Speaker Stand Spikes - Top & Bottom (1 Viewer)

[Guyza]

What are the pros/cons of using spikes on speaker stands?

Some stands have no spikes top or bottom (mostly cheaply priced ones). Some stands I see have spikes on the bottom plate and rubber pads on the top plate. Some stands have spikes on the top and bottom plate.

What's the school of thought on spikes and stands?

Wouldn't top plate spikes dig into the speaker's finish and mar it up? It seem like top plate spikes may make the speakers more precarious and easier to move/fall off the stand.

I see some people use a tacky putty to hold the speaker to the top plate. This would seem to make them more secure.

I know there's some de-coupling issues here, but not sure what the audiophile consensus is.

Thanks,
Guy

 

[Mike Huber]

i think it helps to reduce vibration and any movement that the speaker might create from playing your speakers loudly. There only really suppose to be used it you have carpet or a floor that would not get damaged. I got a choice to use spikes on my stands but dont.

 

[Massimo N]

The speaker stand spikes help to de-couple any cabinet resonance with the stand and the floor. Without stands your floor and stands will resonate, introducing additional unwanted noise.

 

[Guyza]

Well, that explains the carpet spikes.

How about the top-plate spikes?

 

[Massimo N]

The stand spikes (on top) are to de-couple the speaker from the stand. Same principle as stand to floor ... the spikes are intended to reduced (eliminate) any resonance from the speaker cabinit to the stand.

The spikes at the bottom are not just for carpet. Same principle applies regardless of floor covering. It could be argued that a non-carpeted floor would benefit more, as there isn't and dampening material on-top of the floor, making it transmit more sound. If you are concered with your floor finish, you can place a coin beneith the spikes.

I hope I've explained it well enough. Maybe someone else can explain it better. It all about reducing secondary noise.

 

[Guyza]

So, in theory, a speaker suspended in mid-air might sound the best?

I'm thinking of hanging my speakers by cables and maybe I'll hear things I've never heard before!

Thanks for the input,
Guy

 

[Richard Greene]

Metal spikes don't "decouple" anything or absorb any energy.
People read marketing hype and believe it whether it's based on real science or wishful thinking.

Any energy coming out of the speaker enclosure will travel through the spikes into whatever surface they are touching.
This is basic high school physics.
No energy is being absorbed by the spikes.

Spikes do allow you to stabilize speaker stands on spongy carpet/carpet pads that would otherwise be unstable and prone to being knocked over.

There are no controlled listening tests proving the audibility of spikes. It's possible large spikes might raise a speaker a few inches higher which could affect the sound ... but so could a two-inch thick book under the speakers.

 

[Tim Morton]

The doal of any speaker designer is to have ZERO "give" in the drivers. So ideally the stands and spkes contribute to this goal. The stand in theory will be better able to keep the drivers themselves immovable if the stand is sitting on spikes on the solid wood floor -VS- sliding around on a carpet. Likewise with the top spikes, although in this regard blu-tak is regarded as doing just as good a job as the top spikes at holding the drivers still.

 

[Chu Gai]

unfortunately, given the friction of the surface, there's not enough momentum for the speakers themselves to slide around. however, i can respect the thought, after having worked on the speaker positioning, of wanting them to remain where you put them.