Guys, you can't put a % on anything in audio as it's so subjective. Every system is so different with a product like this, because your vibration situation is totally different if that makes sense. If you can afford the Gia or the HRS Nimbus, you probably are going to upgrade your system. He liked the HRS Nimbus over the Gia, but I think they cost more. You are the only one who can say if the extra is worth it.
Often times I see folks purchasing these 'upgrades' as they tune their systems. On occasion, if they took that extra money and made a component upgrade that they could have afforded, they would have been much better off.
I have what I (and many others) feel is a highly resolving system that I feel is true high end. It's not the most expensive, but most of my components are the sweet spot in the manufacture's lines that I have put together. I have been blessed to get the top Audioquest WEL balanced interconnect and I have some other top cables, some footers and a top power cord.
To me cables and footers are still the lowest thing on the totem pole. The way I think, they should never be used as 'tone' controls as so many try to use them as (if the sound is altered, then your not happy with what you have and you can't make it sound better wiht band aids (JMHO).
If your system is at the point that you love what you hear and you won't be upgrading components anytime soon, then cords, connects and footers are a perfect way to get the most out of your gear. NO doubt at all. I know Richard Vandersteen's new amps at 15k a pair for mono's (on my short list as a next amp along with a couple of others) have the HRS footers built in. I know a lot of designers who LOVE after market footers and use them themselves. If you aren't going to go out and get a few adn listen for yourself, you are probably best getting an HRS Nimbus if you can afford them, but the Gia's are probably a great value in most systems.
Hope this didn't come off as mean or anything. I'm in the hospital for rehab for a couple of weeks due to surgery last week. Hard for me to focus much (this post has taken me a while to type), but I think I got my thought out.
