{"id":38856,"date":"2024-10-14T11:59:21","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T09:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=38856"},"modified":"2024-10-14T11:59:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T09:59:21","slug":"stack-audio-auva-speaker-isolators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/accessories-reviews\/racks-stands-feet-reviews\/stack-audio-auva-speaker-isolators\/","title":{"rendered":"Stack Audio AUVA Speaker Isolators"},"content":{"rendered":"

Retail prices in Euro, including VAT:
\nAUVA 50 – 517 euro for 8 isolators
\nAUVA 70 – 990 euro for 8 isolators
\nAUVA 100 – 1.463 euro for 8 isolators
\nReview samples supplied by Stack Audio<\/a><\/h4>\n

Stack Audio<\/h3>\n

Vibrations exist in our systems, and those vibrations can distort the music we love. British manufacturer Stack Audio aims to bring music to life by focusing on vibration dissipation and isolation, leaving only the pure, undistorted music we want to hear. Their mission is to remove masking vibrations so that the audio equipment can reveal more detail, texture, and transparency.<\/p>\n

Stack Audio has noticed that the performance and price of hi-fi equipment and accessories are often not directly related\u2014minor improvements typically come with a disproportionate price tag. Since its incorporation in 2013, all Stack Audio products have been fully designed and assembled in-house in the UK. The company strives to develop products that outperform their price bracket yet are still constructed to the highest standards.<\/p>\n

The company offers two kinds of Isolators: the AUVA EQ System Isolator (audio component footers) and the AUVA Speaker Isolator (speaker footers). For this review, I’ll focus on the Speaker Isolators.<\/p>\n

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There are three Speaker Isolator versions to choose from \u2013 AUVA 50, 70, and 100. They attach via supplied threaded bolts into the existing mounting holes on the underside of loudspeakers or stand mounts. Different thread sizes are available to suit, and the AUVAs are provided either with carpet spikes or protective felt pads for use on solid floors.<\/p>\n

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All AUVA variants support speakers up to 275 Kg and can be used with both stand-mount and floor-standing loudspeakers. However, the vibration-absorbing performance depends on the version and size. The AUVA 50 contains 2 internal cells for effective vibration absorption. The AUVA 70 has 3 cells, and the 100 has 5. The AUVA 70 and 100 additionally include a central particle-filled chamber for extra absorption capability.<\/p>\n

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AUVA technology<\/h3>\n

Vibrations can distort the sound we hear, emphasizing some frequencies over others and masking detail and texture. The AUVA Isolators are designed to hold loudspeakers rigidly while absorbing and dissipating cabinet vibrations before passing them down to the floor. Simultaneously, the products aim to prevent room vibrations from feeding back up into the speakers.<\/p>\n

Stack Audio explains that compliant isolators (such as rubber, foam, or springs) can reduce vibration but move and compress, leaving your speakers held less rigid. I can attest to this as I have yet to find a compliant footer that provides clarity and control to my satisfaction.<\/p>\n

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As Stack Audio acknowledges, holding loudspeakers precisely is critical to hearing spatial detail and the clarity and timing of musical notes. These are essential elements that make focused listening a pleasure and hold your attention. This is why it is common to use spikes under loudspeakers, which couple them to the floor. And, sure enough, this statement is again fully on par with my personal experiences.<\/p>\n

However, as the company found, there is a problem with spikes alone as they allow vibration to pass right through in both directions \u2013 to and from the loudspeakers. The AUVAs work differently: enclosed within the AUVA\u2019s precision machined aluminum cases are cells containing a mixture of particles. Vibrations excite the particles, creating movement and collisions that dissipate the energy virtually instantaneously. Think of it like throwing a ball into soft sand \u2013 the sand absorbs the energy from the ball, preventing it from bouncing. According to the maker, this patent-pending technology enables the AUVAs to remove masking vibrations over a wide frequency range, revealing more of the clarity in the musical recording. In essence, by working like a natural extension to the speaker, AUVA loudspeaker isolators are designed to provide the best qualities of both spikes and isolators \u2013 without the drawbacks.<\/p>\n

The products come complete with detailed instructions, which cover not just the installation but also speaker setup in general and contain a lot of good advice.<\/p>\n

System Context<\/h3>\n

The AUVA isolators will be listened to in the main system<\/a> in combination with the Magico S1 MkII loudspeakers, powered by a CH Precision L1<\/a> preamplifier and CH Precision A1.5<\/a> power amp.<\/p>\n

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Highly recommended for this job: Wurth Viking Arm. This tool makes swapping footers a breeze, carefully and precisely lifting even very heavy speakers with ease.<\/em><\/p>\n

My room has a laminate floor (vinyl planking), and I usually use Spikes under all racks and speakers. The AUVAs are fitted with solid floor circular felt pads and can optionally be ordered to include Carpet spikes. As their name implies, these are intended to pierce carpets and provide solid coupling to the hard floor underneath. Given my laminate floor, the AUVAs should be used with their felt pads.<\/p>\n

I did entertain the idea of also trying the supplied spikes, but I do not have 24 identical spike discs to facilitate this. A wood plank could be used to protect the floor, but that would induce a different sound than the stainless steel disks I usually use, and the speakers would sit too high, further skewing the comparisons. Finally, I contemplated using the spikes directly on the floor, but obtaining 72 new holes in a single session seemed like a bit much, so I just used the AUVAs with their felt pads, as intended.<\/p>\n

Next: Listening and Conclusion<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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Listening<\/h3>\n

In my experience, it is always best to securely tighten couplers. Despite their unique working principle, AUVAs are no exception. The AUVA’s threaded inserts should be screwed tightly into the isolator disks, which is easy using the supplied wrench and further locked using one of the two round thumb nuts. The other end of the threaded inserts attach to the bottom of the loudspeaker or stand via the threaded holes of the original feet. After leveling the speaker, the inserts should be fixed using the second round thumb nut. This can only be done by hand, and the thin profile provides little grip. I think it would have been better if hex nuts had been fitted, but these can be added later. In any case, it is crucial to tighten these nuts securely for the best incisiveness, transient attack, and sense of pacing.<\/p>\n

Stack Audio recommends the threaded inserts are screwed as deeply into the speaker bases as they can. For this review, however, I opted to insert them such that the speaker’s height remains unchanged to create equal circumstances.<\/p>\n

The pictures were all taken before the final listening tests (and reading of the manual), which is why they show both nuts tightened against the speaker base. While that also works well, I recommend following the manual’s guidelines and using one nut on each end.<\/p>\n

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AUVA 50 ready to be mounted instead of standard Magico spikes on Artesania Audio bases<\/em><\/p>\n

AUVA 50<\/h3>\n

The AUVA 50s provide a markedly sweeter sound than the Magico’s standard spikes. The bass is rounder, fuller, and seems deeper, although initially less punchy and direct. The presentation seems warmer, but paradoxically, it really is not. This is where the AUVAs prove unique, as there is no blur or thickness and no loss of resolution. The sound is precise yet smooth and delicate.<\/p>\n

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The initial impression of enhanced warmth comes from reduced dryness and edginess, and the overall calmer feel. When one is accustomed to the controlled and direct sound of spikes, the pacing with the AUVAs may initially appear slower until you adjust to this. After a track of two, it starts to feel more natural and just more relaxed. Meanwhile, the midrange stays beautifully open and focused, and the leading edges remain clean, although transient behavior is friendlier than before, which can subjectively reduce the excitement with some music. What you get, in turn, is greatly enhanced fluidity and flow, a music delivery that feels considerably more organic.<\/p>\n

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AUVA 70 ready to be mounted instead of AUVA 50<\/em><\/p>\n

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AUVA 70<\/h3>\n

When switching from the AUVA 50 to AUVA 70, all the smaller model’s benefits are further increased in their effect. Most notably, the bass is more prodigious, fuller, and rounder. It loses a bit of incisiveness but gains richness.<\/p>\n

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Further, the sound stage is now fully detached from the speakers, hanging freely in the air, while possessing a wider and deeper space. Within the royal stage, vocals or individual instruments float more freely, and acoustic arrangements feel even more organic and natural than with the smaller AUVAs. Interestingly, the overall delivery is calmer and lusher than with the AUVA 50, but still, all the resolution is retained.<\/p>\n

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AUVA 100 ready to be mounted instead of AUVA 70<\/em><\/p>\n

AUVA 100<\/h3>\n

Whoa… If you want big, heavy bass, look no further! Considerably more so than the AUVA 70s, the AUVA 100s provide an absolutely massive<\/em> bottom fullness, extending into the lower midrange, along with lots of meat on the bone.<\/p>\n

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The soundstage bubble is comparable to that of the AUVA 70 and still entirely free from the speakers, but the distinction between individual players and sounds in it now appears a little less vivid. Maybe this is a psychoacoustic effect or an interaction with these speakers, but contrary to the AUVA 50 and 70, the AUVA 100 seems to take away a little precision and clarity. One reason for this may be that even when using spikes, my system already has plenty of bass, meaning the AUVA 100s make the sound a little too bass-heavy.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, there’s no denying their effect. I imagine smaller monitor loudspeakers could benefit massively, and the AUVA 100s could also be a hugely effective solution for an overly lean-sounding or clinical system.<\/p>\n

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Back to Spikes<\/h3>\n

With the standard Magico spikes back in position, it’s no surprise that the bass is tighter and more incisive, as that is what spikes are typically good at. But although there is technically nothing wrong with the sound, it now feels emotionally very different. The strange thing is that although the soundstage has not collapsed, it has a hugely restrained feel. All the individual elements that make up the music appear more frozen in place, and the entire orchestration is fixed rigidly to the speakers rather than individually floating freely around them. Even though I am a big fan of crisp tightness and articulate bass, I must admit that taking these aspects to the max does come with sacrifices in other fields.<\/p>\n

This is indeed a valid discussion point among audiophiles. The tightness of spikes can favor some music, notably electronic music such as R&B, while the AUVA’s lusher free-breathing presentation caters much more to vocals and music with real acoustic instruments. As is often the case, there is no right or wrong, but there will be an ideal match for a given circumstance influenced by personal preference. In any case, the AUVAs present a unique set of skills at a competitive price point and are well worth auditioning.<\/p>\n

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It has been interesting to note how the AUVAs work toward bridging the gap between ported and closed cabinets by injecting the closed-cabinet Magicos with the lushness and free-breathing aspect that ported speakers traditionally do better. Another way of looking at it is that, in certain aspects, the AUVAs’ performance reminds me of what tube amplification often achieves so effortlessly: to provide all the detail and resolution but in an entirely unrestrained and unforced manner.<\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The AUVAs provide a sweeter, lusher, and calmer sound than standard spikes, with a considerably more liquid and organic delivery. The music flows effortlessly and 3D imaging unfolds freely in a deep, wide, and inviting soundstage. Although the overall feel is smooth and relaxed, the pacing remains upbeat, and dynamics are retained. Notably, although the transient behavior is friendlier and less sharp than with spikes, unlike soft-coupling spike alternatives, the AUVAs induce absolutely no blur and retain superb detail resolution. There is no shortage of alternative footers, but of all the variants I heard, whether hard-, compliant-, or in-between solutions, none possess the AUVAs’ unique combination of skills.<\/p>\n

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Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Manufacturer: Stack Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

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