If the rubber flexes at audio frequencies, the cabinet will also vibrate enough to smear the image.
Spikes or rubber feet.
I've got a nice pair of tower speakers that are new to me. They weigh 65 pounds each. They sit on hardwood floors. Currently they have hard rubber feet that screw into the bases. They also came with spikes. Spikes are a no-go for the hardwood floors but the spikes also come with metal disks that sit on the floor and that spikes sit on. There is a cone shaped dimple in the disk that the spike fits into.
Is there likely to be any appreciable benefit to the spikes sitting on disks compared to the hard rubber feet? They are obviously easier to move around with the rubber feet.
Is there likely to be any appreciable benefit to the spikes sitting on disks compared to the hard rubber feet? They are obviously easier to move around with the rubber feet.
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- 20 posts total
I tried out the differences between spikes and hard rubber pads, also due to oak hardwood parkett flooring in the past. The difference with my Burmester 961 speakers (35kg each) was so great that I *had to* go with spikes and that fiddly setup with those dimpled protector disks. The spikes in these situations are seriously inconvenient but due to the very clear sound improvement a must, as far as my experience goes. I now could organise two round, polished and baffled granite disks (reshaped from kitchen top cutout left overs) and place the spiked speakers on top of these. This works really well avoiding floor damage even on tiled flooring. M. 🇿🇦 |
I use these under my spiked speaker stands & audio rack on hardwood floors, they work great. https://herbiesaudiolab.com/collections/loudspeaker-rack-decoupling-and-isolation/products/cone-spike-decoupling-glider |
Nice line of speakers, and the OEM evaluated them with both the hard rubber or spikes, provided both in case you wanted to try spikes. My speakers are very heavy, close to 200 lbs I bet. I’ve done hard but ’slidable’ bottom pads, felt, adjustable spikes with the dimple disk on wood floor, and now 3 wheels. Theory is one thing, perceivable results another, no one could hear a preference, so I go for 3 wheels to provide mobility (more weight per wheel than 4, and 3 never wobble) (some minor compression tracks in the wood floor) Back in corners when expanding the dining table for family holidays. Or out of the way for access to components. Hard to get em moving, but move they do. Grid wood floor, easy repositioning. I think pick your evaluation music, a good listen as is, then try spikes, IOW, like me, and my friends, you need to know the answer. My guess, no difference, back to easier hard rubber. I sometimes alter the amount of toe-in, my friend with spikes, it’s a monumental effort to try a different angle. Your speakers, being towers, you need 4 pads, spikes, wheels, so it is imperative the spikes are adjustable or you have sturdy shims, lack of proper weight transfer on 4 spikes can defeat the idea of super stability. |
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