An early-on theorem involving spikes:
While in high school I was introduced to a group of Bell Labs engineers who became audiophiles in the mid/late 50’s, my father being one of them. This band of intellects with rather large record collections spent time modifying Fisher, HK, Lafayette and Scott electronics and focused on DIY speaker design. They used penny nails (the equivalent of modern day spikes) under speaker systems to avoid what they determined as ‘acoustic coupling’ of the speaker cabinet with the greater mass of the floor long before vibration management products existed in audio.
The theorem being; if a speaker chassis rests flat on the flooring, the massive ground plane (energy sink) of the structural building in concert with gravity will negatively affect sonic performance of the enclosure and driver function, particularly the dispersion characteristics. ‘Spikes’ allowed for separation of the two planes limiting the effects caused by the greater mass, earth’s ground.
No one actually knows where the application of spikes under loudspeakers was initialized as this is but one story I thought worth sharing.
Why does the Majority of Speakers and Stands Come With Spikes?
Manufacturers continue to supply spikes because they are historic and one of the lowest cost footers available in manufacturing. Ask any manufacturer why their best loudspeaker comes with a set of $4.00 spikes and wait for the various explanations to unfold. Let us know your findings because we too wonder... what’s up with all those different replies and philosophies?
That Poor Darn Spike:
A typical nail-head spike costs $0.45 cents (Made in the USA) to manufacture so why do listeners and manufacturers continue to compare ‘spikes’ to devices costing hundreds of times more money?
They Call it Testing? - We Call It Marketing!
We witnessed electronic switching between two identical pair of loudspeakers in comparing a $4.00 set of steel nail-head spikes to a $600 set of spring footers where the $600 springs did sound better.
There is a video involving heavy foot stomping displaying visual results from self induced floor shock, noted on computer tablets, comparing a set of $8.00 steel speaker spikes to a $2,000.00 isolation device. You can easily guess which one maxed out the better result.
We find it amusing where both companies took their best shot at comparing mechanical grounding (direct coupling) principles to isolation theorems using the crudest form and cheapest competing parts available (a steel spike) in order to achieve their heavily favored one sided results.
If comparisons of methodologies, techniques and/or products are to be made, wouldn’t you prefer products close to the same retail price points be evaluated? No one appreciates being misled.
Form Follows Function:
Like all parts and devices; the materials, geometric shapes and functionality evolves over time. The first rubber tire was a solid material but nobody would consider comparing that part to a Firestone used in open wheel racing - right?... So why then spikes?
No two spikes, springs, discs, cones or wood blocks sound the same if they are shaped differently, even if they are manufactured from the same material. As an example, pick up any two different brass products and listen to their performance as the differences are surprisingly ‘not’ close at all.
It would be highly beneficial to specify the brand name and/or model number or dollar cost when making statements involving footers. Generic spikes have a place in audio history but the industry is moving well beyond the forty-five cent part.
By categorizing ‘spikes’ into a single topic or understanding will cloud you from the reality of knowledge and sonic performance.
Would you consider an Audio Point™ a spike? After thirty years of continuous sales earning listener satisfaction year after year, we do not. There’s over a half million out there and are considered a rare find in the used marketplace so in our opinion the spike has definitely evolved.
Material science and applied geometry have proven that shapes and chemistry plays significant roles in the function and sonic outcome of ‘ALL’ footer systems, equipment racks and loudspeaker platforms.
The Power of Auditions:
Our Company was the first to provide financial return and satisfaction guarantees in 1999 where the majority of our peers told us we would be out of business within the year. Now days every competing entity, dealer or distributor has to consider participation in this business model.
Take full advantage of the audition process as audible performance definitely separates reality from opinion.
Unfortunately, audio is aligned with other luxury industries where the price of a product figures into the level of satisfaction achieved - not saying more dollars necessarily establishes a greater value; after all, this is comparing sound reproduction alongside a few million sets of independent ears!
Thank you for your time,
Robert
Star Sound
