I’m not often surprised at hi‑fi shows. I hear so much equipment, in so many different combinations, throughout so many different rooms that I find myself becoming jaded. It takes something truly unique to jolt me out of my comfort zone.
Jolted I was at Munich’s High End 2025 when I visited the IsoAcoustics room. There was big news here—this local Toronto company had gone global, providing OEM products to support speakers from some of the big names in audio. Think Sonus Faber, Dynaudio, JBL, and PSB. It represented a huge expansion for the company, and owner Dave Morrison was grinning like the Cheshire cat. This was newsworthy, and we duly reported it, but the big surprise for me was the company’s demo—something I’d encountered before, but never quite like this.
IsoAcoustics had set up two pairs of identical speakers, one set with the stock spikes, and the other set fitted with IsoAcoustics’ new prototype Gaia III Neo footers. A switcher enabled on-the-fly swaps between the speakers. Looking back to previous shows where I encountered this IsoAcoustics demo, I don’t think I recall an instance where I was in charge of the switcher. This time I was, and this let me switch between speakers at times that felt logical to me. The difference, as you can read, was dramatic.
Where it starts
I’ve been living with the original Gaia IIIs, the predecessors to the Neos that I demoed in Munich, attached to my Aurelia XO Cerica XL speakers for about a year now. For the most part, these speakers have been serving in my second system, on my main floor. Upon first installing the Gaia IIIs, I immediately noticed some of the benefits I talked about in my Munich show report—a cleaner focus on images, better organization of the soundstage, and greater clarity and definition in the bass. They also improved the look of the speakers, which is quite important to me, as these speakers are part of my living-room aesthetic. That said, I use the main-floor system for off-axis, casual listening, so my evaluation of the Gaia IIIs has, up to now, been more of an occasional, side-eye kind of appraisal.
And there they remained. The Gaias ceased to be a separate component of my system and coalesced into the speakers. The only time I was aware of the Gaias was when I had to move the Aurelias, which happens somewhat frequently, as there’s a whole lot of gear-swapping going on in the Thorpe household (and hence in the audiophile neighborhood at large). When I moved a speaker, sometimes the little locknut that holds each Gaia in its correct position (it need to be aligned so that the logo faces forward) would loosen, and I’d have to re-orient the footer and re-tighten the nut. This was a flat-on-the-belly, flashlight-in-mouth operation. No big deal, and it would be a non-issue for most folks. Despite this occasional annoyance, I had become a committed, enthusiastic IsoAcoustics user.
Fast-forward to the beginning of 2026, when I received a set of the new, upgraded Gaia III Neo footers. These were the production-ready versions of the prototypes I’d encountered in Munich. I mention here that I received the III versions, which is important because you need to match the footers to your speakers by weight. Like other Gaia footers, the Neos are sold in sets of four—enough for a single speaker. You need two sets for a stereo pair.
The Gaia III Neos (US$299.99, CA$394.99, £299, €299 per set of four) accommodate speakers up to 70 pounds. The II Neos (US$439.99, CA$594.99, £449, €449) are designed for speakers up to 120 pounds, while the I Neos (US$739.99, CA$989.99, £699, €699) will handle speakers up to 220 pounds. If your speakers weigh more than that, you’ll need to look into the Gaia Titan series, which tops out at 620 pounds. The Neo series mirrors the weight ratings of the original Gaias—which are still available and are priced lower than the Neos.
Where it’s going
The new Neos immediately present as a much more substantial product. They’re wider and heavier, but the quality of the finish is the same between series—excellent, polished to a high, smooth gloss. The accessory kit is also more complete and better packaged. It’s presented in a professional manner, with all components easily accessible.
Installation is easier with the Neos. With the original Gaia series, you had to insert a mounting screw into each footer and snug it up with the supplied wrench. Then you’d spin on the two locknuts, tightening the lower one against the Gaia. Next, thread the assembled Gaia into the bottom of the speaker. Once the screw bottoms out in the speaker, back off a touch until the logo faces forward, orienting the footer per IsoAcoustics’ instructions. Tighten the top locknut and you’re done.
Once all four footers are installed, you place the speaker on the floor and level it by unscrewing one or two footers, then re-tighten the locknuts. It’s not a bad process, but it’s a touch fussy, especially the part where you have to level the speakers.
The installation of the Neo is a whole bunch easier. Screw the supplied bolt into the speaker, then thread on the Neo. Snug it up, leaving the one of the logos (there are two, 180 degrees apart, same as on the original Gaias) facing forward. The squishy O‑ring on the top of the Neo provides plenty of latitude, making it easy to get a firm squeeze on the speaker while ensuring the proper orientation. There. Done. As an added benefit of the Neo’s flat top and wide, resilient O-ring, the Neo makes excellent contact with the speaker, and seems to negate the original’s tendency to loosen off.
Once you place the speaker in the listening position, you can level the speaker by turning the lowest ring of each footer, which raises or lowers the silver inner support. IsoAcoustics includes a set of floor sliders—casters, really—that you can place underneath the Neos for ease of movement during initial placement. Also in the box are felt discs that you can use under the sliders to help them move on smooth floors. Once the speakers are optimally placed, remove the sliders for the best results.
So the Neos look great and are easy to install. What’s important is the innards—IsoAcoustics’ secret sauce. I’ve left this part for last, as, really, their demo makes it somewhat secondary in my books. With the results they got in their demonstration, I was sold the minute I heard what these things can do.
The original Gaia III (left) and a Gaia III Neo
IsoAcoustics isn’t exactly forthcoming about what’s inside the Gaias. Instead, the company focuses on their function, which allows us to (at least partially) reverse-engineer the technology. The short answer, stolen directly from IsoAcoustics’ website:
The effectiveness of the isolation is a result of the shape, thickness, durometer, and characteristics of their proprietary isolation material, and the way the top and bottom isolators function together with the internal insert to manage vibrations.
The reason IsoAcoustics insists that the Gaia footers must be installed with the logo facing forward is that the internal isolators are designed to manage on-axis vibration that’s created by the on-axis movement of the drivers. There’s more to it, obviously, but that’s the TL;DR, and it’s enough to allow me to move forward in this review.
The sound quality of a component is the most important review criterion, obviously. However, the shallow part of my attraction to high-end stereo equipment is that I want it to look really cool.
The Gaia Neos look really cool. There are two finishes available: black and dark chrome. Both are gloss finishes, and I would normally think that black would best complement my speakers’ finish, but on a whim I decided to try the dark chrome. I wasn’t disappointed. With the original Gaias, the long bolt and two locknuts were always visible, and while they looked quite cool and certainly complemented the appearance of the Aurelias, the arrival of the Neos added an additional level of bedazzling.
The Neos sit flush with the bottom of the speaker, and they’re both wider and flatter, so there’s seamless integration and a more appropriate visual connection. I don’t have confirmation from IsoAcoustics on this, but I’d imagine the increased surface area of the Neos and the attendant close coupling to the speaker would likely increase their isolating and vibration-neutralizing effects.
Close listening
Back in February, I moved the Aurelias back down to my reference system, and with the original Gaias installed on the speakers, the system sounded superb. Admittedly I’m running the Engström Arne amplifier down there, which meshes incredibly well with the Aurelias; honestly, though, I had never heard these speakers sound better. The bass was crisp and defined, with appropriate weight—definitely more solidity than I recall. The Aurelias have always been image monsters, casting a wide, holographic, dome-shaped soundstage, but now those images were more tightly focused, with more air around them. It’s so odd how the Aurelias, with the original Gaias attached, threw images that were more corporeal and better isolated in space, while at the same time some instruments flowed as if made from liquid. Listening to Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance” from Maiden Voyage (LP, Blue Note, 0602547228178), I was riveted (get it?) by Tony Williams’s ride cymbal, which was crisp in the right channel, with a distinct sensation of the drumstick striking the brass. Emanating from that strike was an organic, burnished glow that flowed outward in an almost directed manner.
The bass felt like it went down an additional octave. The Aurelias reach down to the low 40s with decent authority, which is reasonable considering each cabinet holds two 6″ midrange–woofers. I’ve always respected this bass, but I’ve never held any illusions that it is full-range. But with the Gaias installed, and even considering I was driving them with a soggy 300B-powered tube amp, the bass was way quicker, tighter, and—yes—deeper than I’d heard in the past.
Those were the attention-grabbers, the main changes resulting from the original Gaias’ installation and their debut in my reference system. Besides the bass improvement, which was an obvious shift in tonal balance, the other gains in the regions above the bass were not accompanied by any obvious changes in frequency response. Instead, it was more of an organization, an improvement in coherence, in image specificity, in spatial realism. I need to put this in perspective: it sounded like a new, different, better speaker, and this change was the result of . . . new footers. A far bigger change than I’d expected, and huge, massive value considering the price of the original Gaia IIIs (US$229.99, CA$274.99, £199, €239 per set).
While the initial installation of the Gaia IIIs on my Aurelias made a substantial difference in sound quality, the switch to the Gaia III Neos was much more subtle. Before sound considerations, the appearance was the most immediately noticeable change. The Neos fit flush to the speaker, and—on the Aurelias—the wider circumference perfectly lines up with the edge of the base. It’s an elegant look, an instant upgrade from the OG Gaias. So on that basis alone, the increase in cost seems like money well spent.
Mechanically, the Neos are much easier to adjust. My left speaker had a bit of a lean, caused by the slightly uneven tiling job on my listening-room floor. With the original Gaias, I couldn’t bring myself to invest the effort in adjusting it, given the process involved. Once I’d installed the Neos, it was a simple matter to turn the adjusting ring to jack up the left side.
Beyond such shallow observations, there were other obvious changes. My immediate impression was that the Aurelias sounded larger—more physically powerful, with an immediate increase in dynamic power. Rock music just jumped out of the speakers, snapping off crisp transients with newfound power. Gord Downie’s voice isn’t usually the focus for me when I try to describe a Tragically Hip song, even though I love the man to death. It’s usually the backing instruments that grab my review-writing attention. Not this time, though. I listened right through Live at The Roxy (LP, Universal Music Canada 4517763). Different songs grab me each time I play this album, and this time it was “Trickle Down,” where the swap over to the Neos brought a sense of presence to Downie’s voice, making his unique, rapid-fire diction leap out of the speakers.
So crisper dynamics, yes, but there’s more. While the bass wasn’t any deeper with the Neos, it was slightly better controlled. Massive Attack’s Blue Lines (24‑bit/96kHz FLAC, Virgin / Qobuz) is bass-loaded, and on the opening track, “Safe from Harm,” the low end can easily devolve into a muddy mess. The swap to the Neos brought the rapid-fire bass line into clearer focus.
How you get there
I’m going to leave the listening impressions at that. Not because there’s nothing else to say, but rather because I want you to get up off the couch and find a local show where IsoAcoustics is doing its dog-and-pony demo. I’m really hoping you get a good sense from my reviews of how the audio products I’m covering actually sound, but this is one instance where your own ears will tell you straighter than I ever can. My last word on this matter is that this inexpensive (in high-end terms) component delivers benefits far, far beyond what its price and modest description suggest.
The last piece of the puzzle is whether owners of the original Gaia footers, who have likely been nodding their heads as they read through this review, should upgrade to the new Neos. I will answer this question with a qualified yes. The new Neos definitely provide benefits. The appearance alone is worth the price increase for new buyers, but you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth it if you already own the originals. I’d have to say it’s a bingo in my case, based on the percentage of the speaker value. Another US$600 pumped into the Aurelia’s US$11,000/pair (when available) is a decent price-to-performance ratio.
But I don’t want to spend your money—the original Gaias give huge benefits, both in appearance and performance, so current owners need to make up their own minds about the Neos. But for those of you out there still using the stock footers on your speakers? Well, you’ve got an eye-opener ahead of you. Get thee hence to an audio show.
. . . Jason Thorpe
jasont@soundstagenetwork.com
Associated Equipment
- Turntables: VPI Prime Signature, European Audio Team Fortissimo S
- Cartridges: European Audio Team Jo N°8, DS Audio DS 003, Goldring Ethos SE, Ortofon Cadenza Black
- Phono preamplifiers: Aqvox Phono 2 CI, Hegel Music Systems V10, EMM Labs DS‑EQ1, Meitner Audio DS‑EQ2, Mola Mola Lupe
- Preamplifiers: Hegel Music Systems P30A, Meitner Audio Pre, Simaudio Moon Evolution 740P
- Power amplifier: Hegel Music Systems H30A
- Integrated amplifiers: Hegel Music Systems H120, Engström Arne
- Digital source: Meitner Audio MA3
- Speakers: Focus Audio FP60 BE, Aurelia XO Cerica XL, Totem Acoustic Sky Tower, Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Signature, PMC MB2 SE
- Subwoofers: Bowers & Wilkins DB2D (2)
- Speaker cables: Siltech Royal Single Crown, Audience Au24 SX, Nordost Tyr 2, Crystal Cable Art Series Monet
- Interconnects: Siltech Royal Single Crown, Audience Au24 SX, Furutech Ag‑16, Nordost Tyr 2, Crystal Cable Diamond Series 2
- Power cords: Siltech Royal Single Crown, Audience FrontRow, Nordost Vishnu, Audioquest Thunder
- Power conditioners: Quantum QBase QB8 Mk II, AudioQuest Niagara 5000
- Accessories: Little Fwend tonearm lift, VPI Cyclone record-cleaning machine
IsoAcoustics Gaia III Neo loudspeaker isolation footer
Price: US$299.99, CA$394.99, £299, €299 per set of four
Warranty: Two years, parts and labor
IsoAcoustics Inc.
39 Main Street North, Unit 5
Markham, Ontario L3P 1X3
Canada
Phone: (905) 294-4672
Website: isoacoustics.com
Email: info@isoacoustics.com
