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How do you feel about a wheeled dolly permanently under large floorstanding speakers?

I'm building a new room that will be home to the system I'm putting together. I looking at several floor standing speakers that aren't huge by audiophile standards, but too heavy to just grab and move easily, 60-80 lbs each. The room will be multi-use, so one option I'm considering is to move the speakers when required. They would stay in the best position for my solo listening chair, but when we have a group over and are using the game table or pool table, move them toward the wall and turn them for good sound to the overall room. It would also help me a great deal with the WAF for the room. I've been considering the wisdom of putting them on a solid MDF platform, the size of the speaker footprint, with 3 or 4 castors mounted beneath. Probably make a wood skirt to hide the wheels. Then I could roll them off the rug onto the vinyl floor and over to the wall or wherever makes the most sense. I will keep the movement relatively small so I can keep speaker cables only as long as necessary to reach the primary listening position. Do any of you have direct experience with a similar setup and its impact on sound quality?

capnr
bryhifi's avatar
bryhifi
374 posts
 
An option if you want something ready made for the task.

http://speakerfeet.com/LP_Caster.html

I've used these for a friends system.  Cut two bamboo cutting boards to size, attached to dolly with Grab-It construction adhesive for a solid top surface, placed his Aerial 10t on them.

https://www.amazon.com/JzNova-Heavy-Metal-Wheels-Square/dp/B083D2JRNN/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2VI3V52T0...=
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
No problem. Do not use MDF. Screws do not hold well in MDF. Use cabinet grade plywood. Double up around the periphery (1.5" thick) and under the wheels. Use medium hard wheels 2 fixed and 2 with swivels
and brakes like this https://shop.servicecaster.com/Solid-Polyurethane-Wheel-Caster-p/scc-30cs420-spur-tlb.htm 
You can make them better looking by making skirts out of a hardwood that extend almost down to the floor. If you are on thick carpet I would give it 1/2" clearance. If solid floor or a tight weave carpet 1/8" will do. Then you will not see the wheels. Put the steering wheels with the brakes at the back and do not put a shirt there so you can toe the brakes. 
I would never recommend this for subwoofers. Most of them would slowly walk across the floor even with the brakes on. 
sounds_real_audio
1,009 posts
 
I would get a two wheel dolly put some foam pipe insulation on it so you don't scratch the speakers then you can move them as needed. No spikes until you find a spot where the speakers sing to you. 
tweak1
3,655 posts
 
DougS +1

I too have spent big money isolating speakers to no outstanding results


~ 5 years ago, I tried Harbor Freight dollys (which have rubber casters) just to move and position speakers and heavy components.

I have heard no good reason to remove them
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,180 posts
 
I have wondered for years why no company has engineered this solution yet. You design an adjustable platform that has wheels that activate with a foot push fulcrum. You wheel into place then deactivate the wheels up and out of the way to then have the spikes support the speaker. You could also incorporate isolation materials into the base.
https://www.amazon.com/Skelang-Adjustable-Installing-Equipment-Bookshelves/dp/B07YDGZTF8/ref=asc_df_...

Replace those adjustable feet with spikes
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