Best location for isolation cones.

Or you could cough up $40 for the speaker spikes...maybe?
Setting the top heavy speaker 'n stand on sponge-topped cones is your problem. I am sure being made from the wrong kind of brass is another major issue - good grief - but method two seems like a solid ticket. Hope it works.

Banksfriend - most of the time Twl discloses that the sells audiopoints. I guess he's in Clark Kent mode, right now.

"A cone is not a cone.

It depends on how well engineered the "cone" is.

They are not all the same, and cannnot be lumped into one category.

Some points will do wonders, while others just don't."

You have to get Audiogon to incorporate flashmedia.

TWL is correct. Not all cones/spikes/points are created equal. And as far as I know, if the cone is a metal material, then labeling it as an isolation cone should minimally be considered a misnomer but is more likely an oxymoron.

Regardless, the ideal placement for your cones should be to place one directly underneath the power supply of the given component and the two where ever to stabalize the component. Power supplies generate a hum/vibration and by placing your cone directly underneath it, you are giving that internally generated vibration the greatest opportunity to exit the component before it spreads around the chassis.

As for the speakers, I've tried several different methods and different cones. Not one of them made a different until I obtained the proper sized AudioPoints that thread and tighten into my speaker stands which are threaded into the speaker cabinet. Only then was there a difference and the difference was incredible after settling.

-IMO

Yes Slappy, Ohlala is correct about the foam tape being a "no-no" with these things. Definitely get that out of there, because it is eliminating any chance of the cones working at tall.

Although most people already know I'm with Starsound(maker of Audiopoints), I was in "Clark Kent" mode, because I was trying to get my point across without blabbing our product's name all over the page. Now it seems I can't "not mention" our product either, without drawing some fire. I simply tried to deliver useful information without mentioning our products by name.

But anyway, Ohlala was right about his technical point regarding the foam sticky tape.

Banksfriend(and others):
I use Audiopoints and Sistrum platforms in my system, and I also work for the company.

Get rid of the foam pieces and read this Stereophile article for some tips.

Just for kicks and if you can find this specific back issue, take a gander at Jonathan Scull's "Fine Tunes" in the February 2001 edition of Stereophile. This is an article that J10 compiled out of various posts that i made on AA several years ago about "cones" and how they work. The wording might not be the best, but you should get the basic idea.

Once you've done that, you're going to need to experiment with speaker placement. That is, if you want to make any type of major progress with this system. Once you can get the speakers dialed in, you'll then be able to hear more of what your system is capable of and what each "tweak" adds or subtracts from the system. Having said that, cones may not be the optimum type of footer for all components / support structure interphases.

As to your rack, are your shelves stationary i.e. part of the support structure or are they individually removable without compromising the stability of the rack itself? Experimenting with various types of wood and / or other shelving materials can pay off with big dividends from my experience.

Other than that, congratulations. It appears that you've been working hard and are now reaping some of the rewards of your past efforts. I know that you had talked about doing a lot of work on your house in the past and that it was eating up a lot of your cash. I hope that your system is coming together as you had hoped and you get plenty of enjoyment out of your 'Stang : ) Sean
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Hey folks, thanks for all the input!
Well, i had the spikes set so that the speakers were slightly tilted backwards, i went ahead and tightened em all the way down and this definatly restored some of my imaging.
The girly was over last night so that restricted how much i could mess around with it, gott play with her first. LOL
Anyways, when i get home tonight im probably just gonna pull those cones off the speakers and save them for another use.