Floor Standing Speakers and spikes

[rocketrazor]

Hi Guys,

What difference/benefit/negative would I get by placing my floor standing speakers on spikes. I have carpet in the lounge so not sure which is recommended for optimum sound. Anyone know?

Cheers

Rocket

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

If you have carpet you need to make sure they push through the carpet and underlay - you may need to sit a small child on your speakers to help.

If you have wood or laminate floors you can buy little cups to go under the spikes - or just use 10p coins.

 

[rocketrazor]

so at the moment I just haven't bothered with the spikes, the speakers just sit on the carpet. Any idea what the point of the spikes is?

 

[Native_bon]

Almost all Hifi shops I go for demo these days has gone a slab under the speakers. This gives better & firm bass reproduction. So I bought a pair & its really made the sound as a whole more cohesive. You may not want slaps in you living area, but if you don't mine then its worth a try.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Like many things in HiFi there is mixed opinion but as always it depends. Solid floor or boards? Personally my spikes push through the carpet ( no marks left) into wooden floor boards. Try carpet, then spikes, then spikes on a slab. If the slab option is best it could be cut and made to look OK. It probably will make no difference but worth a try.

 

[CnoEvil]

so at the moment I just haven't bothered with the spikes, the speakers just sit on the carpet. Any idea what the point of the spikes is?

Spikes do 2 things:

1. Couple the speaker to the floor.

2. Push through carpet into the floor below, in order to "grip" better and so keep the speaker from rocking.

If the floor below is concrete, spiking into this can be useful. If the floor is a suspended wooden one, it can trigger unwanted resonance. If you are dealing with the latter, it can be helpful to isolate the speaker from the floor by using a heavy stone slab (Granite/Marbel/Concrete)...you can then use spikes into spike-shoes, if you wish (you can get isolating spike shoes).

There is no substitute for trial and error.

 

[spiny norman]

Any idea what the point of the spikes is?

The sharp bit at the bottom?

 

[chris_bates1974]

I use spikes on granite chopping boards from Sainsburys, and the difference made to the bass was massive. So much better and more controlled.

they sit on a laminate over concrete floor.

 

[Native_bon]

I use spikes on granite chopping boards from Sainsburys, and the difference made to the bass was massive. So much better and more controlled.

they sit on a laminate over concrete floor.

Yes it does make a lot of difference, especially if you got a room with bass problems.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

I granite chopping boards from Sainsburys

Superb idea. Yes, really.

I'm a bit far from a Sainsburys myself ( boy do I miss those little fruit tartlet things :-( ) but I'm going shopping for similar right now.

 

[Q5]

Granite chopping boards for me as well.

 

[rocketrazor]

Any idea what the point of the spikes is?

The sharp bit at the bottom?

Spiny Norman, I must say I find some of your comments absolutely brilliant, reading your posts does make me smile. Thanks

 

[rocketrazor]

Can't say the better half will allow me to use granite slabs/chopping boards in the lounge. I have a decor standard to stick to. guess I'll just leave them sitting directly on the floor. Thanks for the input though guys

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

and she'll probably never notice ;-)

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

One broken into three pieces, the other with a corner chipped off before it was even sent!

Off to Walmart to buy them in person....