Tewo Audio GUM and GUM Evolution are anti-vibration platforms that were designed to improve the overall sonic quality of audio components by the means of isolating them from external vibrations. While the detrimental effects of the unwanted resonances in audio equipment are rather well-known and actually also quite extensively studied, what I would like to point out just at the beginning of this review is that when looking at accessories like the platforms that the Tewo Audio (or anyone in the industry) makes, one should have a holistic and thorough approach towards improving the sound of a particular audio system. What is also really important here is to consciously know what we are looking for and what our goals are.
I mention all this, since there’s definitely a flip-side when using such, often very indigenously designed accessories. Many people regard things, like anti-vibration platforms, power conditioners and such as a superfluous and sometimes even not that needed accessories, yet without having proper understanding of what they are in fact and how they should be properly applied. Or, plainly speaking, used. Take power conditioners for example. In this one particular case it’s really advisable to have proper understanding of how the whole power delivery in an audio system works, why the shielding is important and where, for example, the filtered power delivery option would be more beneficial than unfiltered. The same applies to the anti-vibration platforms like those made by Tewo Audio and are a subject of this one particular review. Yet in this case what can also be said is that having less vibrations that can interfere with certain audio gear would actually always be better than going without any isolating option.
Obviously, one might say that there are only a handful of cases where in reality such anti-vibration platforms might be really useful, looking from an actual measurement point of view. Like, say, using them under the turntables, which are naturally susceptible to picking up everything that goes on in their surroundings. Yet nothing can actually be further from the truth, since if we look from a much wider perspective, this can look completely different. Take for example all those big power amplifiers that usually sport hefty power transformers. Those transformers will always have their fundamental resonance frequency together with some harmonic spectrum. Then we can talk not only about isolating a certain piece of an equipment from its surroundings, but also more in the context of providing a two-way isolation, which would be to and from a particular component. Think of this like of magnetic shielding, which actually always works two ways, but on a mechanical plane. Moreover, there are many other aspects that also should be considered that we will try to cover here. Together with the most important one. And that would be what you could actually expect from the Tewo Audio GUM X and GUM Evolution sonically. Since that one may actually vary, depending on a certain system and its various aspects, we will try to provide some kind of a common denominator here. Like the information on what generally to expect, where the differences will usually be, and also – when the more expensive GUM Evolution will make the most sense.