Speaker spikes

[Biff]

Hi all I have Dali Zensor 5 speakers sitting on thick carpet. The spikes don't make it to the concrete floor. I'm wondering how this will affect the sound. The bass is quite soft, but then the review on this site does say they lack a bit of clarity in the bass. I'm wondering how much difference longer spikes may make. I've been trying to find some long spikes without luck so far. The spikes are about 5mm diameter but the ones I've seen online are all M6 or M8. Are those the standard sizes for spikes? Is 5mm diameter an unusual size for spikes? Does anyone know where I could find some? They'll need to be 3-4cm long.

Cheers...

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Probably m6 - 6mm. Take one to yr local diy and check the threads mate. That's mate as in match not mate as in matey. (Smiley not working
I would imagine it would be a good idea but search here to find the debate on better to couple or isolate. My sub spikes/blutak/slabs seem to work (another thread)

 

[spiny norman]

Pretty sure they'll be M6. This place does M6 spikes at up to 48mm, which is about as long as I've found.

 

[bigfish786]

You could always take the easy option and get 2 granite chopping boards from asda and stand them on there. Works for me!

 

[Biff]

Thanks Robin. Went into Richer Sounds (Maidstone Kent). They checked for me and said they're M6. Excellent customer service in there!

Thanks for the link Spiny

 

[iceman16]

+1 for granite plus spike shoes like the VT spike shoes

 

[Biff]

Thanks but the floors are concrete so spikes through the carpet should be nice and solid

 

[bigfish786]

Thanks but the floors are concrete so spikes through the carpet should be nice and solid

mine are concrete too, for me it tightened tha bass a little, and also... they look nice.

 

[Biff]

Thanks but the floors are concrete so spikes through the carpet should be nice and solid

mine are concrete too, for me it tightened tha bass a little, and also... they look nice.

So going from sitting on thick carpet to spikes on concrete will improve the bass?

 

[bigfish786]

It's only my own perception. I bought the granite a long time ago and have used it ever since

All I'd say, is for a very small outlay you can give it a go, and it'll probably save you putting holes in your carpet too.

I think there aw quite a few folks on here that use them.

 

[andyjm]

Thanks but the floors are concrete so spikes through the carpet should be nice and solid

mine are concrete too, for me it tightened tha bass a little, and also... they look nice.

So going from sitting on thick carpet to spikes on concrete will improve the bass?

That's the theory. By giving the stand a solid support, it is able to resist the acceleration forces of the bass cone. When the bass cone extends outward pushing air in front of it, it generates an equal but opposite force on the enclosure pushing it backward. The enclosure then moves backward, reducing the effective motion of the cone, muddying the bass.

To be honest, given the relative masses of the cone and the enclosure, I am skeptical that it makes any difference - but my speakers did come with spikes and I did use them.

Putting feet on the spikes makes no sense as far as I can see, either you want to couple the speaker to the floor (maybe a good idea with concrete) or decouple the speaker from the floor if you have a boomy, suspended wooden floor. Putting feet on spikes seems neither fish nor fowl.

 

[Biff]

Many thanks for all your opinions and advice. Long spikes on the way...

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Certainly not snake oil but an area of mixed scientific & anecdotal difference. In my experience my sub isolation was useful but not speakers. IMO room & system dependant - a definite suck&see opportunity for little outlay but potentially significant gains. Not withstanding the dreaded expectation bias / placeabo virus.

 

[bigfish786]

for the price of a few granite chopping boards, i think it is well worth it.

as a bonus it is also easier to adjust/move the speakers whilst on the granite.

i'd probably have two holes where my carpet should be with the amount of faffing about i do with speaker positioning if i didn't have the granite.

i also think that the speakers look nicer on the granite too. so it was win win for me.

 

[Biff]

I'll go with the spikes, as the speakers will be rock solid on the concrete floor. I can't even get them upright at the moment. They wobble!

 

[Biff]

Certainly not snake oil but an area of mixed scientific & anecdotal difference. In my experience my sub isolation was useful but not speakers. IMO room & system dependant - a definite suck&see opportunity for little outlay but potentially significant gains. Not withstanding the dreaded expectation bias / placeabo virus.

Placebo effect if it improves the experience what's not to like?

 

[Covenanter]

I don't believe in most of the "tweaks" but I did hear a big difference on my Kefs after fitting the spikes they come with. It may be a placebo effect, I'm no more immune from that than anybody else, but spikes can provide a solid way of seating your speakers so there is some science here too.

Chris

 

[Biff]

Spike are in. The difference is huge NOT! But there does seem to be a slight improvement, a bit tighter perhaps. I could be imagining it