Floor Spikes For Towers

[Pogre]

Mine came with. I was a little bored the other day so I installed them and got them all balanced. I have carpet over concrete so I just let them poke through and make good contact with the cement. I noticed right away they're sturdier. They feel like they're almost part of the floor, like they're anchored to the slab now.

I've seen different views on this, but I wanted to see what you guys have to say about it. Is there any reason (such as sq) to use them aside from more stability and destroying carpets?

 

[lovinthehd]

Stability is the main reason on carpet afaik.

 

[Bucknekked]

Mine came with. I was a little bored the other day so I installed them and got them all balanced. I have carpet over concrete so I just let them poke through and make good contact with the cement. I noticed right away they're sturdier. They feel like they're almost part of the floor, like they're anchored to the slab now.

I've seen different views on this, but I wanted to see what you guys have to say about it. Is there any reason (such as sq) to use them aside from more stability and destroying carpets?

when my Songtowers arrived they also came with some really nice bullet shaped spikes.
after sliding the boxes around to get a great location, I decided to put in the spike just to see what would happen. First off, when you put them spikes in, nothing moves anymore. Its stuck to the ground.
Other than that, they simply look great.

 

[Bucknekked]

when my Songtowers arrived they also came with some really nice bullet shaped spikes.
after sliding the boxes around to get a great location, I decided to put in the spikes just to see what would happen. First off, when you put them spikes in, nothing moves anymore. Its stuck to the ground.
Other than that, they simply look great.

 

[Pogre]

when my Songtowers arrived they also came with some really nice bullet shaped spikes.
after sliding the boxes around to get a great location, I decided to put in the spike just to see what would happen. First off, when you put them spikes in, nothing moves anymore. Its stuck to the ground.
Other than that, they simply look great.

Yeah, you can't even tell they have spikes because of my carpet. They're definitely stuck to the ground, as you so well put it.

I remember reading somewhere, I think a thread (not here) about which was better, isolation pads or hard contact with floor spikes. I notice nothing. Some more audiophoolery ?

 

[Hicks]

It's not a night and day difference, but even on carpet you can get a bit clearer bass response by having the bottom of the speaker not pushing down on the carpet and vibrating against the floor.

Again, it's usually a pretty minimal difference, but it certainly can't hurt.

 

[j_garcia]

IMO, it isn't about isolating the cabinet as much as not passing so much sympathetic resonance into the surface they're sitting on. Our old house when I was a kid had hardwood floors that were old and kind of creaky. Towers vibrated the floor pretty noticeably. I put some rubber pads under them and it cleaned up the bottom end because the floor wasn't vibrating anymore.

 

[Bucknekked]

Yeah, you can't even tell they have spikes because of my carpet. They're definitely stuck to the ground, as you so well put it.

I remember reading somewhere, I think a thread (not here) about which was better, isolation pads or hard contact with floor spikes. I notice nothing. Some more audiophoolery ?

yep. tom foolery if anyone wants to claim an audible advantage.
First off, good cabinets like yours and mine, are sonicaly dead material. They don't shimmy, shake or vibrate. There's nothing on the bottom what's vibrating that needs "isolating" from an audible point of view.

That won't stop enthusiasts from creating sentences with very cool words in them that sound as if there's something being remediated with the spikes. I don't mind whatever folks write one way or the other.
Its part of life: seeing what other folks believe is happening when they press "play".

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I use my carpet spikes since at 77lbs each(jbls number) nobody is gonna give them a spin or turn them where I don't want them when those babies are dug in. I couldn't hear one single difference, and like you pogre I'm on concrete. Although as J-garcia mentioned, decoupling from an old wooden suspended type floor could be helpful.

 

[lovinthehd]

Spikes, if you have significant driver movement, keeps the speakers/subs from moving/sliding around a bit; before I put feet (just used rubber feet tho) on my diy sub it could work its way across carpet a bit at a time.

Once up on spikes/feet, perhaps having the tweeter a bit higher up could change perception slightly?

 

[Bucknekked]

Once up on spikes/feet, perhaps having the tweeter a bit higher up could change perception slightly?

I will give you a little bit of tweeter elevation. When I put my spikes on (sounds like something a drag queen would say) it boosted the height just a touch and then I decided to put my bamboo slabs I had from my other speakers under the spikes and I got another 1/2 inch. All in all, I probably gained just under 1" of elevation on my tweeters. Since I like the way it sounds, I'm claiming I did it on purpose and OF COURSE the spikes were part of the plan and it sounds better.

 

[Joe B]

I will give you a little bit of tweeter elevation. When I put my spikes on (sounds like something a drag queen would say) it boosted the height just a touch and then I decided to put my bamboo slabs I had from my other speakers under the spikes and I got another 1/2 inch. All in all, I probably gained just under 1" of elevation on my tweeters. Since I like the way it sounds, I'm claiming I did it on purpose and OF COURSE the spikes were part of the plan and it sounds better.

"OF COURSE the spikes were part of the plan," but let's face it, anyone who knows anything about the inherent vibrational resonant qualities of bamboo would know it was all from putting those slabs under the speakers. I've got spikes on my now, on top of carpet. I think I'm going to take your lead and purchase some Lignum Vitae wooden slabs and put them under mine. Being the hardest wood commercially available should give me an even better improvement than you got using bamboo. I'm sure going through all the effort will have me absolutely convinced, subjectively of course, that they've never sounded better.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

My bookshelf front speakers are on metal stands with spikes on carpet, and a bit wobbly. Would it be worth the effort to pour sand in the stands (they are hollow metal tubes)? Then my only worry would be getting a hernia when moving them!

 

[everettT]

My bookshelf front speakers are on metal stands with spikes on carpet, and a bit wobbly. Would it be worth the effort to pour sand in the stands (they are hollow metal tubes)? Then my only worry would be getting a hernia when moving them!

Getting a hernia is moving 140lbs subs around the room

 

[j_garcia]

My bookshelf front speakers are on metal stands with spikes on carpet, and a bit wobbly. Would it be worth the effort to pour sand in the stands (they are hollow metal tubes)? Then my only worry would be getting a hernia when moving them!

I haven't ever filled mine, but then mine weigh 25lbs each by themselves. I think a small amount in the bottom of them might make yours a bit more stable.

 

[Pogre]

My bookshelf front speakers are on metal stands with spikes on carpet, and a bit wobbly. Would it be worth the effort to pour sand in the stands (they are hollow metal tubes)? Then my only worry would be getting a hernia when moving them!

The spikes that came with mine are adjustable. I had to turn a couple a little further out to stop any wobbling. They're solid now. Like @Bucknekked said, it's almost like they're stuck to the floor now.

 

[Pogre]

I will give you a little bit of tweeter elevation. When I put my spikes on (sounds like something a drag queen would say) it boosted the height just a touch and then I decided to put my bamboo slabs I had from my other speakers under the spikes and I got another 1/2 inch. All in all, I probably gained just under 1" of elevation on my tweeters. Since I like the way it sounds, I'm claiming I did it on purpose and OF COURSE the spikes were part of the plan and it sounds better.

Great. Now I have this mental image of Buck in drag and stilletos I can't get out of my head...

 

[Darenwh]

Great. Now I have this mental image of Buck in drag and stilletos I can't get out of my head...

The Pink smiley face with tongue sticking out probably was not the best choice for this post. Just sayin...

Personal view on the spikes issue, adds stability on carpet, probably not a good idea for really nice wood floors...

 

[Pogre]

The Pink smiley face with tongue sticking out probably was not the best choice for this post. Just sayin...

Personal view on the spikes issue, adds stability on carpet, probably not a good idea for really nice wood floors...

Well, I meant it to show I was joking. What are you turning it into..?

 

[NINaudio]

Well, I meant it to show I was joking. What are you turning it into..?

You probably shouldn't ask...