Any new ideas on an old theme?


Use a platform, root 'em in, decouple 'em, or just spike 'em into the flooring materials.

What's the latest greatest approach on speaker setup?

I've replaced the old carpeting with new plush er, thick er, pad and pile. Now my OEM spikes for my floorstanders are barely (if at all) getting to the plywood underneath it all... So I'm wondering how best to overcome this obstacle?

I see some systems online here which use platforms or some sort of material under the speakes...

Any & all experiences here are most welcome... as I do need a new plan now... or just bigger spikes.

Thanks
blindjim
Blindjim,

FWIW, I don't have any spikes anywhere in my system. My problem had to do with muddy bass that affected the overall sound. The bamboo boards under the speakers with a little blutack between them made a huge positive difference with that problem and cleanup the midrange and the treble too. I don't know if that was an artifact - I.E. cleaner bass affects the whole spectrum by allowing the information in the upper registers to come forward and no longer be obscured by low frequency resonance? So for me, the bass may be tipped up a bit as a result of isolating them from the floor, but certainly not in a bad way for sure.

Speaking of tipping, my speakers aren't that tall and I have wooden shims under the bamboo boards tilting the speakers up about 10 degrees which helps with the imaging a lot, and maybe improves the phase between the tweeter and mid/woofer??? In any case, tipping 100lb speakers without substantial and well secured spikes dedicated for that purpose might be ill advised!

Finally, putting a large beechwood block under my CDP made a huge and silly good difference in the sound of CDs. Much more balanced and analog with no more sibilance or digital nasties. I fooled around with different methods to support the CDP on the wood platform including small hardwood blocks directly under the case and found that I liked the stock feet the best. The hardwood blocks increased the resolution but reduced the bass too much for my taste, "tipping" the overall sound up as you say.

You will just have to try different configurations to see what you like best. I am definitely sold on the value of big blocks of wood for various application in hifi systems. One of the cheapest and most effective tweaks I have found by far.
Oem,

I place mine on the teak wood floor,and lay a carpet in front of the speakers.

My fried has wall to wall carpet and use the cerabase directly on the carpet,and the results are just as astounding.

3 or 4? I use 4 under each speaker,using the speaker screws to thread in the cerabase ,but you could experiment.the important thing is to make sure the cerabases are in contact with the speakers body....
Knownothing
Ultimately, the least expensive gizmo I found which worked best under CDP & non spinning junk were those iso cups herbie's Audio Labs sold with the Ebony balls. Steve no longer has the Ebony balls and the cups are now of a different material... clear... not black... and softer.

Fafafion
Do keep in touch... and let us know when these gizmos go on sale! I am now, both astounded and curious... but not wealthy.
Fafaflon>Thank you for this information.If the speakers come with a fitted base plate and the Cerebase cannot touch the speaker body directly only the plate,would this negate the effect that the Cerebase would have on the speaker ??
well, I've decided on simply making some DIY platforms to place under each unit. Sub too.

3 reasons... I can't justify $1800 for speaker footers what so ever. Two, I couldn't even justify spending $200 for another set of larger (longer) spikes from Silverline! And, three, a substantial platform set under each unit should suffice as sufficient isolation/decoupling... well, if not it'll cost me about $12 - $20 to find out.

Sometimes, some aspects of this hobby and the prices associated with them astound me. Alas, I'll never know about the items containing too much 'unobtainium' or 'can'taffordium', and I'll simply have to continue my residence in the halss of ignorant bliss.

The rent in that mneighborhood is far less, and it's a very nice area, close to shopping and not far from the beach.