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Casters to replace spikes

So I'm sure this will get a lot of challenge and flak, so please helpful comments only!

Long story short my focus has changed from home theater to two channel back to home theater.  Recently got a projector and in the midst of getting a screen (have a white sheet hanging as temporary) . On a whim I moved my Revel studio 2s and Voice 2 behind the sheet which improved the movie experience 1000%. However I had to push the speakers back against a wall, which is not ideal for two channel listening. I'm planning to purchase an electric screen so on occasion I'd like to be able to pull the speakers out from the wall with little effort when the screen is rolled up. Right now they are on the factory spikes sitting on Herbie's discs, so they can slide on the carpet with some effort. However, every time I've seen Wilson speakers in show rooms, they always seem to be on casters which made me wonder if that's a normal type of arrangement or at least a good enough arrangement.  my system is decent but my room needs lots of treatment so I'm taking an 80/20 approach here.  

Has anyone done this/ can recommend any type of solution for being able to move the front speakers with ease?  Thanks!
esthlos13
jrpnde
271 posts
 
   terry9 hit on a most important factor a bit. I have been challenged in this area as I have moved from one abode to another.....First, the location of your system. Is the floor solid, on the first or upper floor, or subject to vibration if only normal footsteps create distortion? Speaker positioning is, of course, important.
   Even though your floor is carpeted, carpet is not an end all to unwanted vibration. Just my 2 cents.


elliottbnewcombjr
5,406 posts
 
I use 3 casters, 2 front, 1 rear center: more weight per caster, and always wobble free anywhere. I also put rear corner blocks to prevent tipping, just a bit above the floor, no contact unless speaker starts to tip.

you want good tight axels so they don’t wobble, mine are dual wheel furniture casters.

I’ve had these and other speakers on spikes, on casters, on felt pads, I don’t hear any difference.

Townsend says soft, to prevent earth vibration going ’up’ to the speakers.

I change the toe in according to one or two listeners. I have full out serious listening, part out for more room when one leaf is in the table, and ’parked’ for holidays with all 3 leaves in the table.

my JSE Infinite Slope Model 2’s came on 4 casters, I changed to 3. The front was sloped, ’time-aligned’. My current enclosures are flat front. I put a 1-1/2" block above the front casters to tilt them back, for both time-alignment and to project the tweeters ’up’ directly to seated ear height, and alter the angles of all 3 driver's reflections to/off floor and celiling/rear wall.
audioglenn987
1 posts
 

8pm8FOOTMASTER GD-40S-BLK-3/8 Nylon Wheel and NBR Pad Leveling Caster,...$18.15

amazon. Laboratory casters

oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 

Spikes

"Spikes both couple and decouple the cabinet/speaker output from the floor.

Bass wavelengths are quite long and, below about 200Hz, boundary dependent. Without a surface to travel along they dissipate somewhat rapidly. A woofer would ideally be as close to a boundary (floor) or multiple boundaries (side and back walls, and even ceiling) as possible, or at least a constant distance from them. By elevating a cabinet from the floor with spikes, you reduce the propagation efficiency of bass wavelengths. So, you decouple bass from the room, even if ever so slightly. The effect is quite audible.

Spikes couple cabinet output to the floor, turning it into a transmission medium. Soundwaves travel through many solids much more rapidly than through the air. Instead of "moving the floor", cabinet output is transmitted to the listener ahead of the music, through the floor (made usually a good carrier of sound like wood or stone). This is why I’m no fan of spikes, and the Sunfire people aren’t either.

Try some damping compound between the spikes and the cabinet (not between the spikes and the floor) and let me know if you hear a difference. I’ve seen composite spikes that were metal only on the tips, otherwise rubber. Should work better.

Since spikes do two things I don’t like--diminish bass propagation, and transmit or even amplify spurious cabinet talk--I never recommend their use.

As Sunfire recommends, rubber or other absorbent materials can be used as feet for speakers or subs.

Since a lot depends on the height of the stand and the materials from which your floor is made, why not experiment? Personally I like Dynamat." 1987 or so..

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<,>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

From the old VMPS web site (Brian Cheney. Mr BASS).. and Sunfire.
35 years ago. Like I said there is a reason NOT use spikes, and I can’t think of a single reason to. Wooden floors can be worse..

Otherwise its just a HUGE drum. 3.5" to 5.5" concrete bounces like a drum.. The dryer it gets the tighter it stretches in a monolithic pour. The worst of the worst.. A slab with soft expansion joints. One slab is different than the next. Decouple always.. Really muddies the bass.. Just a big bass driver (the floor). Very little bass cohesion otherwise.

If Carver and Cheney,(RIP) agree, I’m in their CES winning corner.

Innertubes, spring, silicone pods, YES, spikes NO!! Rubber spikes, how’s that working out.. LOL Charlie Chaplin’s drunk routine..

Opinions.. I don’t think so... Just my self proven and re-proven facts over and over.. I have 2 boxes of spikes.. Even Merlin spikes.. rare from the 30s.. they kinda work.. They are tuned for record player isolation and rumble

Regards
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,152 posts
 
Casters are Horrible ,no coupling what so ever , just to move  never a permanent 
solution if you want defined imaging or tight deep Bass.
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