Sometimes the most amazing products are born when a ‘perfect storm’ of conditions comes together at the right time and place. In the case of the superb AG Lifter range of isolation devices, we can be thankful that the creators happened to have both a passion for music and decades of experience in mechanical engineering, including solving resonance issues across a broad spectrum of industrial applications.
AG Lifter is powered by AE Gil Technologies, a New Zealand based engineering company with over 35 years of experience in industrial engineering, design and automation and with engineering capabilities extending into category one motorsport. Company Directors Andre and Vanessa Gil are ‘mad audiophiles’ and understanding the negative effects that resonance has on the performance of hi-fi equipment, one day these avid music lovers created an isolation device to improve their enjoyment of their audio system.
After a long period of research, development and testing which saw 40 changes to the initial prototype, the first batch of AG Lifter isolation feet were taken to a prominent audio dealer in Christchurch, New Zealand where they were auditioned against some of the world’s most renowned established brands. The results were so conclusive that orders were placed and AG Lifter was officially born.
AG Lifter audio isolation products are designed to be a mechanical diode which stops resonance from entering audio components in both directions, both externally but also internally. It is a general misconception that harmful vibrations only enter your audio equipment externally from elsewhere in your room. In fact, most harmonics are actually produced internally by your audio equipment. Factors such as transformers, power supplies and electronic components resonate to the frequency that music signals enter components on your rack. Audio components micro-phonically pick up these frequencies and repeat them, causing reverberations. This can be heard through your speakers as a ghosting sound after the last note has been played. In other words, the presence of resonance in a music system can result in a smearing, or lack of clarity of sound.
An often-repeated complaint from many audiophiles is “my system sounds too harsh or bright and it ruins my listening experience”. There are a number of factors that may influence components or combinations of audio equipment to inherently sound this way in your listening room. However, quality mechanical audio isolation systems can go a long way to help with this, removing the harder or harsher edges from your listening experience. Together with combinations of careful system placement and cable choices this problem can be greatly eliminated.
The addition of AG Lifter isolation devices can have the following effects on a system:
- Quieter background, lower noise floor
- An opening & expanding of the musical presentation
- A deeper, tighter bass performance with increased definition
- More ‘organic’, or natural textures
- An increased weight and scale to the sound stage
- An increase in detail across all frequencies
Products
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AG Lifter Turntable Feet
High Performance Turntable Isolation Feet (set of 4)
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AG Lifter Dulcet 19
Reference Small Isolation Feet
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AG Lifter Dulcet 19 H.P.C
Statement Isolation Feet
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AG Lifter Dulcet 20
Reference Large Isolation Feet
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AG Lifter Dulcet 20 H.P.C
Statement Isolation Feet
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AG Lifter Crescendo Amplifier Stand
Reference Isolation Amplifier Stand
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AG Lifter Crescendo
Reference 2,3 or 4 Shelf Isolation Rack
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AG Lifter Apollo Amplifier Stand
Statement Isolation Amplifier Stand
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AG Lifter Apollo
Statement 2,3 or 4 Shelf Isolation Rack
Intelligent Resonance Mitigation
The AG Lifter Story
AG Lifter started from very innocent beginnings. They had never planned to be a manufacturer of audio Mechanical Isolation Systems. It just developed over time from their love of audio and their custom engineering expertise – the latter through their involvement in motor sport and ownership of an industrial engineering company.
AG Lifter is owned by Andre and Vanessa Gil. Andre is an engineer and Vanessa is a business manager. Both have the audiophile affliction and work as Directors of an industrial engineering company in New Zealand. Their custom engineering expertise has also been applied to Category One motor sport through Drag Racing at a national championship level, winning many accolades in the sport along the way.
It has always been of great importance to them to have complete control over what they manufacture in their engineering facility because having the required resources and production control ensures that the highest quality standards can be achieved. This is one of the reasons why they maintain the ‘Made In New Zealand’ philosophy. In their experience, cultivating close loyal relationships with their supplier base in New Zealand results in a better product. Only one component used in the AG Lifter product range is imported – their stainless steel bearings are sourced from Japan.
The aesthetics of AG Lifter products are also really important to them, which is a key focus in the design process. Not only do they desire to create unique designs, but they also have to be cutting-edge in order to meet the evolving needs of their audiophile clients. Throughout the design process they sort through a broad range of views and opinions from audiophiles and non-audiophiles in order to achieve attractive aesthetics in their designs.
During the testing of the initial isolation feet prototypes, it was immediately apparent that they were very special. They were compared to numerous well-known commercial brand products and the AG Lifter prototypes were unanimously preferred by the test group of audiophiles because in addition to resulting in a cleaner, more open sound, they had the added benefit of retaining the solidity and bass weight of the music. The prototypes were then extensively developed, including experimentation with various nitrile & compound technologies. The AG Lifter isolation feet that are sold today are the result of over forty changes since the early models and in the opinion of a rapidly growing number of users, performs as well or exceeds other audio isolation devices available at any comparable value.
From there, the company expanded their range to include high-end audio equipment racking systems. The AG Lifter Dulcet Isolation Foot is the foundation of their racking systems, with the scale upgradeable formula being at the core of building racks in order to allow customers to upgrade over time as they can afford it.
After completing laboratory testing, they decided that the design process had to be completed by ‘ear’. An extensive testing process was undertaken where groups of audiophiles tested the products’ performance by documenting the listening process so there was no ambiguity in the outcomes. The simple directive that guided these design decisions was “The music must sound natural or real and the performer must sound like they’re in your listening room. Nothing else matters”.
Their network of audiophile friends has given them the ability to test their AG Lifter products with some of the world’s most premium high-end audio equipment brands and this has proven to be a great asset which is now reflected in the stunning performance of their AG Lifter products.
AG Lifter Philosophy
AG Lifter want you to really hear your electronics and get the most out of your investment. The AG Lifter racking has been designed with non-organic and non-hydroscopic materials, to ensure you have a consistent platform for all your audio components all year round! The AG Lifter racking is lightweight and the modular form allows the user to configure and reconfigure their racking layout. The modular design is easy to set up and allows you to wire up your components as you go, so you can quickly start enjoying music.
How does AG Lifter Isolation Technology differ from the rest?
Welcome to a revolutionary way to manage harmonics and retain transient speed, wide dynamic range, and dynamics. The AG Lifter design drains the harmonics from the audio equipment, dampens, then transfers into the live frame dispersing the resonance in “real time” through the AG Lifter proprietary alloy extrusion and pillar profile. These steps are repeated through coupling and decoupling between layers, and finally isolated from your floor with the legendary AG Lifter Dulcet 20 Isolation Foot. The Isolation foot does not require any spiking – so it is floor friendly.