Does lifting a speaker ~1 ft help or hurt bass

Srinath_seshadri

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I have a concrete floor with carpet and it seems to kill the audible bass. I know its there, because it sends the cups in the kitchen and the vent grates in the ceiling rattling and ringing.
I've run B&W 802's, B&W PCS8/FCM8, Yamaha NS1000 and many more with varying combinations of high power, high current setups and they all seem to have this same shortcoming, which is my room, not the equipment.

Besides, I've had cups clink against each other when bass hits, but I cant hear it.

I am thinking I'll make a speaker stand that will suspend my B&W 802's using straps. I'll have the option of being able to adjust it 4" to maybe 8-9". All using straps - not a hard mount.

Would it make it worse ? Or better ? Anyone know ?

Thanks.
Srinath.
 
I have a concrete floor with carpet and it seems to kill the audible bass. I know its there, because it sends the cups in the kitchen and the vent grates in the ceiling rattling and ringing.
I've run B&W 802's, B&W PCS8/FCM8, Yamaha NS1000 and many more with varying combinations of high power, high current setups and they all seem to have this same shortcoming, which is my room, not the equipment.

Besides, I've had cups clink against each other when bass hits, but I cant hear it.

I am thinking I'll make a speaker stand that will suspend my B&W 802's using straps. I'll have the option of being able to adjust it 4" to maybe 8-9". All using straps - not a hard mount.

Would it make it worse ? Or better ? Anyone know ?

Thanks.
Srinath.

https://mehlau.net/audio/floorbounce/ should help you figure out effect of height

amroc - the room mode calculator I guess will be more useful. I guess you are sitting in a null. or something.

I have to say a) not an expert b) it is not possible for your carpet to soak up all the bass c) your speaker being on the floor is not rattling your glasses and tiles

I have to also say that arrangement you have in mind is suitable only for
50s jazz. I take it that sound stage and imaging does not concern you much

ciao
gr
 
I get very poor sound stage in that room anyway.
The speakers that stage well in my other room, fail miserably in my HT room.
The 802 I sat on the floor earlier, and I had em 14" off the ground on top of the PCS8 (it was being used as a speaker stand) and it actually sounded better a foot off the ground.
I plan on lifting it and tilting it, and adjusting the 2 to work best. Thanks for the links.

Cool.
Srinath.
 
I get very poor sound stage in that room anyway

There are your clues.

Maybe your solution lies in rethinking your speaker positioning (in umm a more conventional way) and adding some treatment.

Try a equilateral triangle, toe in and play the LEDR tracks to see if you get them to arch etc for a start. It costs $0.00

Use a mirror to get the first reflection points identified and something there.

Try test tones/ mode calculators and figure out if you are indeed sitting in a deep null or something like.

This should definitely get you to a better place, sonically.

I have my speakers about 8" of the ground, because the tweeters are below ear level at MLP. I cannot say the bass is any different because of that elevation.

Generally you want it to be level, you also want speakers to be the same distance from MLP, mm not eyeball.

ciao
gr
 
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The best setup for speakers of your size is to be on speaker spikes.

Actually, this is true of any speaker, its just a matter of how you get the speakers onto the spikes. (For bookshelf speakers it would be a stand, put spikes at the bottom of the stand and spikes between the speaker and the stand).

Your speakers should have holes in the bottom to attach feet. If not there are stands available or can be constructed for speakers of your size. I had 801s for a while a long time ago and recall that I had them on screw in spikes.

The spike points need to go through carpeting to a solid floor surface that the spike points dont dig into. Concrete is perfect. The idea is that a stand or speaker on spike points on solid surface (that the spikes dont dig into) achieve minimum vibration for the speaker sitting on the spikes or stand. On wood, for example, the spikes would dig into the wood not only damaging the floor but also allowing vibration movement as the speakers are playing since the vibration would be like a jackhammer (a little jackhammer) driving all 4 spike points into and out of the wood. The vibration of the speaker causes Doppler distortions because the speaker position is changing as its playing due to vibration.

The intent of spikes is to help reduce speaker vibration as the speaker is playing. Itll never be perfect until we have perfectly non vibrating material to mount speakers to!

On an entry level high-end setup (and better) this distortion due to speaker vibration is very audible (if you are listening carefully) and steps taken to put rigidity into the speakers and stands results in cleaner sound. With your B&W 802s you are well beyond entry level for speakers. Putting them on spikes will result in clearer, tighter, more distinct bass, clearer mids and highs. Instruments, vocies will have better body, etc...

On surround systems having firm mounting (not just hanging on a hook or sitting on a shelf) for the speakers helps achieve more immersive sound fields when watching moves.
 
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Lifted 14" and toe'ed in to face the listener = best for the 802 in my room. Lifting it that far got rid of the furniture smear of the mids and the corner bass reflection got more omnidirectional. The left speaker was even more suseptible to loss of bass from the staircase, but the corner form the right added ...
Cool.
Srinath.
 
Lifted 14" and toe'ed in to face the listener = best for the 802 in my room. Lifting it that far got rid of the furniture smear of the mids and the corner bass reflection got more omnidirectional

:thumbsup:

spikes, stand or swing method ?

a distinct phantom centre now too hopefully ?

ciao
gr
 
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