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Speaker Spikes - do the shake test

Everyone by now knows that speaker spikes improve the sound. The theory is that the tweeter excursion is so short, that any speaker cabinet front to back movement creates Doppler / intermodulation distortion. That movement can exceeed, by many times, the excursion of the tweeter. So, the effect is most pronounced up top and then towards the bottom most frequencies. Or so they say.

I have some C4 series II speakers that come with four “spikes” in the plinths. But, the people in Denmark seem to think we all have hardwood floors. The so-called spikes are dull “lugs" that really are meant to sit into four small aluminum floor bot dots, for any better term for them. Many have speakers on carpet, and the so-called spikes sitting on those four round aluminum discs still are pretty wobbly on carpet.

Last week, I pulled all eight of the spikes (not nearly sharp enough, with a 30 degree rounded tip, to be called a spike) and had the guys in the machine shop at work lath them to 60-degree POINTS!

OK, re-installed and speakers leveled (four point level is a pain). WOW, now they are stable as a rock when you push and tug on them. What was NOT expected, was that the BASS response is significantly better. Not that bass is easy to do, but the contribution to the C4’s bass that spikes that are now planted into the concrete floor and under the carpet is amazing. The bass can now place a black dot on a white background as needed. Everything isn’t a shade of gray in the bass. I always felt that the C4’s weakness was bass definition, but the weakness is that Dynaudio doesn’t supply two sets of spikes, those for hard surfaces and those for carpet. That’s too bad, as the supplied spikes don’t cut it on carpet. My spikes are now good enough to pierce down below the carpet and rest on the concrete. But, real spikes should be like half-inch ten-penny nails that don’t chew-up the carper as much as my 60-degree spikes. But, I can’t find this spikes for the C4’s.

If you are like me and haven’t given your speakers the shake test, go do it! If they wobble around any at all see what you can do to fix it. The rewards are well worth as close to free upgrade as I’ve ever done. Don’t think for a second that it seems, “good enough”. If they move around, it isn’t.
rower30
studiosoundman
27 posts
 
Wolf-baby,

The ‘useless test information’ listed above was posted in reply to a member’s request.

It was not meant to offend or disparage you in any way and definitely not intended to bring out more of your unmistakable talent for journalism.

Can’t wait to hear the encore!

Yours truly,

Arnold & the Terminators
wolf_garcia
6,686 posts
 
I was merely pointing out that the test procedure, as carefully managed as it was, resulted in results that are useless to ME. After all, it's me that matters. I have done my own tests on my stuff with myself, and the result of de-coupling my Silverlines has had positive effects on me, my wood floors, and everything around me and my floors...I can only hope this wonderfulness will spread across the world...or at least into my garage.
rower30 OP
211 posts
 
OK,

I think we have TWO evolutionary paths, speakers placed on "soft" floors, and those placed on "hard" floors. A soft floor being a typical floor is a house supported with joists. A hard floor being (in my case) ten inches of concrete.

I would certainly agree that as different as these surfaces are, the method to tune the sound would be, too. The agruments probably have to be very specific as to what general floor type is being addressed.

I do hear this, big tall wobbly C4's like sharp steel SPIKES on concrete to tighten-up the sound.

My point of the post is to EXPERIMENT and not accept what's thrown your way. There is no harm in going back to your original set-up if you don't like what you hear.
mrmitch
359 posts
 
I have a so-called "soft" floor, one atop joists with a basement beneath. The floor is carpeted. I used to have sharp spikes in all four corners under my Unity Audio Sig 1's. Just thought one day "Let's try Vibrapods." Removed the spikes, placed granite floor tiles (12"x12") under the speakers with the Vibrapods between speaker and tile. Huge difference!! Images were clearer, much better bass, maybe because there was no wobble on the spikes, I can't really say, but the difference was not subtle.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
I like to think speaker manufacturers, especially those with a proven track record, know what they are doing when they assemble a speaker system and provide specific accessories.
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