John's system

Can't help thinking my systems gone as far as it's gonna go although there a few issues to tidy up

TT Shelf (gathering dust in the spare room)
Dedeicated spur ( happening soon)
speakers getting a better interface withe the floor

It's the last one I need a little help with

I can't do the paving slab thing as i worry about my daughters head so I was thinking about getting long spikes that really bond with the uneven wooden floorboarded floor. any thoughts?

 

Here's what I used to do when I had carpeted floor with wood underneath.

Carefully mark out where the speaker spikes go through the carpet. Drive cross-headed screwnails through the carpet into the wood beneath. sit the speaker spikes in the cross of the screwheads.

Gives you a really solid interace to the floor, and a big improvement in sound quality.

It doesn't really damage the carpet much either, if you move things around the holes in the carpet take 4-5 weeks to close up leaving no trace behind, that was my experience anyway.

 

You can get granite cut to whatever size you want. I know most people go for the ridiculously oversized slabs, but a tidier, more aesthetic and safer solution for your daughter is to get a slab cut to the exact size of the base of your speaker. Any bigger and it is just a more expensive dust collector which adds no more benefits in terms of sound. You can get them cut for £40 or less per slab, depending on where you can get it done.

NO SPIKES. I hate spikes. There still seems to be the belief that they actually isolate speakers or remove vibration when in fact all they do is create a large resonance at certain frequencies. Ditch the spikes and simply sit your speakers flat on some kind of slab/stand. I've listened extensively to the differences and spikes do nothing positive for music reproduction.

 

I'm glad you said that. I'm in the process of having slabs made, and I was not sure about spikes. But I would not be surprised if this was the start of an interesting, heated debate

 

without adding to the debate that hasent started yet , spikes dont work unless they are sitting on wood , mdf etc.
i had an amp on spikes and it sounded like breaking glass , i put the spiked amp on some mdf and it sounded really warm.
i spose i should have tried the amp , unspiked on the mdf just to be sure but i recon the mdf was absorbing vibrations chaneled down through the spikes.

 

I think the fact that spikes were first introduced by Linn (or so I have read) speaks for itself. Don't take my word for it though, do the A/B for yourself and listen to the results.

 

i personally stay away from spikes.
all they do is bond whatever their supporting to whatever their sitting on.
they do nothing for vibration control as mr c says.
take away the spikes and use some blu tak and youve got the same thing.

 

Here in Paris no dealer in his right mind will let you have spikes or any other tweak for that matter to try at home and bring back if you are not convinced. That too speaks for itself IMO

 

THE purpose of spikes on speaker as far as I'm concerned is to pass through carpet giving the speakers a stable base by being in direct contact with the solid floor.

 

Music to my ears. Where my speakers are located, they are standing directly on the wooden floor. Thanks