speaker spikes

[strutter]

not sure if I'm posting to the correct place or not but here goes.

are there any advantages , sound wise, to using speaker spikes on synergy F-3's.?

are there any disadvantages? aside from holes in the carpet.

[wuzzzer]

When I installed the spikes on my RF-25s I noticed an increase in both bass output and smoothness. Makes sense I guess. The speaker cabinet itself is vibrating less due to its being 'anchored' to the floor with the spikes. More energy is transferred into sound than into vibration. It's worth it!

You probably won't notice the holes after you vacuum the carpet or give it a good rub down with your shoe.

[Spkrdctr]

There is no doubt about it. If you use the spikes, you will turn those F-3s into RF-7s. [] Actually, it is up to you if you want to use them, they are optional and not mandatory. Your speakers will sound fine without them. That is because you bought high quality Klipsch speakers to begin with. Great purchase!

[Speedball]

I havent experimented with my RF7's yet although they do have spikes but my KG4.2's sound terrible with too much bass without them. It is probably different with each setup.[8]

[strutter]

wuzzer- thats exactly what all the web sites that sell speaker spikes say as a benefit to using them. i really didn't want to spend the money to purchase them without hearing from someone who has used them. the SF-3 are fairly heavy and have 4 little feet that are positioned to the outside of the cabinet giving them a slightly wider footprint (i suppose for stabilization against tipping). i didn't know if the F-3 would have the same benefit considering this and that the drivers are mounted so high in the cabinet and the port is at the floor.

[strutter]

Spkrdctr - yep they sound fine to me with a sub woofer. but you know spikes aren't that expensive and if i could gain even higher quality sound by installing them i will. but i don't want to waste money on them for no improvement at all.

[Spkrdctr]

Spkrdctr - i don't want to waste money on them for no improvement at all.

Words of wisdom!

[johnyholiday]

put your finger on the upper edge of the cab an give it a gentle push,

if the cab wiggles back an forth, too an fro ,you need to prevent that

anyway possible

[colterphoto1]

excellent analysis Johny! Words from the wise.

Now I want to see those chain-whipped Cornwalls!

Michael

[seti]

I have wood floors in my listening room and I move the Belles around

often so I lined the bottoms with felt. This has saved my floors and

the stability is fine. I had not thought of spikes on Belles since they

are so big would Belles, La Scalas, Cornwalls or KHorns really need

speaker spikes? My biggest problem now is my house was built in 1890

and the floors have so much flex that I can hardly walk on the floor

while playing vinyl. I guess I am going to have to climb under the

house and add extra floor bracing. I hate cave crickets anyone want to

climb under there for me

[pauln]

What is the theory behind spikes? I don't see any physical reason why they should make anything better. I can think of a few reasons why they might make things worse.

Paul

[rockbobmel]

I just took off my spikes on my RF-7s and They are close with/without. I also took off the outriggers but replaced them.(Better kick drum with them)

[dragonfyr]

I just took off my spikes on my RF-7s and They are close with/without. I also took off the outriggers but replaced them.(Better kick drum with them)

I have heard a variety of captivating explanations, none of which radically changed my life.

I seem to have heard all sorts of explanations that become more vague as they progress, but they all seem to revolve about tightly coupling a device to a rigid, or more rigid surface.

Some folks maintain that LF are transmitted via both the air and via conduction, at different rates, and by coupling the speaker by a small footprint that it 'forces' the LF to travel through the air...thus unifying the rate of LF transfer and rendering the LFs 'tighter'. But this also assumes that the radiated energy transferred via conduction is sufficiently large... This could be easily measured and documented if such a situation exists, but to date I have never seen anyone do so.

Others maintain that since the speaker cannot vibrate on the floor the smearing resulting from the radical movement of the speaker enclosure solves the world's problems.

But the so many also maintain that small phase variations are inaudible. So....

And of course there are those who maintain that they minimize the transmission of vibration between equipment and racks and visa versa. But tightly coupled surfaces will also transfer vibration more efficiently, and radiated acoustic energy would effect both surfaces unless the mount was isolated and damped in some other fashion, so I am not sure what the exact basis for the argument is...

In any regards, any such claims would be easily verified by measured impulse responses and by EFT (envelope frequency time) waterfall plots. But as usual with the 'subjective experience is everything' crowd, you never see such measurements trotted out to substantiate the claims. The only objective measure seems to be the amount of cash you fork over.

I see no problem with using them for practical reasons such as to help keep speakers and subs stationary on a 'slippery' surface like carpet. But I would not be spending big bucks expecting radical changes in sound quality.

But I suspect that you will receive many glowing personal testimonies of how their lives were radically transformed by such devices.

Unfortunately it is considered inappropriate to ask for any objective measure of said improvements. But then I have yet to see a convolveable impulse response* measurement or polar response produced yet to support any acoustical performance claim.

*The impulse response is specifically mentioned as a plethora of derivative responses can be obtained from it.

[][]

[Petrol]

How much money are we talking for these things?

I have seen some for as little as $10/ set of 4... what's the risk?

That being said, I still haven't bothered to get off my wallet. My RB35s are sitting on custom (home-made) stands that have four small 2" x 2" x 2.5" trianguular feet that 'hide' heavy (20 lb) cast iron plates...

the main reason that I wanted to make the stands as 'bottom-heavy', 'high-mass' and stable as possible is because I would absolutely HATE to have my speakers damaged from a fall if bumped on accident. If a side benifit is better sound, great.

[jacksonbart]

Mine where provided by Klipsch free of charge. I am on carpet /w heavy pad and I tell you what, you can't tip them over unless you tackle them. In terms of sound, well with the RSW15, there was already enough bass, but someone bumping against them will not lead them to crashing into the back wall.

[ntwaddel]

so how can you install them in the f-3's? do you have to remove

the existing feet? tap some holes? How are spikes usually

installed?

[strutter]

michael- your new avatar is much more pleasing to the eye than your other one.

[strutter]

dragonfyr - exactly. there are alot of gimmicks around that are supposed to provide improvements but are not accompanied by any supportive data. It leaves one to purchase then experiment to determine if there is any audible justification for the implementation of these devices. every gimmick has its followers who believe these products provide drastic improvements. of course my question was a probe to get a general consensus concerning spikes on this forum from individuals who have used them. understanding that those replies would most likely be subjective.

[strutter]

ntwaddel-

found this on a sellers site


The threads are available in 1/4-20 (standard) and custom threads of M6, 5/16, M8, 3/8, and 1/2". Please see the Speaker Thread Sizes by Manufacturer page to find the thread size for your speakers.

If your speaker does not have an insert already installed, no problem. Each standard 1/4-20 spike comes with a 1/4-20 stud and threaded insert. The threaded insert can easily be screwed into a 9 mm pre-drilled hole with an M6 or 7/32 Allen wrench. No need for this insert if your speakers already have inserts installed. Be sure to order the 1/4-20 (standard) to include the 1/4-20 stud and insert.

their thread size page says klipsch is a M6. which implies that they are already tapped and threaded.

however, i have not turned mine over to see if the F-3 is tapped under the foot, i believe there is a rubber pad.

[pauln]

I guess I'm asking because I find some places claiming that speaker spikes ISOLATE the speaker from the environment, other places claim that it better COUPLES the speaker to the environment - some places seem to make BOTH claims at different parts of their arguments depending on the context of the benefit proposed.

For example, one place writes that the tiny point of high PSI contact serves to keep the vibrations within the speaker rather than transmitting them to the stand or floor. Another place writes that the transmission is enhanced (better coupled) for the same reason that soccer/baseball/golf shoes have spikes.

I guess I'm asking, too, because I am a bit of an instigator. It seems to me that a speaker of a certain mass will have a resonant period which I suspect will be pretty low for something like a LaScala - maybe 10-15Hz. The audio frequency impact on this mass would be really small. I just don't see how "tighter bass" and "better midrange yaty yata" is liable to happen.

I do think that if one is having a custom home built with a concrete slab it might be nice to have the guys include a concrete block co-integral to the slab that might form a base for one's turntable. A sort of cubic vertical extension for the slab. A layer of epoxy and a granite slab on top might be the bee's knees. What could be more stable than an elevated portion of the slab with an affixed granite (or marble) top? Wow, is this a great idea or what? Who's building a house?!! This might be a neat way to do speaker stands, as well?

Paul