PS audio explain how spike at bottom of the speaker works

[Peter Chuang]

Hi folks,

PS audio Paul McGowan release the video explaining how spike at bottom of the speaker works.
Honest speaking, I don't buy it.
My living room has a solid concrete floor and how can a speaker shake the floor and been isolated when the spikes are used.
For me, the speaker shall stick firmly on the solid floor to avoid any vibration or cabinet sounding.
Does anyone use spike for tower speaker and find difference with/without spike?
@amirm , this is an interesting topic!!

 

[Purité Audio]

Is it because they are hard and pointy?
Spikes directly couple, I can’t see the point of them unless you into hardcore pointy S&M.
Keith

 

[kschmit2]

a decent article on spikes and the like can be found here:

entkoppeln [AV-Wiki]

av-wiki.de

Use the google Deepl.com extension for very good translations to English https://support.deepl.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407516019218-Availability-of-browser-extensions

One of the most overlooked effects of spikes or absorbers underneath speakers is actually the raising of the loudspeaker vs. the same speaker without spikes. This also raises the acoustical center of the speaker and it reference axis with all their associated effects - whether they be detrimental or beneficial to the sound in your room.

 

[egellings]

Would raising the speaker barely an inch using spikes really have any noticeable effect at all or are the spikes having an effect in some other way?

 

[Kevbaz]

I assumed spikes were when putting speaker stands on carpet, so to puncture through carpet to the wood underneath for a more solid surface.
Kev

 

[DVDdoug]

A little different but Ethan Winer tested speaker "isolators". ...They didn't do anything and I'd expect the same results with spikes (for the same reasons).

 

[Gorgonzola]

Spikes are to couple the speaker to the floor -- not isolate it from the floor. Spikes are really only useful carpeted floors where the spikes penetrate the carpet to bring contact with floor underneath. On solid floors, the much better idea is to have legs with small, flat bottom surfaces that can be adjusted so all feet are solidly on the floor despite irregularities.

 

[theyellowspecial]

That's how I understand spikes; to couple the speakers/sub to the ground through carpet. However, from what I also understand is that should only be done on floors with a solid base. If you have a suspended wooden floor, carpet or otherwise, you should isolate the speakers/sub to avoid exciting the floor into a resonator. I isolate my subwoofer from my suspended wooden floor and it makes a huge difference.

 

[Doodski]

I assumed spikes were when putting speaker stands on carpet, so to puncture through carpet to the wood underneath for a more solid surface.
Kev

In the 1980's there was a urban rumor circulating in the audio field that stated when providing a very firm rigid manner of mounting the speaker that the bass improved and the imaging was better. So peeps where putting rigid braces behind the speakers to the wall to make it very firm and then testing for sound improvements.

 

[dlaloum]

It is interesting that with the Gallo Reference 3 speakers (3/3.1/3.2/3.5) - the designer (Anthony Gallo), started off with spikes, but in his final interation, switched from coupling (spikes) to uncoupling... he placed a layer of damping neoprene-ish/gel-ish/sorbothane-ish material under his speakers....

I am not convinced that either option is a panacea for all ills - I think the optimal solution is likely to be heavily dependent on the room, and its construction...

Right now, my speakers are on carpet with spikes, coupling to a solid concrete slab underneath.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Looks like the video has been removed.

I hope this is not related to an unfortunate foot injury that reported to Boulder Community Hospital earlier…

 

[Chrispy]

Consider the source....

 

[Kijanki]

As I understand the principle behind it the infinitely small point of contact cannot transmit energy. In practice it does making speaker even more coupled to the floor - perfect for the slab and not so much for the basement underneath.

 

[DonR]

LOL

Video unavailable
This video has been removed by the uploader

 

[DonR]

I watched the video yesterday and the comments, even from long-time Paul supporters, were largely negative.

 

[Peter Chuang]

Oh, it seems Paul McGowan removed the video from YouTube. Maybe he changed his mind.

 

[JSmith]

Also gone from their own site;

https://www.psaudio.com/askpaulvideo/how-spikes-and-speakers-work-together/

Still shows up in Google, unfortunately this thread too;

JSmith

 

[BlackTalon]

Consider the source....

What an amazingly awesome motto for PS Audio to start using!

 

[Somafunk]

I never watched the video but why do you think it was removed?, for further editing purposes or was the information merely wrong/misguided?.

 

[DonR]

I never watched the video but why do you think it was removed?, for further editing purposes or was the information merely wrong/misguided?.

Never stopped them in the past.