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Spikes on tower speakers

This is my first post here, just getting involved in the earlier stages of serious stuff. I recently bought a pair of Piega p4L MKll speakers. They sound great, at least according to my perhaps unsophisticated ears.

My question/problem: The speakers have spikes on them that cannot be removed because the previous owner glued them to the base. Becaue of the spikes, the speakers are very unstable on the carpet in my listening room. I need something that the spikes will go into so that the speaker towers will be more stable. So far, neither plywood nor small metal speaker spike pads have worked. Am now considering carbon speaker spike pads and hockey pucks to get the spikes into and then a bigger base, such as wood or even granite/marble.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions that would solve this problem.

phil59
barts's avatar
barts
728 posts
 

My speakers are Hartley Reference, yes the one with the 24" woofers (each powered by ARC SS amps running as mono blocks in a tri-amp system).

They weigh about 300 lbs each.  I use teflon footers that are about 1.25" in diameter so that I can move them without tearing up the new heavy duty vinyl plank flooring over concrete.

As an experiment I balanced a nickel on edge on each speaker.  Actually I thought that they wouldn't last one listening session.  Well to my delight and amazement they remained exactly where I put them for over a month.  Okay enough already, I got tired of looking at them.

Just one guys experience, couple...decouple...whatever sounds best to you.

Regards,

barts 

phil59 OP
26 posts
 

To be clear, the spikes are not removable for me because they are strongly glued onto the speakers. If someone knows how to loosen the powerful glue, please help. Otherwise I need to sink the spikes into something that then can be put on a carpet or on a base that goes on the carpet.

frogman
7,475 posts
 

As some have stated, you want to have solid contact with the floor below; so, yes, the spikes have to pierce the carpet. I don’t believe that a wood platform, even slate (or other stone) on top of the carpet will be completely free of rocking even with the weight of the speaker placed on it. Additionally, you don’t want for the bottoms of the speakers to be making much (if any) contact with the carpet below which will serve to dampen the speaker. My suggestion: get cones with sharp enough points to pierce the carpet and that are taller than the spikes on the speakers now; original tall TipToes come to mind. They don’t have to be glued on or screwed in to get most of the benefit. On the assumption that you currently have three spikes per side, simply reverse the 2&1 arrangement. If you currently have two spikes in the back, put one cone in the back and two in the front; or, vice versa.  Leave the spikes as they are.  Good luck.

phil59 OP
26 posts
 

The speakers have four spikes each. How would the cones be attached to the speakers? I would like to include a photo of the spikes but don't see how to do. Thanks.

frogman
7,475 posts
 

Actually, it doesn’t matter if they have four as long as the cones are taller than the spikes, but do use only three cones of you decide to try this. The cones don’t have to be attached. The cones have flat upper surfaces, so the speakers simply rest on them. The original metal TipToes or similar were about 1.5 in. in diameter. Alternatively, you could simply use double sided tape to secure them lightly or a bit of Bluetac.  It’s the same principle as using cones under electronic components. It works well.

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