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Thread: Spikes Vs Molded Feet |
    
New member Username: Eddietfman
Hong Kong
Post Number: 6
Registered: Sep-05
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| Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 02:11 am: |
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Hi there,
For a floor standing speaker, is metal spike always better than molded foot as isolator, regardless placing the speaker on carpet or hard floor, such as wood floor? Any comments or experiences from you folks to share would be appreciated. |
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Gold Member Username: Dmwiley
Post Number: 1202
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 09:46 am: |
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Not always. Depends on type of floor and general room accoustics.
The MOFO has spoken. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5876
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 10:03 am: |
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Pay no attention to dmwiley; he has no idea how spikes or feet play into room acoustics. Would you care to explain that answer, dmwiley?
Spikes and isolation feet do totally different things and will have very different affects on the sound quality. Spikes mechanically ground the speaker to the floor if they are not isolated by a too thick carpet. Spikes must touch the subfloor through any carpeting to be effective. This will give the speaker stability and normally tighten the sound in several areas. Isolation feet are normally meant to: 1) keep the speaker from scratching the floor, and 2) minimize the amount of sound that is transmittted by vibration to the floor and ultimately to adjacent rooms.
Which effect are you wanting?
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Gold Member Username: Dmwiley
Post Number: 1203
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 12:00 pm: |
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Jan simply restated what I said. I guess that makes him an expert.
The MOFO has spoken. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5884
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 01:03 pm: |
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dmwiley, I don't know how you can even begin to read the same thing in your post and mine. And, while my abbreviated post in no way was meant to be "expert" advice, what I am capable of answering is far different from what you pretend to know. What that makes you is anyone's guess.
I am, however, looking forward to your explanation of how room acoustics affect the choice between spikes and feet. Please proceed.
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5887
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 01:16 pm: |
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EM - From the forum rules and conditions; "When participating in a Forum, never assume that people ... know what they say they know".
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5900
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 11:15 am: |
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Is dmwiley still with us to explain the room acoustics matter? I am awaiting an education. |
Gold Member Username: Dmwiley
Post Number: 1216
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 03:50 pm: |
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Jan, no one can educate a know it all-useless waste of time. I have more important things to do than to try.
The MOFO has spoken. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5910
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 03:52 pm: |
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That's what I thought, MOFO! |
Bronze Member Username: Bionicsniper
Des Moines,
Iowa
USA
Post Number: 15
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 04:42 pm: |
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quit bickering!
personally i would say use metal spikes for the speakers and then iso padding for the sub |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5913
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 06:15 pm: |
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BS - I would have to disagree as a general rule. Spiking the sub will give benefits in the lowest bass region. Isolating the sub on a "squishy" material will give less quality to the bass. That's is why I asked the poster which effect they desired.
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New member Username: Eddietfman
Hong Kong
Post Number: 10
Registered: Sep-05
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 08:26 pm: |
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I have noted that most flagship floor standers, or those higher-end ones or more expensive ones, comes with spikes rather than molded feet; whilst the entry level ones usually molded feet. So I am wondering if spikes can provide better sound performance than molded feet overall. Or do spikes work best at higher-end (better quality) speakers only whilst indifferent than molded feet on the entry level speakers? Any comments/experiences to share from you folks? |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5915
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 11:08 pm: |
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If you are not trying to isolate the sound from another room, I would try the spikes. They will not change the sound from what you already have. The speaker will have the same basic tonal balance. But, by stabilizing the speaker cabinet in space, you will bring everything into focus and tighten up all aspects of the speaker's performance. The spikes must be set so the speaker literally feels bolted to the floor when you push on it from the front or sides. Any rocking motion after the spikes are in place will defeat your purpose. Spikes are beneficial after speaker placement has been tweaked. If you have not done a placement survey, I would do that before adding the spikes.
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5918
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, September 30, 2005 - 11:16 pm: |
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http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/164916.html |
Silver Member Username: Kano
Post Number: 691
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 01:38 am: |
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I'm currently using plastic hockey pucks under the 4 corners of my sub. Imaging and extension is not too much of a concern presently since my sub is not a strong performer.
My aim is to not annoy the person living in the basement suite underneath me. He doesn't mind any amount of volume, but doesn't like the "walls vibrating."
What's the best way for my sub? |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 5923
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 10:16 am: |
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You can begin by replacing the hard rubber pucks with a couple of tennis balls or handball balls cut in half. Use enough to support the weight of the sub. The compliance will help the isolation but not the sound. If that is not sufficient, I would use a sand or air bladder isolation box. Replace the sand with an innertube from a small tire or use it in conjunction with the sand around the innertube. Place the box on some isolation feet.
http://www.cognitivevent.com/sandbox.html
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Silver Member Username: Twebbz
Ann Arbor,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 248
Registered: Apr-04
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| Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 05:38 pm: |
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For floorstanders...spikes for carpet or rubber feet for tile or wooden floors. My speakers came with both. |
