by Audiogeek » Thu Oct 07, 2004 4:31 pm
I find this topic interesting and should be discussed intelligently. So, I share my personal experience about putting a metal spikes or footers under your speakers. On the positve side, i totally agree that this accessory really improves only the clarity of the music or sound. Here's why. All speakers, without exception, floorstanding or bookshelf, usually generate a vibration created by itself as they emit soundwaves. The bigger the speaker, the bigger the vibration. When your speaker vibrates, it causes a jitter or disturbance to what should be the normal soundwaves of the music. Hence, you will usually experience muddy bass or unstable frequencies in the mids and his which somehow dismember the vocal sound.
Speakers are supposed to produce sound that travels in the air and therefore, less contact between the speakers and the floor, the better, and that means the speakers now float in the air (floating effect), and the sound will come so natural.
I have actually two speaker set-up: one is bookshelf with a heavy metal stands and second is a floorstander. Both are equuipped with metal foots. They sound incredibly similar in terms of clarity.
Spikes or foots have nothing to do with positioning to improve the soundstage. Even if you have the correct positioning or toeing and resulting soundstage, if your speakers have poor foundation, it wont give clear musical soundstage. that's why you see modern design speakers are well-reinforced on their bases with heavy metal slabs to maintain stability.
But, here's some interesting point i have noticed. If your floor is concrete, that is a very big advantage whether it is carpeted or not, because it somehow stabilizes and doesn't add to the vibration of the speakers even if your speakers have no spikes. But if you have a floor made of wood, especially if your music room is in the second floor, then you have a problem.
Me ultimo sunos.