates of aluminum. It is very cost-effective and a great way to get started on isolating your speakers. My reference footer, the Stack Audio Auva 100, reviewed in 2023, is several leagues above that and is a direct competitor with the GAIA Neo in terms of both effectiveness and price. There are other footers from Stillpoints and Wilson Audio that command much higher prices, that still adhere to the earlier technologies of ceramic balls and spikes. I haven't tried either of those much more expensive models, but from what I've heard at shows, they don't offer a noticeable advantage over what I've been able to achieve with the GAIA Neo.

The drawings of IsoAcoustics' GAIA and GAIA Neo on the company's website do not reveal the mechanism of vibration absorption, so I spoke with Sean Morrison, one of Dave's sons, who both work at IsoAcoustics, about the specific technology. Sean said there are three basic parts inside: a top isolator that attaches to the bottom of the speaker, a bottom isolator that is supported by the floor, and a connector between them. A resilient elastomer that leaves no residue and maintains consistent performance over time is involved, and the form factor is basically oval to provide greater damping to counteract the movement of the drivers. The footer itself is round, but the shape of the internal mechanism is very important. Refining this shape was one of the improvements of the upgrade to the Neo.

IsoAcoustics

The Testing
As for testing in the development of the IsoAcoustics GAIA Neo, they have charts on their website that reveals the improvements it brings to the game.

The Red line (which is virtually superimposed over the Blue line is referenced to the vertical axis on the left and gives the frequency response in an anechoic chamber of the speaker with spikes (Red) and GAIA II (Blue, barely visible). Essentially, these are identical. Below that line are the Purple line of the speaker on spikes, and the Green line of the speaker on IsoAcoustics GAIA II footers measuring the velocity of vibrations (seen on the right vertical axis) over frequencies from 20 to 2000 Hz. The reduction of vibration is clearly noticeable. Also note that this graph is of the original GAIA II footer. You may enjoy their technical explanation on their website.

My testing is via subjective listening, and I primarily used a compilation CD with which I am extremely familiar. It contains music excerpts and a few complete songs that contain difficult passages where instruments get congested or reveal tonal accuracy. Some have difficult lyrics that are hard (if not impossible) to comprehend. These signifiers reveal the relative degree of resolution. Other music I listen to gives me an indication of how much brain activity a product demands and whether it is suitable for long hours of listening. Some tracks of live performances reveal whether a product makes me feel like I'm at the show, filled with high energy, while the other end of that spectrum reveals how relaxed a product makes me feel.

The Listening
After listening to my Acora speakers using the OEM spike feet for a period of weeks, I installed the GAIA I Neo footers and immediately experienced an unmistakable increase in resolution. "Not subtle" is the cliché, and it aptly fits here. There was also a slight increase in transparency. For clarity here, an increase in transparency is like what happens when you remove your sunglasses or turn up the lights in the room. This differs from an increase in resolution, which is akin to putting on your prescription glasses. With the GAIA I Neo, there was a big increase in resolution across the audible spectrum and a slight increase in transparency.

There was also a slight increase in presence, which is more like being near the front row at a live performance, as opposed to a boost in the presence range of the audible spectrum (3 to 6 kHz). An increase in presence, in the sense I'm using the term, is more of an emotional reaction to the music in which it seems more like live music (and less like recorded music). The presence range in the upper midrange contributes to this, but so does the revelation of inner detail and tonal color throughout the audible spectrum.

In comparison with my Stack Audio Auva 100 footers, the Auva were slightly smoother, or more analog-like if you wish, with slightly less presence. The edges of the notes were not quite as sharp, and the dynamics were not quite as startling. The differences were small, and I wouldn't suggest you run out and buy the GAIA Neo if you already own the Stack Auva. Rather, look elsewhere in your system to make a difference in the direction of your personal preferences. Many people may prefer the slightly more forgiving sound of the Auva, while others may treasure the slightly greater presence of the GAIA Neo. Both will give you a very rewarding increase in resolution.

In a prior review of the Audience Front Row Reserve AC PowerChord, when I added the Audience power cord to the system with the GAIA Neo on the speakers, the music became as smooth and analog-like as when I was using the Stack Auva footers, while retaining the slightly higher resolution and presence. That was an additional $14k upgrade for the two power cords; however, that gave me the best qualities of both footers for my preferences—listening from up close to the stage. This was a small change that may only be financially justifiable in the context of a very expensive system. This is an expensive hobby if you're not careful.

Aesthetics
Aesthetics matter, whether you think so or not. It's genetically engineered into our biology to ensure the survival of the species, and it trickles down to other aspects of our lives once our basic needs are met. There are reasons we don't see many Nash Metropolitans or Ford Edsels on the road today. The IsoAcoustics GAIA and GAIA Neo footers, as reviewed here by Enjoy the Music.com, are beautiful footers that reflect the effort Dave Morrison has put into the entire design from the inside outward. The Neo, more so, in that it fits flush to the bottom of the speaker or plinth. Both the Dark Chrome and Black finishes are outstanding, and the choice offers a subtle difference to match or accent your speakers, component rack, or room décor. The Dark Chrome has just a little bling if that suits you.

For speakers with spikes directly into the bottom of the cabinet, the GAIA Neo will thread into it seamlessly and fit flush to the bottom, perhaps extending beyond the cabinet slightly. The Acora speakers rest on a thick aluminum plinth that extends far beyond the stone cabinet. The OEM spikes thread through that plate, and the exposed threaded rod is concealed with a finely finished cap. The threaded rod of the GAIA Neo does not protrude in this instance. I later learned that IsoAcoustics offers an adapter with an extended 3/8-16 threaded end that would allow me to use the Acora cap, though something smaller, such as a brass acorn nut, might be more appropriate. This would pick up on the brass trim on the Acora badge. Life is in the details.

If you are lucky enough to require M12 threads for your speakers (like Focal Sopra), IsoAcoustics offers an M12 Vanity Cap to cover the exposed threads in the speaker plinth or stands. A little shopping around on the net might find something for other sizes.

The IsoAcoustics label on the footers should always face forward, as I said, but with its subtle, soft gold lettering, it is not as conspicuous when seen in the room as it is in the close-up photos. Nor is the Acora badge. After three days, you will forget it is there as you revel in your music.

Value
The price of a set of IsoAcoustics GAIA Neo footers is not inconsequential for most audiophiles, but the boost in speaker performance, even if you own a premium brand speaker, will likely be substantial. Speakers have an inordinate influence on the ultimate sound quality of your system, which is why many spend more on speakers than on any other category of component. Furthermore, speaker prices typically increase exponentially as you move up the line in most brands. From what I've experienced with the GAIA Neo, adding these footers has saved me many thousands of dollars over moving up the Acora speaker line. Even if you are upgrading your speakers, you should consider adding the GAIA Neo footers if they come equipped with spikes. It's like adding a turbocharger to your car without any of the downsides. And for those with very heavy speakers, the GAIA Titan series will handle speakers up to 620 lbs.

Another major consideration is that the IsoAcoustics GAIA footers have replaceable threads. If you change speakers down the road with a different thread requirement, you don't have to surrender the full investment you've made in these footers. That same feature makes them more saleable, should you upgrade to an improved footer or something altogether different in the future.

Is it worthwhile to upgrade from the GAIA to the GAIA Neo footers if you already own the GAIA? While I haven't compared the two, I can offer my $1.25 worth of advice. There is very likely some improved sound quality to be had by upgrading, but whether the effort to swap out the footers and resell your original GAIA is worth your time is up to you. IsoAcoustics' GAIA I Neo is $340 more than the original IsoAcoustics GAIA I when new, but you will not likely get your original investment back when you resell them. Certainly not the tax you've paid. The most attractive features to me, if I were replacing the spikes, are the ease of installation and adjustment of the GAIA Neo and the aesthetic improvement of having the Neo fit flush to the bottom of the speaker or speaker plinth. It simply looks cleaner.

For those with speakers closer to entry-level, or with less discretionary funds, you might find it more effective to add high-performance footers under your source component or tube preamplifier, as there are many good options in this category for substantially less money. If your speakers are lighter, the GAIA II and III Neo take a welcome drop in price from the GAIA I Neo. For addressing less expensive speakers, you might also venture into the Pro Audio side of IsoAcoustics, where less complex, hence less expensive, solutions can be found. They even have a mount to attach speakers to the ceiling or walls.

Summary
If you've been paying attention, decoupling loudspeakers from the floor rather than anchoring them with spikes has become a significant trend. Dave Morrison at IsoAcoustics has been a driving force of this movement, working with 70 companies and counting. With his sons, Sean and Paul, in the family business, this trend should continue for a long time, given their success in product development and marketing. You can seek them out at many audio shows around the country for a convincing demonstration.

The IsoAcoustics GAIA Neo, and its forthcoming big brothers in the GAIA Titan Neo series, are an evolutionary product that has been gaining traction for over a decade. Relative to upgrades in other categories, they represent exceptional value, improving resolution, and possibly creating more involvement with your music.

Of course, everything matters, but the IsoAcoustics GAIA Neo Series are something that Enjoy the Music.com enthusiasts should remain relevant for a very long time as you upgrade other components of your system. With removable threads, they are easily transferable to your next set of loudspeakers. If you're still using loudspeakers with spikes, IsoAcoustics' GAIA Neo footer may provide the next increase in resolution you can make for anywhere near its price. You may be amazed by the newfound detail and enrichment you've been missing all these years.

Specifications
Type: Specialized high-end audio footer.
Sold in sets of four
Two sets for stereo loudspeakers

Included: Four footers, carpet sliders, and felt pads. 
Three sets of threaded inserts.
GAIA I Neo $875
GAIA II Neo $520
GAIA III Neo $355

Company Information
IsoAcoustics Inc.
39 Main Street North, Unit 5
Markham, ON, Canada L3P 1X3

Voice: (905) 294-4672
Email: info@isoacoustics.com 
Website: IsoAcoustics.com