So I am awaiting my new Revel Performa3 208's and I'm tired of the normal spikes that come with speakers. No matter what I do I can never seem to get them all level. My carpet is medium to a bit on the thicker side. Any help on carpet spikes or any other ideas on how to isolate the speaks but also so they'll finally be balanced? Granted it's not like any of my towers have ever been in danger of tipping over, but I've never been able to get them all level.
My dealer said at 80lbs the Revel's should be fine on carpet without spikes but I want to get this right from the get go? Any help/advice is greatly appreciated-thank you!
@johnread57 - Those PMC MB2SE look sweet. The pictures on the manufacturer’s site show them with spikes. I used spikes under my heavy speakers for years (through carpet onto a concrete floor). One issue I had was that it seemed that all four spikes would never be exactly in contact with the floor evenly, there would always be some small rocking, regardless of whether they started out even.
For decoupling, you could try four Herbies Giant Fat Gliders under each speaker, which is what I use currently. For a less expensive decoupling solution, try four silicone half hemispheres. You cluld also try springs such as from Townshend or a less expensive variety.
@theaudiotweak Your posted video was excellent. ASR (AudioScienceReview) lambasted this guy and his video as unscientific and snake oil. This is exactly why I started a forum concerning ASR and their inadequacies as well as venomous hatred for non-measurable audio products.
My floorstanders weigh 210 lbs each. They are sitting on 90 oz plush pile over a 12" 3000 psi concrete slab steel reinforced. I am using spikes designed for the speakers. It may not be correct but in earthquake country, it appears stable which is my first concern. I would replace them with Townshend platforms if I wanted to.
There is no “best” - that can only be judged by the ear of the beholder - you.
in general, there are two camps, coupled (i.e., using spikes) or decoupled (i.e., usually on an elastic support such as a spring or elastomer, but sometimes on a hard support such as DH Cones or a ball bearing solution.
Back in the day, after footers became a thing, conventional wisdom was to couple with spikes with the possible exception of speakers on a suspended floor over wood joists, where a growing minority started to believe decoupling sounded better. Currently, people seem to be split as to which option they like best.
Within each camp, the options range from very basic or DIY-type solutions to very expensive items that are often marketed as “the one best solution.”
Spike options range from the simple hardened steel, threaded Ramset spikes used by Sound Anchor to large brass footers from the likes of edenSound or Mapleshade. Townshend has the most popular spring solution, although simple springs can work too. Herbie’s products may be the most popular elastomers, but there are a variety of silicone or sorbothane based elastomeric footer products available. You will get many specific recommendations from the folks on this site.
Actually a good cabinet shouldn't be conducting sound in the first place, but anyway....Spikes are as effecient at sound conduction as other feet. They are simply a contact allowing vibrations to pass. Sonic conduction does not care that they look like a one-way arrow, it just cares if there is a connection - or not. If you want no connection, then get no connection. Place them on an air isolator. Try out some tennis balls for starters. See if you can tell the difference.
For those with speakers which incorporate outrigger bases---and for those who added after-market outriggers to their speakers, individual Townshend Audio Seismic Pods may be substituted for the spikes routinely supplied with outrigger bases. Good outriggers fitted with Pods are just as effective---and cheaper---than the Podiums (as well as the Seismic Bars).
Good thing you didn’t go with the Gaias because they are a nightmare with carpet, especially thick carpet.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that when leveling spiked speakers, you often have to adjust the spikes by only small fractions of a revolution (like 1/6th) in order to get all spikes firmly contacting the substrate. So you feel the speaker rocking at the top panel and think maybe one whole counter-clockwise turn of the short spike will do the trick when in reality it only takes 1/2 turn or less.
Wooden subfloors make this even trickier because you have to account for the spikes penetrating the wood and over time they settle. In those situations you want spikes with a wide cone angle similar to the Dayton Audio ISO-4C.
I had a pair of Revel F32 speakers using the spike feet combo that comes with the speakers. I bought 3rd party outriggers to replace the spike feet. Positive major difference for speaker stability. Bass clarity and detail improved as well though it was a minor improvement compared to speaker stability.
Get longer spikes. There are several aftermarket spikes that should do the trick. I tried a number of isolation devices and found that spikes were really the way to go for my rig. They brought everything into sharp focus. Check out SoundCity. They have some great outriggers and long 2" spikes.
I had same issue and bought two pieces of granite that I placed on the carpet. The weight of the granite snd speakers self leveled. Then I use nob springs to put speakers on. You can use what ever you want as isolation between granite and speakers.
+ whatever times for Gaia footers plus carpet spike discs. I used these to great affect with ATC 50 ASLT. Adding the carpet spike discs garnered as much improvement as the actual footers, so the combination was terrific.
Now use Townshend podiums at much greater cost. 👍🏼
Appreciate ALL your thoughtful and supportive replies! Thank you!
So I ended up ordering 8 of the Herbie's Threaded Stud Gliders. Much as I would have gone for some of your other suggestions, cost was a very big factor and the Gliders seemed to fit the bill both literally and figuratively😁, I was also strongly considering the concrete slabs, but just was very conscientious of the height factor. I actually reached out to Herbies' customer service to inquire if these were fine on carpet rather than spikes. The gentleman was EXTREMELY helpful and literally described them almost verbatim of what I was looking for! In fact one of the "drawbacks" was that they "don't add much height at all so if you're looking to gain some height these won't give you that". I was like, just the opposite, these are already big speaks I don't want any more height😂! He also said it makes them much easier to maneuver on carpet. So I went and pulled the trigger right then and there.,,
Again, thank you so very much for all the great responses! Should have my Revel's delivered sometime next week😛!
No matter what I do I can never seem to get them all level.
I don’t know why that would be. Use a level then it just takes some time and patience. Without a doubt I’ll be incorporating some version of Townshend Seismic products under my speakers and components. Rarely do I see such universal and substantial praise for what they do and especially for what is considered to be just a “tweak.”
HI all, I've tried a variety of things and prefer the Symposium Svelte Plus shelves with spikes for small budgets and slighter speakers. If you can afford the bigger platforms like the Ultras/Supers you'll hear the improvement. Other listeners have said they felt these were component level upgrades without downsides.
@kingbr- Whatever you try, it would be good if it’s returnable after, say, a two-week trial. It’s been my experience that things that seem a big improvement aren’t always so after one has listened for a while. It can be helpful to remove the added item after a while & see if the sound becomes worse.
The phenomenon of heightened attention when trying something new is a near universal one and perfectly natural. It can lead to questionable purchases. And don’t forget, every difference is not necessarily an improvement (or degradation). Even good speakers vary enough from one another that there are many differences whose ranking will always be a matter of taste.
Perhaps footers are in the same category as power conditioners: some report big differences, others report small ones or that they make things worse. It’s all very system-specific.
Whatever you wind up with, I hope you enjoy it and your new speakers. Another suggestion would be to listen for a few months before starting to experiment with footers. That way, you will have a better sense of the speakers’ intrinsic sound and the best alignment of them in your room. The Revels have a great reputation and should bring a lot of musical pleasure.
First off thank you all so very much for all the great replies! Sounds like the Townshend Podiums would be the way to go. Unfortunately I can't afford the cost otherwise I'd do it :(. In addition to the 208's I also bought the 208C and a pair of M105's.
The Gaia's look great, however I don't love the height they add to what are already large speakers-they look a bit obtrusive. And though my wife is always supportive aesthetics are important to her (me as well actually).
The Symposium Super platforms are iintriguing...as is the idea of a concrete slab...Lost of great choices here. Once again thank you All so much for taking the time to respond and help!😀
You could use 3 spikes instead of 4. Use 2 stock ones on the speaker and buy one aftermarket cone of the same size and use a spot of Blu Tak to hold it on the center of the opposite side. That will keep everything level, assuming your floor is level.
I had really bad coupling to the floor, producing boomy bass. It was unlistenable. Did careful comparison of isoacoustic Gaia and the Herbie’s gliders. The isoacoustic was a tad more effective but both were fine. On hardwood the Gaia was good because it has a suction cup that sticks to the floor. Worked on carpet too. The Herbie’s was way more convenient because it has Teflon or something like it on the bottom. Even for heavy speakers you can just slide the speakers around to find the best position, or move them out of the way for parties or whatever. Went with the Herbie’s and find the ability to move the speakers very useful.
I concur with a number of folks on here but my formula is a little different. I use IsoAcoustics Gaia footers under my speakers but instead of the carpet spikes, which are a pain to move the speakers around to tweak positioning, or a butcher block which I find raises the speaker height too much after combining with IsoAcoustics, I put the speakers with IsoAcoustics footers on 16x20x3/4” marble pastry boards from Sur La Table (I believe Amazon and World Market may have cheaper but perhaps lower quality alternatives). This adds additional mass while keeping it low profile, and offers additional decoupling with the use of the footers.
you got that wrong, the podiums isolate vibration down to three Hertz so the speaker is not vibrating at all that would defeat the purpose it stops the vibration from going into the floor and then coming back up into the speakers and shaking it and it also stops the constant Earth vibration that shakes your speakers all the time. one of the most significant upgrades I've ever made.
if you want the best speaker isolation that stops vibration down to three Hertz and also eliminates the Earth vibration which is constantly shaking your speakers get the Townshend podiums they're not cheap but they are way better than they ISO acoustic Gaia or any of those type of footers and also the podiums stop any room problems as well too, when I put them underneath my speakers and I've got the monitor audio platinum 200 ll it's like I upgraded to much more expensive electronics the soundstage got wider deeper the decay was much more clear everything was better, so if you want the best the Townshend podiums are it they sell direct so if you just Google Townshend podiums you'll find them, John Hannant is a great guy and he'll take good care of you and they even give you a money back guarantee if you don't like them you can send them back I'll never get rid of these from underneath my speakers and he told me that no one has ever sent a pair back that's how significant the difference is.
I don’t have carpet. But I used to have my Magico A3s on Isoacoustics Gaia I footers. Then I tried the Townshend Seismic Podiums and that was it. The Magicos are staying on the Podiums and the Gaia Is got repurposed onto a pair of standmount speaker stands. Get the Townshend Podiums.
I have vandersteen quatros which are a big heavy speaker. I had leveling issues and bass control issues. Started out with the gaia with speaker discs. Midrange was magical but bass still to heavy and still hard to level. I called Richard vandersteen and he told me to get some granite surface plates. They're 3 inches thick and 18x24 or so. They weight an absolute ton but when I put them down they flattened the carpet and made it easy to level the speakers. The speakers are still on the Gaia but are now much more functionally isolated from the floor. Sound is amazing. Looks pretty cool too
I’m really happy with the Isoacoustics Gaia’s. I believe your speakers would use the Gaia 3’s and their carpet spikes, or you can do what I did and put everything on some granite slabs.
Well if you feel ambitious but a plank of very dense hardwood. You can find two inch thick purple heart quite easily. Drill and tap three holes in it one in the front and two in the back. Put inserts into the holes and build some ready rod spikes with nuts on the to so you can level the speakers from the top. Measure in the stands you have built and level them your spikes that come with the speakers or I use disc's that cam with my speaker stand place them two at the front on at the rear measure the speakers on the stands. Then check out the level on the speakers and from side to side the angle on each the toe in compared to each other etc. You have a system that cam be adjusted easily that will anchor the speakers to the floor everything will be wonderful.
+1 for the IsoAcoustics Gaia footers with Gaia carpet discs. Have used them on a couple different speakers with excellent results. The carpet discs have spikes that secure to the floor. The isolator feet sit on the discs and provide vibration control.
Townshend podiums. I would say they were the purchase the surprised me the most with how much improvement I got.
edit: btw, podiums are the opposite of spikes. spikes anchor the speakers to the floor to deaden the vibrations of the cabinet. Podiums isolate the speaker from the floor and let it vibrate at the excitation frequency.
I tend to agree with your dealer. Or you could use Herbie’s glides. I use them for speakers on carpet over uneven floor, and find them sounding as good as spikes and much easier to deal with.
P.S. I previously had Revel Ultima Studios and used the spike covers on them. I tried the spikes for a while, but I heard no difference and found the spikes a nuisance.
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