Speaker spikes, pads etc. couple or de-couple your speakers

[Berwhale]

Listen for bass attack (drums), it could be that this may have suffered, due to the increased enclosure movement caused by the bass drivers membranes´ mass and the softer seating...

I am sceptical that I would be able to detect any audible difference between the spikes and the feet. What I can tell the difference between is the position of the rear ported Jura's from the wall behind. So being able to adjust their position easily has much greater benefit for me right now. The speakers are also more stable, which is very useful in a house with two kids and a dog and a cat running around it (I don't think my wife would go for the ratchet straps suggested earlier in the thread!).

 

[eliash]

The mentioned "environmental" parameters are of course of highest importance (that´s why I originally had to buy speakers with matching veneer to the wooden floor in the living room...or none)...bass attack though is probably not so much dependent on the speaker/wall distance. In case of not being satisfied, you can revisit the speaker seating afterwards, when you have determined speaker positions for optimal bass/room frequency response...

 

[GrimSurfer]

Real sheep would probably work quite well - might need a dog to keep them in the optimal position...

Might work for the first few hours but I predict that, in the long run, they would be kind of shitey.

 

[Martin]

My speakers sit on 4 sorbothane hemispheres after I heard my floating wood floor resonating when they were sitting directly on the floor. I don’t know if the feet improved the sound of the speakers but they sure stopped the floor from audibly buzzing at certain frequencies.

Martin

 

[eliash]

Might work for the first few hours but I predict that, in the long run, they would be kind of shitey.

...The idea with the "corner" kids for damping seems problematic too, sooner or later they will discover the magic push-button in the middle of the tweeter...that will become expensive...

 

[digicidal]

...The idea with the "corner" kids for damping seems problematic too, sooner or later they will discover the magic push-button in the middle of the tweeter...that will become expensive...

That's why you make them face the corner... problem solved!

 

[Deleted member 9286]

So I’ve just read this whole thread, very interesting stuff.

But I’m still unable to answer my question.....should I bolt my bookshelf speakers to their stands or put them on little rubber/plastic feet and place on the stands?

I can’t measure at the moment so was just looking for some guidance. Seems like it’s not that straight forward though.

 

[digicidal]

You can bolt the speakers to the stands and put rubber feet on the stands... or (as most do) mass load the stands as much as possible and use blu-tack or a no-slip dampening sheet between the two. Unless you have significant resonances somewhere however, the audible differences are likely to be nominal. IME at least.

 

[Hipper]

With lockdown it would be interesting to hear if anyone has had improved listening experiences as a result of reduced seismic activity:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52509917

Has anyone who does not have anti-vibration devices noticed any difference?

 

[A800]

 

[Berwhale]

With lockdown it would be interesting to hear if anyone has had improved listening experiences as a result of reduced seismic activity:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52509917

Has anyone who does not have anti-vibration devices noticed any difference?

"Human activity - cars, lorries, trains, industry, and footfall, etc - turn up in seismometers in a band of frequencies from 5 to 15 Hertz."

My understanding is that sounds in this range have to be extremely loud for a humans to hear them or you need to be an elephant.

 

[Hipper]

"Human activity - cars, lorries, trains, industry, and footfall, etc - turn up in seismometers in a band of frequencies from 5 to 15 Hertz."

My understanding is that sounds in this range have to be extremely loud for a humans to hear them or you need to be an elephant.

The theory is that these low frequencies affect equipment which in turn affects the sound.

 

[Julf]

The theory is that these low frequencies affect equipment which in turn affects the sound.

The problems with these "theories" (speculation would be a better word) is that they never progress to the next step - verification. It is not like the effect would be hard to measure...

 

[Hipper]

I don't disagree with you. This thread has already had these debates, either dismissing the whole idea that seismic waves can affect performance of our hi-fi gear (perhaps excepting turntables) or pointing out that the onus is on those that propagate (!!!!) these ideas to prove their effect.

I don't know the answers but all I asked in my post 249 was a simple question.

 

[o2so]

I am a big fan of IsoAcoustics products. On my main speakers I use the Gaia II to decouple them from the floor, and on my secondary system I use Aperta 200 under the bookshelf speakers on a desk. Highly recommended.
http://www.isoacoustics.com/products/gaia-series/

What is interesting is that the manufacturer was able to measure their effect in lab, very cool.
http://www.isoacoustics.com/isoacoustics-speaker-isolation-technology/

Notice below how the direct frequency response is unchanged with spikes x Gaia (top graph), but the supporting surface vibrations are reduced a lot (bottom graphs). So you hear more of the speakers' output, and less of its unintended vibrations.

View attachment 31782

I was going through this thread and found this very interesting. My question is why there is no difference in the frequency response if the GAIA eliminate part of the speaker resonances?