Reviews/Comments

John Zurek, Positive Feedback Online

"I put on Crosby Still and Nash, and cued up 'Guinevere'. After listening once I stopped and set the Iso-cups under the Jolida. I lowered the JMW-9 tonearm on the same cut. Instantly, the noise floor lowered. The voices became sweeter, easier to distinguish. Less grunge factor. An overall silkier presentation."

Noel Pastor, Philippines

"I can say the results is every bit worth the long wait for delivery. With isocup-lampblack ball with steel base on the plinius 9200 integrated amp, the improvement was significant and immediately noticeable -- clearer and more stable image, more natural tonality, improved refinement and some gains in micro and macro dynamics. I guess all this was a result of controlling vibrations and thus lowering system noise and possibly distortions. This must be the best $100 audio dollar i've ever spent. These isocups are awesome and worth an unconditional recommendation."

Chris Grieves, Sonic Nirvana

"Oh, yes indeed Steve! I am almost in shock after hearing what the iso-cups do with my Atma-Sphere M60s. They take them to a natural, effortless, focused and transparent place that elevates the system onto a whole different level. Delighted."

Adjie Adhiningrat, Indonesia

"Following your recommendation, I installed 3 Isocups with lampblack ball under my Nuforce amps. The result was simply breath taking. I would have thought clean power was enough to bring musicality to my system. The music was effortless and dynamic before the Isocups. But after the Isocups were installed, my system went from musical to 'real'. Three dimensional are just audiophile words when describing this effect. It is more like 'I constantly mistake recorded sound with real sound' effect. Simply State of the Art indeed.

"Thank you for a great product and service."

Bill Organ, San Marcos, California

"I tried them first on my preamp. They made a very pleasant change in the sound that was quite noticeable -- sweeter and a bit softer. I wasn't necessarily looking for a change and when I went back to the Boston Audio devices the sound was a bit more forward which, in my system, I think I prefer. However, it wasn't a very extended test so the jury is out.

"I then moved all 6 Iso-Cups under my CIAudio mono blocks which is why I bought them. The results were very good. Bass, which is a forte of these amps, improved in depth and detail very noticeably. I think I hear an improvement in image focus as well. Anyway, it was a very good investment."

Leonard Borden, Skokie, IL

"I'm impressed with what the Iso-Cup feet did. I can see the individual hairs blowing in the wind on DVD with clarity I never saw before. Colors are better defined, more natural. Results are better than the Isobearings I was using before."

Jose Luis Catalan, Valencia, Spain

"I just placed Iso-Cup with Lampblack Ball under my Ack Dac 2.0 and I am amazed. My tube ampli Ars-Sonum Filarmonia sounds incredible now. Bass notes have been cleaned a lot and I am hearing them plenty of harmonics. Soundstage has more focus and it is wider. Dynamics (macro and micro) are a touch better. Music in general is smoother than previously. Thanks for your wonderful product and service."

Bob Wilson, Connolly, Australia

"I've just received six Iso-cups so I now have them under CDP, Pre & Power Amps and have to say they are the best tweak I've bought in 30+ years. They have brought an ease and naturalness I didn't realise I was missing, while bringing out differences between CDs."

Tom Crocker, West Bloomfield, Michigan

"This will be my second set of Iso-Cups. The first set went under my cd player -- this set will go under my tube preamp. Your product is really helping overcome a poor setup that my components are setting on."

James Irving, Blue Elephant Audio & Home Video Consulting

" The Iso-Cup and Ebony Ball combination has all the benefits of both materials without the often experienced one note plummy bass, which Sorbothane and similar squiggy feet are prone to. To say I'm very impressed is an understatement. With everything sitting on the Iso-Cups and Ebony Balls including my Anthony Gallo Ref3 loudspeakers, the sound is big, spacious and supremely detailed and I nearly forgot, just so musical I can't stop playing CD's."

Michael Shoemaker, Houston, Texas

"I purchased the (Iso-Cup) combos and so far the impact, while subtle, is noticeable. Given the resolution capabilities of my system, what I notice most is a greater sense of integration, a bit more depth of soundstage (especially on complex orchestral music) and, for some reason, a reduction in the one bass resonance that has been probably the most noticeable weakness in my system. The bass is simply smooth with virtually no peaks anymore. That was unexpected and worth the price right there!"

Brad Burdic, Denver, Colorado

"Fantastic results so far with the Iso-Cups. Better instrument definition and depth placement, more low level detail. You definitely get my vote for customer service, and product satisfaction."

James Mito, Torrance, California

"I placed the Iso Cups under my Jolida JD-100 and replaced the stock tube covers with the HAL-O's. WOW!!!! The improvment was far more than I expected. There is increased clarity, cleaner bass, extended highs without any harshness, improved focus and dimensionality. These two products have taken the Jolida JD-100 to a new level of performance.

"Thanks again for the awesome products and even BETTER service!"

Vade Forrester, San Antonio, Texas

"I know you say to let the ball/cup feet settle in before making any judgements, but right away I noticed that the music became incredibly three-dimensional after I installed the three feet."

Mark Florendo, Singapore

"What can I say? I was completely stunned with the performance. The moment I have placed Iso-Cups under my cd player, it was a whole lot different music I was hearing. Further fine tuning on the placement and after it has 'settled' down, it literally lifted the music up a few notches higher. The Tenderfoot I have were already an improvement, but, these ones belong to a different league. Thank you!"

Mike Finn, St. Louis, Missouri

"Iso-Cups kick butt. I replaced roller-bearings under my tube preamp and monoblocks. The bass, which was a little 'bloopy' before, is clean and powerful now. Reminds me of solid-state bass power, but the sweet 'tube sound' remains, only better (less fuzzy and less harsh). Highly recommended."

Michael Shover, Westminster, Colorado

"The Isocups and ebony balls went under my (heavily modified) BAT VK-120 monoblocks. The difference here was all for the better. All registers seemed more focused but also smoother. The cliche regarding veil removal was in full effect. Excellent product and wonderful value!

Orson Garnsey, Tucson, Arizona

"I recieved my Iso-Cup footers with acrylic balls and the Tube Dampers today. The transformation of my tubed DAC borders on unbelievable! The kind of transformation that must be HEARD and cannot be explained to the uninitiated.

"Soundstaging, decay and 'PRAT' are so much better I am dumbfounded. This is by FAR the most significant 'tweak' I've ever done. One can't even really call it a tweak, such is the improvement.

"I sat on the fence regarding isolation devices for two years, and now that's two years lost without the best possible sound from my system. If anyone reads this, all I can say is DO NOT doubt the value of these products!"

Rob Reynolds, Tacoma, Washington

"Iso-Cups with Gabon ebony balls knocked the socks off the brass cones under my turntable -- it's better defined. I'm really surprised because the brass cones made quite an improvement over the factory feet."

Ken Chen, Taipei, Taiwan

"I now have the large footers/balls underneath my modded Sony SACD and I could easily hear more articulate bass and imaging. The small tenderfooters underneath my preamp (tubed) relaxed things and made things more musical. Thanks for the great products."

David Wise, Oxfordshire, U.K.

"I am not sure what I expected, but the isocups under my Tube SET made the most dramatic change. The difference was immediately audible, with no equivication, lower noise floor, better imaging and a deeper soundstage. The latter surprised me a little, but I'm not complaining."

Richard Makarewicz, Lennox Head, Australia

"Under my Rega P9, the Iso-Cups made quite a difference, which surprised me given the anti-resonance work Rega put into their P9 plinth. There was also a greater sense of presence, or 'aliveness' to the music, and bass lines in particular were much more easily followed, occupying a more specifically defined space in the mix. A very worthwhile upgrade."

George Cole, Cary, North Carolina

"I really like what the Iso-Cup feet do under my SET monoblocs. While a cliche, it's actually like lifting a curtain, especially in the mid to high range."

Jim Ousley, Arizona

"From the first few notes I knew that this was the sound I had been hoping to hear from my system. I've tried many footers under my player -- from simple to exotic -- but never have I heard the system 'breathe' like it does now. Bass extension -- yes. Sweeter treble -- yes. And a lowered noise floor without a 'signature.' Thanks for an outstanding product."

Bob W., Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

"I recently purchased your iso cup ebony ball footers to use under a pair of ARC monoblocks. They are an extremely beneficial addition adding to the soundstage and level of resolution."

David Pardee, Carmichael, California

"The ebony balls really bring out the dynamics in my amp. I'm pretty amazed."

Stephen Close, Enid, Oklahoma

"I'm using Dodd Audio 120W EL34 monoblocks, sitting on iso-foot w/ebony and dampers on all tubes. Cleaned things up immediately. Tenderfoot under the DAC and IC dampers as well. So far, this is the most natural sound that I have achieved."

Paul Hammond, United Kingdom

"Just a note to say thanks for the Tenderfeet and Iso Cups with frosted acrylic balls. The Tenderfeet worked very well under the CD player, cleaning and tightening the sound all over the place. Under my venerable Rega 3 turntable the Iso-Cups are amazing! A great upgrade!"

Gilles Lacroix, Gatineau, Canada

"Iso-Cups with Gabon balls are very impressive! First of all I'm comparing them to very expensive footers: 4 Black Diamond Racing 'Thick Pucks' with cones (+/-500.00 USD). The big plus of the Black Diamond footers is the spatial in the sound. But for the Iso-Cup footers, there is more precision in the highs and in the lows. They also have more bass (not boomy though). If I compare my results and the money difference between them, the Iso-Cups are the big winners at 1/4 the price of the Black Diamonds. Very impressive! I also compared the Iso-Cups to Black Diamond Racing Cones (without the 'Thick Pucks'). Those cones are the same price as the Iso-Cups. The Iso-Cups were the BIG winners all the way at all levels. For the price, these are for me the best isolation footers on the market for sure!"

Dag Kolvik, Alesund, Norway

"The Iso-Cups and African ebony balls are placed under my Cary CD and amp. The result is increast clarity, extended highs, improved focus, dimensionality and better bass. The improvement is far more than I expected. THANKS!"

Bill Atkinson, Colorado Springs

"The footers work as advertised. The presentation is much more natural with more detail."

Peter Camperos, Altadena, California

"Within the first hour I could tell these were a keeper. The next day I decided to change out my brass footers that were under my tube amp with three of your Iso-cups. Once again I noticed a huge improvement in sound: everything just became more in focus, better soundstage, imaging. I do not know how these footers work but they sound so much better than my solid brass footers. I feel these footers are not a tweak but are a necessity to bring out how much better your audio system can be. It is truly magical! Great job Steve!!"

"Balu" Balasubramanian, Fremont, California

"Got the Iso-foot with ebony ball and a set of tenderfoot that I ordered last week. I didn't try to experiment too much since my first attempt at using them (Iso-foot with ebony ball under my DVD player and plain tenderfoot under the DAC) brought about phenomenal results. The soundstage has become much wider with much better definition of images. The sound itself has become more relaxed with greater bass extension."

Norman Handwerger, Baltimore, Maryland

"I don't have doubts that isolation anti-vibration devices can improve a component's performance, but I've been stuck in the mindset that you have to use mass loading or full sized platforms to achieve those results. At the strong recommendation of a friend, I ordered a set of Herbies Iso Cups. Herbies provided amazingly fast shipment; arrived two days after I ordered it. I put a set of the cups using the Gabon ebony balls under the Musical Fidelity A5 CD player. The sonic changes were most likely subtle to non-audiophile ears and I spared my wife the agony of asking her the ever dreaded 'don't you hear the difference' question. Yet, to me the change was dramatic. Still caught up in this drama, I am having a difficult time putting into words exactly what improvements I hear. I can unequivocally say that everything just sounds more 'right'. Yes, there are the usual changes that are experienced with isolation devices, such as a deeper soundstage, better defined images, clearer highs and mids, deeper bass. But, there is also a greater sense of drive, rythm and musicality that I did not expect. The iso cups have really revealed the better side of my CD player.

"My guess, and it's only a guess, is that the Herbies don't do anything, but keep other things like vibrations and shelf resonances from doing their thing."

Dr. Tony Norris, Meadowbank, New Zealand

"The elastomer/ebony ball combination is a winner. Straight out of the box under my high-end CD player I heard a more defined soundstage and a more integrated performance than before. Even better when the supports bedded down.

Dr. Ásvány Zsolt, Pécs, Hungary

"The set of ebony (Iso-Cup) Tenderfeet under my Bruce Moore amplifer make a fantastic improvement in resolution and the bass became more defined."

David Umphrey, Missoula, Montana

"Clarity, placement of instruments within the soundstage, tonal naturalness, vocal depth (singers now have form and dimension) all improved.  The improvement was DRAMATIC."

Rob Gillette, New Hampshire

"The ebony balls sound great under my Steelhead phono section." 

Lloyd Madsen, Torrance, California

"I especially like the Big Tenderfoot with Ebony Ball. The amp is a bit more detailed and refined. Very nice."

Jhun, Singapore

"I'm also using the Tenderfoot and I'm impressed with results. But when my friend Mark and I tried the Iso-Cup + Gabon Ebony in my system -- whoah, the sound is crystal clear and the guitars are so real!!! These products are amazing!"

Pete Rogers, London, England

"I have to say how pleased I am with the Iso-Cup/Gabon Ebony Ball combination. The set-up went exactly as predicted in your instruction sheet even with my SS pre-amp. Although I was almost immediately impressed I did wonder if this would be one of those changes that reversal of would show that the original situation was better. Not here, as I took the supports out only to find the soundstage shutting down somewhat with a major loss in string instument sweetness and an overall loss of body. I wanted them returned to the pre-amp pretty quickly.

"So, very happy with them, your excellent service and the realistic price that you charge."

Ian Threadgold, Warrington, United Kingdom

"The Iso-Cups and (ebony) balls between my speakers and the platform I use to isolate from the suspended floor brought noticeably better bass and increased clarity, vocals sounded richer and really stood out. Thanks."

Simon Lau, Hong Kong

"The stuff rocks (Iso-Cup/ebony balls), I could hear an immediate difference when placed under the CDP. Clarity and soundstage just leaped in front."

John Kruczek, Pennsylvania

"I took the stock feet off and set the Hovland pre on the Iso Cups (I chose clear) with Macassar ebony balls (triad setup). Hoofa! The soundstage exploded, widened, deepened, and transients became more detailed -- an unexpected surprise."

Gary Koo, Chatswood, Australia

"The Iso-Cup feet with ebony balls are terrific."

Jeff Zaret, Lancaster, California

"I received the ISO-Cup (6), the Gabon Ebony balls and the Way Excellent Turntable Mat on Monday the 25th of April. I already had the ISO-Cup (3) and Gabon Ebony balls (3) under my large amp (almost 90 lbs.) and when I made that change months ago it was very noticeable. On Monday, when I received 'the package' I installed a set (3) under my preamp and a set under my CD player. I might want to add here that my equipment sits in an oak wall unit and the CD player and the preamp are on a suspended oak shelf in that unit, so needless for me to say, the entire unit has vibrations. The change was immediate and noticeable again. I guess there was more interference from vibrations than I thought were present and effecting my system. My system now reveals more definition, depth and more spatial clarity which I though was impossible because I felt I was getting all I could from my system. Boy was I surprised and happily wrong, again! It is now 3 days later and it is still improving a bit which I basically would refer to as settling in or break in and I am still amazingly and extremely pleased."

Robert Browne, Santa Monica, California

"The combination of tube dampers and isolation feet (Tenderfeet and Iso-Cups with ebony balls) have made a positive audibly discernible difference in the sound of my hi-fi that I am pleased with. Just today I repositioned the Iso-Cups under my CD player so that one was under the transport, one under the transformer and the third positioned to balance the other two. There was an improvement in dynamics, bass and overall clarity."

Jerome Sabbagh, Brooklyn, New York

"I really like the isocups with gabon balls under my amp: tighter bass, more depth of imaging, more detail, more separation. Well done!"