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Solid Maple vs Butcher Block

Does anyone have any experience with solid maple vs maple butcher block? Solid maple is expensive but there is a relatively local facility that manufacturers maple butcher block that is affordable. I can get 2.875" (or thinner) maple butcher block cut to my requirements.

I am specifically looking at the butcher block for speaker stands. Now my speakers are spiked through carpet onto concrete.

But any "real" experience would be appreciated. If someone has compared the two for turntable stands or amp stands I would appreciate their observations.
don_s
don_s OP
271 posts
 
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".
jl35
4,152 posts
 
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!
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
11,094 posts
 
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
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,321 posts
 
FWIW- From Totem Forests on carpet over concrete (Totem uses this claw and ball arrangement instead of spikes), went to 2" thick Timbernation maple on heavy (18x18") Travertine tile under each Forest. Travertine directly on carpet. A definite improvement in sound. It has been quite a long time but my recollection is of increased clarity...I guess you could say better resolution. I'm not sure how much was due to the lumber vs just greater stability. While I'd love to try 'em, hard for me to justify the cost of Mapleshade plinths. Good luck with your decision. Can't speak to the difference between solid maple vs butcher block.
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
I just want people to be aware that if you put a 4 inch block under a speaker, you are lifting the bass up by 4 inches. Of course it will sound different but the effect is mostly caused by the hight difference rather than the material you put under the speaker.
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