Spikes, rubber feet and raquetballs

[Jeff5347]

I'm curious which is better, which makes a difference or if really needed to think about it. I just bought a pair of Athena as-f2's for 25 bucks and they really sound great. At first I put a folded towel under the cabinets but then moved to raquetballs cut in half placed under the cabinet (6 half pieces each speaker). My curiosity is if adding spikes, screw in rubber feet or leaving the raquetballs and which is best or does it even matter. The floor is a wood. This is how it is now.. yes a little insightly lol

 

[j_garcia]

They go about it different but sort of result in the same thing. The goal is really to isolate the speaker from passing vibration to the floor or whatever they're connected to in the case of bookshelf speakers. Between rubber feet and racket balls, I'd say no difference. For floor standers, I prefer spikes for stability, but that isn't exactly compatible with wood (they sell ones with cups for the spikes),but in the end as I mentioned, the result is the same whichever you choose - isolate them from vibrating the floor.

 

[Verdinut]

I'm curious which is better, which makes a difference or if really needed to think about it. I just bought a pair of Athena as-f2's for 25 bucks and they really sound great. At first I put a folded towel under the cabinets but then moved to raquetballs cut in half placed under the cabinet (6 half pieces each speaker). My curiosity is if adding spikes, screw in rubber feet or leaving the raquetballs and which is best or does it even matter. The floor is a wood. This is how it is now.. yes a little insightly lol

If you are satisfied with the half racket balls under the cabinets, IMO you won't get much better results by using rubber feet. You could try spikes to slightly uncouple the enclosure vibrations from the floor. Then you would have to use plates under them to protect the floor. But if you want to completely uncouple the enclosures from the floor, you have to stand them on a heavy stone or a marble platform which doesn't vibrate and cannot transmit vibration to the floor.

 

[Jeff5347]

I've been trying to read up on the isolation of speaker cabinets and get what is trying to be accomplished but the exact theory I'm trying to wrap my head around. Before researching I thought the spikes would transfer more energy kinda like if and elephant stood on it's foot verses on a high heel. More pressure through a smaller area. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how it uncouples vs couples but I'm getting there lol. More reading. I've watched videos like iso acoustics Gaia but that much money, ouch. I guess I'm curious if the spikes or slab of marble would work better than the rubber. I'm assuming marble works as it reduces resonance?

 

[charmerci]

The drivers vibrate and are connected to the cabinets which are then connected to the floor. Neither the cabinets or the floor (walls and other objects in the room too) should vibrate, creating their own sound/noise. It's all not part of the music.

Rubber (or other similar material) feet absorb/deaden those vibrations. If you have an inert floor (large mass or non-vibrating) such as concrete, then you want to spike your speakers which increases its mass(?) or maybe more accurately, its dead weight, making them vibrate less.

The objective is to hear the music, not hums and buzzes coming out from other places.

 

[downbythepylons]

Having just bought some floorstanders for a basement on carpet system I would love to try some of the soundocity outriggers...alas they kinda pricey.

Also my speaks do not have threaded inserts....anyone have any suggestions re spike type solutions.....I tried placing them on some heavy maple shade footers but still a bit wobbly

 

[MrBoat]

Squash balls are available in black at least.

 

[lovinthehd]

Having just bought some floorstanders for a basement on carpet system I would love to try some of the soundocity outriggers...alas they kinda pricey.

Also my speaks do not have threaded inserts....anyone have any suggestions re spike type solutions.....I tried placing them on some heavy maple shade footers but still a bit wobbly

You can always drill into the speaker to add inserts/feet of your choice. Mapleshade? Seriously?

 

[downbythepylons]

[QUOTE="? Seriously?[/QUOTE]

I had them lying around form a turntable project...i think im going to spring for outriggers

 

[Jeff5347]

Hey guys, coming back to the thread. Like I stated previously I have the Athena technology as f2 speakers. I'm gonna get some spikes for them and see how it sounds. My question is what to buy. What I mean is the speakers have holes with threads inside but I have no clue the thread pitch/ type and I can find any info on the speakers regarding the feet. Not sure how to go about getting g the right feet

 

[lovinthehd]

Can you use the current feet of the speakers to determine the pitch/thread count? Take them out and match them at a hardware store? This site says Athena used M6

 

[Jeff5347]

I bought the speakers used. The guy said he didn't know where the feet/ spikes where so they are bare bottom. Ok I'll look at that site and see what it says

 

[lovinthehd]

You could also just get some black sorbothane feet