Things they want me to believe

[highfigh]

Okay, it's to cut thru the carpet and create a good solid contact with the floor underneath....or elucidate.

I haven't seen a speaker scoot across the carpet, so I fail to see why the spikes are needed to grip it.

As you wrote, the spikes, on carpet, are supposed to make contact with the floor in order to give them better contact.

Having written that, I like the sound of my speakers and they don't have spikes, so I'm not advocating for/against them in any way.

Here's a quote from an Amazon listing-

"Speaker spikes are designed to lift your loudspeakers or subwoofer off the ground and focus vibrations on four small points improving sound clarity, stereo imaging, and bass response."

I don't like the idea of a small tip poking through the jute backing of good carpet. If the web breaks, the backing of the carpet can fail from objects that roll over that spot, if the speakers are eventually moved.

 

[highfigh]

I was surprised the first time I put spikes on my speakers. I didn't think it would make nearly as much difference as it did.

On a hard surface, or carpet?

 

[lovinthehd]

I was surprised the first time I put spikes on my speakers. I didn't think it would make nearly as much difference as it did.

Surprised by what? What happened?

I haven't seen a speaker scoot across the carpet, so I fail to see why the spikes are needed to grip it.

As you wrote, the spikes, on carpet, are supposed to make contact with the floor in order to give them better contact.

Having written that, I like the sound of my speakers and they don't have spikes, so I'm not advocating for/against them in any way.

Here's a quote from an Amazon listing-

"Speaker spikes are designed to lift your loudspeakers or subwoofer off the ground and focus vibrations on four small points improving sound clarity, stereo imaging, and bass response."

I don't like the idea of a small tip poking through the jute backing of good carpet. If the web breaks, the backing of the carpet can fail from objects that roll over that spot, if the speakers are eventually moved.

Not scooting so much like you might have with a large sub without feet, but I believe simply movement was the concern. Here's the AH article and take on it https://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/speaker-spikes-and-cones-2013-what2019s-the-point

Personally I have used spikes, no audio difference noticed, and didn't particularly like them putting marks in the floor under the carpet, sort of liked the extra bit of stability (but think weight is better), and took them off a long time ago in any case. Rubber or other types of feet I use as necessary.

 

[hemiram]

On a hard surface, or carpet?

On a really thick shag carpet, it seemed to tighten up the bass and kept my clumsy dog from knocking them over just by brushing against them when he was having a case of the "Zoomies". They were pretty big speakers, but he was like some kind of berzerk wall bouncing lunatic who knocked them over quite a few times, pre spikes.

 

[lovinthehd]

On a really thick shag carpet, it seemed to tighten up the bass and kept my clumsy dog from knocking them over just by brushing against them when he was having a case of the "Zoomies". They were pretty big speakers, but he was like some kind of berzerk wall bouncing lunatic who knocked them over quite a few times, pre spikes.

What do you mean it tightened up the bass? How were you able to compare directly to the other setup? You sure it just wasn't influenced by something you'd read?

 

[KenM10759]

I use the spikes on my speakers. My speakers are on thick carpeting. Without the spikes the speakers were a little tippy, now they are quite firmly planted. I can't say in conscious that I noticed any sonic improvement whatsoever.

 

[Mikado463]

I use the spikes on my speakers.

as do I, I listened for a couple of weeks before installing them and afterwards preferred the sound with them installed. The speakers weigh in excess of 100#'s each so I wasn't overly concerned about tipping over. Spikes go through carpet, pad and contact concrete floor beneath.

 

[hemiram]

What do you mean it tightened up the bass? How were you able to compare directly to the other setup? You sure it just wasn't influenced by something you'd read?

Seemed real to me, but maybe not. That setup is long long gone, like the dog, they both checked out about the same time. Cancer got the dog at 14+, and a basement water pipe got the speakers.

 

[KenM10759]

When I bought my speakers, the dealer loaned me a pair of Nordost Purple Flare speaker cables to try. At the time I had some cables I'd made with Monoprice 12 gauge CL2 wire and Blue Jeans Cable locking banana plugs.

He told me to install the Nordost cables and run them for two weeks, and that when I got accustomed to those after the time, change to mine. He said that's when I would notice the difference.

Two weeks of listening go by, and I rolled-up the Nordost cables, installed mine. I really wanted to hear difference, and was told I would. Nope, nothing. I listened for another week on mine, swapped then out one more time. Still nothing. I returned them.

Now I've been on those same cables for 1-1/2 years. I bought some 50 feet of Canare 14 gauge 4-conductor cable, figured I try it on my LS50's because for two month I had the Monoprice but with cheap Monoprice banana plugs. I made up nice cables with the good BJC locking banana plugs and this $1.19 a foot cable. Still no difference, but I like the look of my new cables better and they won't fall out.

 

[hemiram]

My 12 gauge cables have nice heat shrink on the bananas and the cable itself is super floppy, so they look and feel nice. I don't believe any other cable would make much difference in the sound, but others disagree, some vehemently.

 

[slipperybidness]

I use the spikes on my speakers. My speakers are on thick carpeting. Without the spikes the speakers were a little tippy, now they are quite firmly planted. I can't say in conscious that I noticed any sonic improvement whatsoever.

Yeah, I'm similar. I use the spikes just to have a bit more secured speaker on the carpet. Did not bother to try to compare the sound with / without spikes, that "sounds" like a good waste of my time to me.