Flipped down-firing subs up

[Squishman]

I have twin floor-firing 12" BIC America subs underneath my 3 foot wide TV table with my 5.2.2 system. They have floor spikes which after a period of months began to vibrate on the floor which is fake hardwood plastic. So, I flipped them up. They still sound good, in fact I cannot tell the diff. The table is about 15" above the tops. Basically, I'll just keep them clean with a feather duster. Another difference though is the ports now face forward as opposed to the back wall. So far, the subs have not walked from just sitting flat on the floor. I guess the main thing is the sound, and I cannot tell the any difference. Comments?

 

[highfigh]

I have twin floor-firing 12" BIC America subs underneath my 3 foot wide TV table with my 5.2.2 system. They have floor spikes which after a period of months began to vibrate on the floor which is fake hardwood plastic. So, I flipped them up. They still sound good, in fact I cannot tell the diff. The table is about 15" above the tops. Basically, I'll just keep them clean with a feather duster. Another difference though is the ports now face forward as opposed to the back wall. So far, the subs have not walked from just sitting flat on the floor. I guess the main thing is the sound, and I cannot tell the any difference. Comments?

I would try to adjust the spikes- they usually have thread and a locking nut.

Actually, I would probably get some rubber feet and put one under each spike- I'm not convinced that they do much, if anything. A good speaker shouldn't lose energy to the cabinet and if it isn't losing energy to the cabinet, transferring it to the floor is a moot point.

 

[Squishman]

No lock nut. They just screw tight. When it first happened, I checked and one was loose. At first I thought "Dang, blown driver!". Glad that wasn't the case. Tightened up the loose spike and then re-positioned them exactly where they were. Then it happened again only hours later. The spikes were still tight. I could go to Home Depot I suppose and get some furniture pad studs. Am I missing anything though at this time by not having them pointed to the floor though?

 

[John Parks]

No lock nut. They just screw tight. When it first happened, I checked and one was loose. At first I thought "Dang, blown driver!". Glad that wasn't the case. Tightened up the loose spike and then re-positioned them exactly where they were. Then it happened again only hours later. The spikes were still tight. I could go to Home Depot I suppose and get some furniture pad studs. Am I missing anything though at this time by not having them pointed to the floor though?

@shadyJ could probably answer as to the theory better, but aren't down firing subs designed to take advantage of the loading from close proximity to the floor surface? If you cannot hear an appreciable difference with their orientation, then no biggie. Personally, the appearance would bother me...

Furniture pads may be a viable option or replacing the spikes with sorbothane feet.

 

[John Parks]

I got one of these because my Sunfire subwoofer like to go for long, windy walks:

There are many detractors of products such as this on AH, but it did indeed tame my sub's tenacious travelling tendencies and I am sure you could find something similar if the $50 outlay ($100 in your case) is not to your taste.

 

[John Parks]

BTW, how do you like your BIC subs?

 

[Squishman]

They sound tight to me. I imagine I could do better. But I am very happy w/ them coupled with my Crites upgraded Forte II's.

 

[ryanosaur]

Its a cheesy product, too, but they work! SVS soundpath isolation feet.

 

[Squishman]

I think I might bring a spike with me to maybe a hardware store and just see if there is a deep enough hard rubber grommet they can fit on top of.

 

[ryanosaur]

I think I might bring a spike with me to maybe a hardware store and just see if there is a deep enough hard rubber grommet they can fit on top of.

What are you wanting to accomplish with that? Putting something between the spike and the cab? Or on the tip of the cone?

If the former, neoprene washers, If the latter... replace them. No reason to use spikes on hardwood floors, for example. They are best imo for penetrating carpet and coupling with the floor itself. (Why so many spikes come with those spike cups or discs.)
Sorbothane feet or pads, racquetballs, or the industrial style appliance anti-vibration pads (cork or some such material sandwiched by rubber waffles)... I can't speak to the efficacy of them all, but I do use the soundpath feet on my subs and they flippin work. I wasn't having problems with them walking, rather the transference of vibrations to the house structure. Night and day difference! They are claimed to help stop 'walking' subs, too. unless you can find a deal, they're a little more expensive than they should be, but: They Do Work.

 

[GrimSurfer]

Take one of the spikes to a good hardware store. They should have something of the right size and thread pitch to use as a lock nut.

WRT sub placement, you may wish to read some of the excellent audioholics articles on the subject. We all make compromises when placing subs in a room but the placement you've selected may require a re-think.

The one advantage you have is owning two subs. When reasonably well-placed, these should even out low end response quite a bit.

 

[highfigh]

I got one of these because my Sunfire subwoofer like to go for long, windy walks:
View attachment 28265
There are many detractors of products such as this on AH, but it did indeed tame my sub's tenacious travelling tendencies and I am sure you could find something similar if the $50 outlay ($100 in your case) is not to your taste.

Too much like one of those old vibrating football games, eh?

 

[shadyJ]

@shadyJ could probably answer as to the theory better, but aren't down firing subs designed to take advantage of the loading from close proximity to the floor surface? If you cannot hear an appreciable difference with their orientation, then no biggie. Personally, the appearance would bother me...

Furniture pads may be a viable option or replacing the spikes with sorbothane feet.

Correct, the down-firing ports can use the floor to help shape their response. It isn't going to be a huge difference though. I have used down-firing subs on their sides, they are just fine like that as well.

 

[highfigh]

No lock nut. They just screw tight. When it first happened, I checked and one was loose. At first I thought "Dang, blown driver!". Glad that wasn't the case. Tightened up the loose spike and then re-positioned them exactly where they were. Then it happened again only hours later. The spikes were still tight. I could go to Home Depot I suppose and get some furniture pad studs. Am I missing anything though at this time by not having them pointed to the floor though?

I would go almost anywhere BUT HD for hardware- if you have an ACE store, check to see if they have thin nuts with the same thread- might be 1/4-20. Lock them and it shouldn't happen again.

 

[Squishman]

What are you wanting to accomplish with that? Putting something between the spike and the cab? Or on the tip of the cone?

If the former, neoprene washers, If the latter... replace them. No reason to use spikes on hardwood floors, for example. They are best imo for penetrating carpet and coupling with the floor itself. (Why so many spikes come with those spike cups or discs.)
Sorbothane feet or pads, racquetballs, or the industrial style appliance anti-vibration pads (cork or some such material sandwiched by rubber waffles)... I can't speak to the efficacy of them all, but I do use the soundpath feet on my subs and they flippin work. I wasn't having problems with them walking, rather the transference of vibrations to the house structure. Night and day difference! They are claimed to help stop 'walking' subs, too. unless you can find a deal, they're a little more expensive than they should be, but: They Do Work.

Something that each cone can sit inside without touching the floor is what i was thinking. But I may see if I can find furniture pads with the same thread.

 

[Squishman]

The issue is not so much that the spikes come loose, although that is what I discovered, but then came the vibration again. My plastic floor looks like dark wood. It is a somewhat pliable material that makes it probably more comfy to walk on than actual wood. But what happens I think is that the spikes settle in maybe un-evenly (not all four corners at exact depth for example) and thus begins the vibration.

 

[ryanosaur]

If you try those rubber and cork pads, take the cones off, and just set the sub on the pads. Notice the PSI support rating for the pads: a heavy sub with small feet or cones will not work.
If not that, find out what the cones use to screw into the sub and find feet to replace them with. or, proper cone floor plates... some of them are padded.

Edit:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=speaker+spike+floor+protectors&hvadid=177316446227&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9032360&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=760744512873421035&hvtargid=kwd-11811847192&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_7ya7olk81f_b

 

[Squishman]

If you try those rubber and cork pads, take the cones off, and just set the sub on the pads. Notice the PSI support rating for the pads: a heavy sub with small feet or cones will not work.
If not that, find out what the cones use to screw into the sub and find feet to replace them with. or, proper cone floor plates... some of them are padded.

Edit:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=speaker+spike+floor+protectors&hvadid=177316446227&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9032360&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=760744512873421035&hvtargid=kwd-11811847192&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_7ya7olk81f_b

Good info Ryan. Thx. I will look at those options!

 

[John Parks]

The issue is not so much that the spikes come loose, although that is what I discovered, but then came the vibration again. My plastic floor looks like dark wood. It is a somewhat pliable material that makes it probably more comfy to walk on than actual wood. But what happens I think is that the spikes settle in maybe un-evenly (not all four corners at exact depth for example) and thus begins the vibration.

The flooring is called LVT, for "luxury vinyl tile" and its pliability (slight squishiness) is one of the design factors for just what you described - comfort. Believe it or not, it has a better NRC (noise reduction coefficient) than VCT (vinyl composition tile) concrete and even most real hardwoods.

After looking at the depth of those spikes, I think that the easiest solution would be floor protectors seen on the Amazon link that @ryanosaur posted:

If need be, also get a pack of these (or thicker):

https://www.amazon.com/Shepherd-Hardware-9861-Self-Adhesive-Furniture/dp/B00FFY9R0U/ref=sr_1_16?crid=7PPU1HDMC0QW&keywords=felt+furniture+pads&qid=1550451533&s=gateway&sprefix=felt+,aps,165&sr=8-16

 

[ryanosaur]

Good info Ryan. Thx. I will look at those options!

And like I said above... and I am not trying to sell this. Frankly I like them, but they are too expensive as is: the SVS soundpath isolation feet. I found a deal... might've been a store selling damaged goods, but got 2 sets of four in a 6-pack boxes. *shrugs
Not a bad deal for me since I was curious. But they flippin' work! So, there's that.
If you stick with the cones, maybe try a drop... allow me to repeat: A DROP... of the blue thread lock on them. You can still remove them if you use a neoprene utility glove for grip, but they won't vibrate loose.