I’ve fallen prey to FOMO a couple times over the years and purchased isolation feet without really knowing what I was doing. First was a set of Stack feet. I mounted them to a 2” slab of walnut and rotated it through my simple system. I didn’t really perceive any difference on my tube amps. I’ll pretend I noticed an improvement on my DAC/Streamer, modest at best, but possibly there.

I watched a Jays Iyagi video explaining the science of testing some different feet, ultimately deliberating Tough Nuts to be most effective. I reluctantly bought a set and rotated another slab through my system with the same results. Possibly slightly improved on my streamer, yet modest at best.

I was recently organizing my audio parts boxes and found a set of cheap spring damper feet that came with a garage sale turntable that has long since come and gone. What the heck, I put them under my amp. I immediately noticed a huge improvement in low-mid articulation. Almost unbelievably, I tried this back and forth, in and out, as well as swapping back for the Tough Nuts and Stack platforms. Same results, the cheap springs made a noticeable difference, only with the tube amp.

I went to AI to discuss this, and AI described exactly what i experienced. Damping feet like the expensive ones I purchased may have very minor improvements on electronics and sources, no real effect on a class D like my sub amp, and my tube amps are far too heavy for the Tough Nut or Stack feet to effectively moderate vibrations back into the amp and tubes where it matters most. But the cheap spring feet are right in that sweet spot for weight and damping where the springs depress just enough to “float” the vibrations, like the suspension in your car, I guess.

Anyway, that’s my experience. Anyone else have a similar experience?

I've used all kinds of isolation feet over the years, I hear improvement, and differences. I really dislike the "spring" feet--resulting sound is smeary and artificial sounding for me in my system. My favorites have been StackAudio AUVA EQ feet, not coupled to a granite or any other type of platform, but directly under the chassis of the component itself. If you have the right "weight" Stack feet things really come together for my tastes. Next favorites are VooDoo Cable Iso-Pods, which are more than 90 percent "there" for me and almost neck to neck with Stack, just a bit brighter, which for me is not a good thing. My other favorites are no longer made, they are Herbie's Audio Lab Iso-Cups with the moss green "balls."

I use isolation feet under all components and the speakers in my main system--makes a cumulative and very positive difference for me. I also use PS Audio PowerBase platforms, and all components are off the floor on a Mapleshade Audio Version 3 audio rack, my digital components are also on maple platforms.

Another observation on the Stack AUVA footers. They come with a thin circle of material that can be placed on top of the footer between the component. Try with and without the thin circle. Some components I didn't notice a difference, others I did.