In reality I suspect that the barrier to purchase here is going to be the 10% mark: I have no doubt that the Harmonie footers will add way more than 10% to your speakers in terms of believable musical performance; yet convincing someone to spend more than 10% of the price of their speakers on something they’ll likely view as an accessory is always going to be a hard sell. Audiophiles are finally beginning to recognise the fundamental importance of racks to system performance – and what you need to spend in order to get your fancy electronics working properly. They haven’t reached the same place with speakers – yet.
The Harmonie footer is either a handy upgrade, a breakthrough solution or ahead of its time, depending on your point of view. Whether it’s down to the choice of material, the weight or the shape (and I suspect it is a combination of all three) this apparently simple device is spookily effective when it comes to extracting a more natural presentation and performance from a whole range of speakers. I’ll find out whether it can perform the same trick on racks shortly…
There’s much to like here. Beyond the sonic benefits, the large diameter of the Harmonie makes really precise adjustment extremely easy, as well as ensuring that all four feet are equally loaded. The flat bottom is a boon on wooden or polished floors, eliminating the cost and complication of separate spike shoes (although beware sliding really heavy speakers on soft, wooden surfaces). I haven’t tried it, but I’m told that the ‘snub nose’ is narrow enough to effectively compress carpet, allowing the Harmonie to work in that scenario too. At present, the only fly in the ointment is the length of the standard threads. Discussing that with Stéphane Even, changes are afoot: customers will probably have to choose M6, M8 or M10, whereupon they will receive two sets of thread adaptors in that size, each of two different lengths (possibly 25mm and 35mm). Of course, if you change your speakers, you can always get another set of threads in a different size if required. But that’s just details. The bottom line here is that the Harmonie Footer works – and works well.
Stéphane Even has surprised us again, with another unlikely yet surprisingly effective device. It’s an audio sleight of hand that he seems able to perform if not at will, then with astonishing regularity. It suggests that his very different thinking when it comes to the way that systems work and in particular, interface with their environment, has some substance. Whether you buy into the philosophy or not, I’ve yet to meet anybody who regretted buying into the products. The Harmonie footer looks set to continue that trend – another effective, fascinating and challenging product from Neodio.
Price and availability:
Harmonie Footer (M6 or M8) – €110 ea. Available in sets of 3 to 8 pieces
Harmonie Footer (M10) – €114 ea.
Manufacturer
SEVEN AUDIO
7 rue Joseph Bonnet
33100 BORDEAUX
France
Tel. 33 5 56 40 19 50
Net. www.neodio.fr
