placing sub on a spiked board

[InVeNtOr]

i know the title sounds funny but.....

i have a bob carver 12"sub. on the bottom it has 4 very small rubber feet. they are about 1/8" in height. i was wondering if it's better to place that type of sub on a hard surface? the manual says it needs to be in a corner but there is no mention of it's footing. what i plan on doing is having a board (mdf - that's what i have available for free) cut 13" squared (same size as sub) and attaching 4 ea spikes to the bottom. i would then set the sub on top.

would this help, hinder, improve, do nothing, to the overall performance? right now with it on the carpet, it just "dances" around when the bass kicks in. i guess i could just put a board underneath but i figured adding the spikes helped with the vibration, or i am completely off my rocker?

thanks again sub gurus!

[michael hurd]

It would do nothing. If anything get a 'sink cut out' at your local stone countertop place and throw it on the top of the sub with a rubber shelf liner in between. Increasing gravity always works to keep it from rocking and dancing. If you wanted to get fancy, you could have them cut it and bullnose it for you.

[InVeNtOr]

thanks for the quick responce mike.

btw, why do sub companys put spikes on their subs if they don't do anything? i called klipsch about the spikes they give you with RF-7's and they said they are only for stability reasons. is that the same reason for subs? i called eD and asked them too and i was told it was for different applications. of course the down firing subs need to be raised, but on front firing subs they said on the carpet is just fine.

to me it seems like unnecessary option. off topic question, if i was going to rebuild my sunfire sub box is there a better way of building it? materials? construction? i was going to have a frined of mine simply copy what is there. is there any input or trade secrets you can share with me?

thanks again.

[michael hurd]

Spikes will keep a lightweight box from moving on carpet, otherwise the boxes may have a tendency to walk on their own, if sitting directly on the pile.

If you like the Sunfire, why not keep it the way it is.... maybe move it to a second system. For a decent price, you can get a kit with an Acoustic Elegance AV15X or AV 15H, a pair of 18" passive radiators and this nice box. ( unfinished )

http://www.aespeakers.com/news.php?start=0&news_id=22

Add an amp du jour and finish the box. ( or select a pre-finished box ) There are many finishing options including paint, or a choice of many different veneer.

[InVeNtOr]

i don't want to change the design, just maybe make it better, if that makes sense. here's the story....i received this sub for free. i got it at work because it was "damaged." what was damaged was the veneer. it has a very long crack in it, but the sub box itself was fine. the other issue is this sub had inserts installed in it. so basically this sub looks tore up. i already have a guy who is going to re veneer my RF-7's/ RC-7 and i will have him redo the sunfire sub in the same veneer. since the sub is so messed up it may be eaiser to just build a new one and veneer it. i just wanted to know if there was anything i could do to the construction of it that could improve it. maybe ad a brace or duck bill it or something like that. i know i will add my foam to reduce all vibrations and "true it up." i am very happy with the sub, it's a little hard to dial it in. it seems to just take over and be too loud. it seems to sound fine during 1 movie, but if i play a game it gets real loud. i was playing a CD and it was shaking the walls. serisously, the flower holders on the forward wall were rattling, and the sub is at the back corner. i wish someone like you lived close and could show me hands on what to do and listen for. i am winging it right now.

[CECAA850]

i wish someone like you lived close and could show me hands on what to do and listen for.

There's several members in the Dallas area, you should post a thread looking for a hand. I'll bet you get several responses.

[Thaddeus Smith]

i can come sit on it for you, to test and see if adding a weight will fix the issue.

[carbon summit]

i was told it was for different applications. of course the down firing subs need to be raised, but on front firing subs they said on the carpet is just fine.

I'm not sure I understand what advice you were given here. My two subs are and are on carpet. I've often thought about setting them on top of a piece of wood thinking the carpet was absorbing some of the bass.

Any thoughts on if this would make sense?

[carbon summit]

mine are down firing subs.

[soundbound]

This is how I did mine. Cone feet on subwoofer and spikes installed in board under it. Audio results will vary.

[InVeNtOr]

i just ment on a down firing sub it will be raised up a bit. either by big square feet, spikes, or what ever.

i was hoping that my sub being placed on a board with spikes would limit the vibrations. like Michael said, it would do nothing. i was able to get a mdf board at work and install spikes. i proved Micheal right (not that i needed to, i just see first hand it does nothing). i only did it because it was all free and took about 30min for a guy to do it for me in the cabinet shop.