Spikes with ceramic tiles?

[shriram]

Hi,

I am presently using my 9.5 Wharfs without the spikes they were originally shipped with. However i have come across posts in various forums recommending them to reduce vibrations and improved sound quality, especially with carpetted floor..

Would it really make a difference to use them with regular tiled floors? Am a bit wary of using them lest they scratch the tiles (am staying at a rented place after all )

Regards
Shriram
_________________________
Marantz PM7001 | Marantz CD5001 | Monitor Audio BR2 | Onkyo TX-SR501 | JBL SCS135SI | Wharfedale Diamond 9.5 | LG 32in LCD TV | Sony DVD Player

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I have wondered this too.

In their old home, the spikes on the speakers make contact not only with, but into, the wooden floor, and would have done even with carpet under them. Here, I could not face attaching them and placing them on the tiles.

 

[dinyaar]

Hi,

I am presently using my 9.5 Wharfs without the spikes they were originally shipped with. However i have come across posts in various forums recommending them to reduce vibrations and improved sound quality, especially with carpetted floor..

Would it really make a difference to use them with regular tiled floors? Am a bit wary of using them lest they scratch the tiles (am staying at a rented place after all )

Regards
Shriram
_________________________
Marantz PM7001 | Marantz CD5001 | Monitor Audio BR2 | Onkyo TX-SR501 | JBL SCS135SI | Wharfedale Diamond 9.5 | LG 32in LCD TV | Sony DVD Player

Yes I would use the spikes.

Regarding protecting the tiles one can always use metal discs or even coins under the spikes. Some Cos even supply these alongwith the speaker.

 

[vinod_david]

Would it really make a difference to use them with regular tiled floors?

Do not use spikes in FS if your floor is tiled and not carpeted. I tried this actually; fitted the spikes supplied to my FS on hard-tiled flooring, and the result was unpleasant and too much bass that destabilized the overall SQ.

Y'see basically the spikes are only for carpeted floors to keep the speakers stable and again the carpets will absorb the bass, which in a way won't affect the overall SQ.

 

[KonfuSed]

Oops, I'm using the spikes in my Ceramic floor. How about getting two door mates and placing the speakers with spikes on top of that? That should avoid the damage, right?

 

[vinod_david]

Oops, I'm using the spikes in my Ceramic floor. How about getting two door mates and placing the speakers with spikes on top of that? That should avoid the damage, right?

If rubber feet is supplied along with speakers, use them, the bass will be more nice, on tiled flooring. If not, small thick rugs under each speakers will do the job.

 

[gobble]

Easy to get two small rubber mats cheap and place them under the spikes


Sent from my iPod touch

 

[sud98]

I had seen small rubber caps in the cinebels showroom which were put below the metal spikes to prevent the wooden floor from damage. I thought that it was a good idea. As it should solve stability as well as damage related issues.

 

[shriram]

Do not use spikes in FS if your floor is tiled and not carpeted. I tried this actually; fitted the spikes supplied to my FS on hard-tiled flooring, and the result was unpleasant and too much bass that destabilized the overall SQ.

Y'see basically the spikes are only for carpeted floors to keep the speakers stable and again the carpets will absorb the bass, which in a way won't affect the overall SQ.

Thanks for the input, Vinod.. I will keep off them spikes for now.

I had seen small rubber caps in the cinebels showroom which were put below the metal spikes to prevent the wooden floor from damage. I thought that it was a good idea. As it should solve stability as well as damage related issues.

Rubber feet sound like an interesting option, will check them out sometime this week. Wonder if they are only bundled with speakers or available separately on retail?

@Konfused
@Gobble

Not sure if door mats will help as they wont as effective as carpetted floors which are way thicker and denser. I do understand the feeling though, to not let the the spikes go waste

Cheers,
Shriram
_________________________
Marantz PM7001 | Marantz CD5001 | Monitor Audio BR2 | Onkyo TX-SR501 | JBL SCS135SI | Wharfedale Diamond 9.5 | LG 32in LCD TV | Sony DVD Player

 

[KonfuSed]

Not sure if door mats will help as they wont as effective as carpetted floors which are way thicker and denser. I do understand the feeling though, to not let the the spikes go waste

Nope, it's just another solution similar to putting a coin or metal or rubber caps, i.e. just to save the tiles from scratches. Nothing about audio quality or whatever. And with the Spikes it's much easier to balance the speakers on an uneven tiled floor.

 

[harishchk]

Thanks all for the info,

I have put spikes on the 9.5's and kept it in tiled flooring , I should prob consider carpeting the floor. how about the rear walls , should thay have some acoustical material as well to balance the bass ?

 

[dinyaar]

Do not use spikes in FS if your floor is tiled and not carpeted. I tried this actually; fitted the spikes supplied to my FS on hard-tiled flooring, and the result was unpleasant and too much bass that destabilized the overall SQ.

Y'see basically the spikes are only for carpeted floors to keep the speakers stable and again the carpets will absorb the bass, which in a way won't affect the overall SQ.

Actually I am a bit surprised at your findings Vinod!
I would presume a muddy response if a speaker that is intended to be used with spikes is used without them. The principle is to minimize contact and hence reduce vibration created from drivers Excursion.
If one is worried of the floor then best option is to blunt the tips a bit. Does not require too much skill to get that correct. If thats a problem then a coin under a spike.
I have marble flooring BUT I still use the spikes as I have to in a bottom firing port design.
There are some speakers that are known to sound best without any kind of spikes/studs but IMO most speakers benefit with their use.
Rgds

 

[harishchk]

An Intresting article published in Audioholics

Speaker Spikes and Cones Whats the point? — Reviews and News from Audioholics

Might be useful.

 

[gobble]

Actually I am a bit surprised at your findings Vinod!
I would presume a muddy response if a speaker that is intended to be used with spikes is used without them. The principle is to minimize contact and hence reduce vibration created from drivers Excursion.
If one is worried of the floor then best option is to blunt the tips a bit. Does not require too much skill to get that correct. If thats a problem then a coin under a spike.
I have marble flooring BUT I still use the spikes as I have to in a bottom firing port design.
There are some speakers that are known to sound best without any kind of spikes/studs but IMO most speakers benefit with their use.
Rgds

It may be something else in the room or placement or some loose micro-vibrating object or component?
Maybe the bass response improved to the point that room acoustics interacted unfavorably?


Sent from my iPod touch

 

[gobble]

An Intresting article published in Audioholics

Speaker Spikes and Cones Whats the point? Reviews and News from Audioholics

Might be useful.

Yes I beleive the latter section about cones and vibration is what I "discovered" as the utility for spikes. Technically I use cones not spikes to be accurate


Sent from my iPod touch

 

[shriram]

Interesting article, Harish. I think the key word is 'grip', the extent to which the speaker adheres to the surface on which it is mounted to minimize vibrations. If spikes were to be used on a smooth, hard surface it would lack grip and therefore increased vibrations at the detriment to sound quality. If i understand the article correct, rubber appears to be a better option for use on hard surfaces and spikes on carpetted ones as both offer better grip on respective surfaces.

Shriram
_________________________
Marantz PM7001 | Marantz CD5001 | Monitor Audio BR2 | Onkyo TX-SR501 | JBL SCS135SI | Wharfedale Diamond 9.5 | LG 32in LCD TV | Sony DVD Player

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Do you mean minimising vibration (ie movement) between the speaker and the floor? Or minimising transmission of vibration to the floor?

I have never been able to understand how anyone can think that spikes "isolate" speakers: it seems obvious to me (although I admit that "obvious" is not always the same as right!) that they mechanically link the speakers to a wooden floor and that, thus all vibrations will be passed to the floor.

As levelling devices, they can certainly minimise vibration movement of the speaker, but blunt or rounded feet could be just as effective. Don't some speakers come with three feet/spikes to ensure that there is never any "short-table-leg" movement?

 

[shriram]

Do you mean minimising vibration (ie movement) between the speaker and the floor? Or minimising transmission of vibration to the floor?

I meant the former (minimizing movement between speaker and floor). Spikes/cones would not prevent transmission of of vibration to floor as you pointed out, and may in fact be actually desirable in order to 'feel' the low frequency effects.

After going through the various views, I have decided to try out spikes after all (perhaps place some rubber erasers below the spikes for good measure)

Shriram
_________________________
Marantz PM7001 | Marantz CD5001 | Monitor Audio BR2 | Onkyo TX-SR501 | JBL SCS135SI | Wharfedale Diamond 9.5 | LG 32in LCD TV | Sony DVD Player

 

[harishchk]

As Shriram pointed out , what i understood from this article is the grip, Again conclusion in the article is to experiment.

No I have spikes and a tiled floor , now the contact with the floor got to check with other options.

From my understanding the vibrations would affect the sound quality of the speakers and to have the best quality , the reflection should be reduced which is what precisely a carpet will do .No idea with rubber mats . I have to check with different setups to check the difference in sound (if any) .

 

[gobble]

Do you mean minimising vibration (ie movement) between the speaker and the floor? Or minimising transmission of vibration to the floor?

I have never been able to understand how anyone can think that spikes "isolate" speakers: it seems obvious to me (although I admit that "obvious" is not always the same as right!) that they mechanically link the speakers to a wooden floor and that, thus all vibrations will be passed to the floor.

As levelling devices, they can certainly minimise vibration movement of the speaker, but blunt or rounded feet could be just as effective. Don't some speakers come with three feet/spikes to ensure that there is never any "short-table-leg" movement?

Agreed. I have seen spikes that look like weapons and obviously meant for hooking into your precious carpet and damaging it, and I have what are more technically termed as cones - they improve bass definition and clarity of low freqs, and I distinctly heard the ill-effects of uncontrolled vibration when speakers were directly in contact with bottom along the entire surface area.

Cheers