Solid Maple vs Butcher Block

Timbernation uses butcher block for their racks and they work just fine. If your speakers aren't that heavy, I'd go for something as thin as 1" with some of those cork footers or something from Herbies Audio Lab between the floor and the maple block and spikes for the speaker.

Whatever you use between the floor and maple block doesn't have to be that big or thick at all: just enough to provide separation. That way, balance is more secure and you end up getting two types of isolation without raising your speakers too high.

All the best,
Nonoise

I have extensive experience with two systems on carpet over concrete, and in both, maple stands greatly improved the sound. We tried them in response to Mapleshade's claims, and we agreed.

Jl35,

Thank you. That is the kind of direct experience I was looking for. How did the speakers interface the maple? I mean spikes directly onto the wood or disks or something else.

How thick was the maple? 2" is a lot less expensive than 4" and aesthetically more acceptable for final speaker height.

I really like my speakers (Quad ESL-2805) so I am not trying to make up for any deficiency. I am merely trying to tweak them to their maximum potential since I consider them "keepers".

Unfortunately the 4 inch sounds better than the 2, though the two is way better than nothing. Spikes under the board, spikes from speaker to board, no discs. Also the Michigan Maple sounds very good, though I like the Mapleshade better. Speakers were Aerial 7b and Dali MS4. I'm a huge Mapleshade fan, and have their boards and brass for most components. As for trusting them, I was ready to buy boards and brass for my speakers and was told I had a good floor and didn't need the boards!

Opps! I just noticed that you have carpeted floors so forget about the cork footers or Herbies stuff placed under the maple block. Sorry.

Depending on how thick your carpets are, you may be able to get away with just a heavy maple block laying flat on the floor with your speakers spiked to the maple block.

After reading this, I happened to look at my speakers (which are on thin carpet) and noticed I never got around to replacing the stone tile under them when I first set them up a few years ago. I always meant to get something made of wood but forgot about it. I couldn't find anything maple so I just got some bamboo cutting boards (for the kitchen) that were a perfect fit and tried it to see if I could hear a difference from the stone tile that was under it.

At first I thought I was imagining things but no, there is a difference and it is for the better, becoming more apparent the more I listened. Now I have to source some maple. It seems that the bamboo is too soft and maple is a much harder wood so it's going to be interesting to hear what the difference will be.

Sorry if I highjacked your thread but thought it was relevant.

All the best,
Nonoise