Just how much do speakers suppose to vibrate?

Every speaker cabinet, indeed everything, vibrates at some frequency.  Speaker designers create cabinets which can move the vibrations to different areas of the spectrum to contour the sound to their idea of what it should be.  Companies like Wilson use heavy cabinets, and Harbeth uses much thinner ones.  In short, I would not think about whether the cabinet vibrates if you like the sound.  Beaks or weights on the speaker will change the resonant frequency, which may or may not be to your liking.  I really think it's a matter of choosing a speaker you like and listening - don't obsess over the design.  At least that's what I think. 

It’s fine and dandy to let the vibrations and flow and look the other way, but speaker cabinet vibrations that are directed to the floor should be minimized to prevent or minimize what’s generally called acoustic feedback and to reduce the effect of those vibrations on internal wiring and electronic crossover elements as well as the speaker cable connectors, not to mention reducing the effectiveness of the various drivers. The trick is to damp vibrations without over-damping as well as isolate the floor from the speakers.

If the speakers are vibrating due to interaction with the floor, as is usually the case with suspended plywood floors found in most modern home upper levels, then its often a good idea to try to isolate the speakers from the floor better by using isolation stands or platforms of some sort. The bad effects of floor interaction and resulting vibrations transmitted to the floor and then the room is muddied less articulate bass that also obscures detail in the mid-range compared to otherwise.

Vibrations detected from the cabinet may also well be a symptom of this and not the root cause of any resulting sound issues.

Many good speaker isolation products out there. Main thing is to find the one that fits your speakers and needs best.

As an example I use Isoacoustics brand isolation stands under my smaller monitors and Auralex Subdude platforms under my floor standers. Both cost a mere $100 or so a pair to try and are similarly effective in greatly  cleaning up the sound overall when needed.

mapman
13,599 posts
08-18-2016 4:53pm
"If the speakers are vibrating due to interaction with the floor, as is usually the case with suspended plywood floors found in most modern home upper levels, then its often a good idea to try to isolate the speakers from the floor better by using isolation stands or platforms of some sort. The bad effects of floor interaction and resulting vibrations transmitted to the floor and then the room is muddied less articulate bass that also obscures detail in the mid-range compared to otherwise.

Vibrations detected from the cabinet may also well be a symptom of this and not the root cause of any resulting sound issues.

Many good speaker isolation products out there. Main thing is to find the one that fits your speakers and needs best.

As an example I use Isoacoustics brand isolation stands under my smaller monitors and Auralex Subdude platforms under my floor standers. Both cost a mere $100 or so a pair to try and are similarly effective in greatly cleaning up the sound overall when needed."

Mapman, from the Aurelex website: "

• Dramatically reduces structural vibrations through walls, floors & ceilings

Thus, the problem is reducing the vibrations from the speakers TO the floor not the vibrations FROM the floor to the speaker. The low frequency seismic vibrations we’re talking about when we think of structural vibrations are generally in the range 0-20 Hz - well below the frequency response of virtually all hi end speakers. However, the structural vibrations the speakers produce exacerbate the acoustic feedback situation for all front end complements.

Cheers

No vibrating allowed!