I like to move my speakers around a bit for to test how they sound, so I slide them. I have the Proac D48Rs, they are kind of heavy so with the spikes in it makes it tough to move them. I haven't consciously tested or compared the sound with spikes or without them. Does it make a difference?
@kosst_amojan - You may be onto something! I did not spike the maggies when I tried them in my room..... ;~)
@randy-11 - Randy, my room is not symmetrical. There is a greater mount of boxed-in area behind the left speaker than there is on the right. It caused a volume dropout on the left side that I was unable to solve via speaker placement. I've struggled with this issue a bit over the years with different speakers, but the dipole configuration seemed to be much more noticeable that with my sealed box speakers.
@kclone - Regarding spikes: In past iterations of my system, I've spiked the speakers. I think it makes a small difference, especially in bass accuracy (in my system, from past memory). However, they can be a PITA. As has been suggested, first get your speaker placement dialed-in to the point you don't feel the need to move them again. Once you have the position established and marked, consider adding spikes.
I've kinda gotten over the need to tweek my system and I just listen to music now. My current "large bookshelf" speakers - Infinity RS1.5 are currently sitting on milk crates. Yes, I think they should be on proper stands, with carpet spikes, but I'm not compelled to put in the effort to buy/build proper stands at the moment.
Yeah, sometimes spiking the listener(s) vs. the speakers is the easier answer....;) Does have to be done with a certain amount of trepidation, though. Too much can create other 'sonic issues'....*G*
@randy-11 - or... buy electrostatics or Maggies - problem solved (and a lot of other problems are solved too)
Or other problems are created. It's literally a double edged sword....... I wanted to like Maggies, but their dipole configuration does not work in my room. And it's not because their is not enough room behind them....
I have lowther fideleo speakers on a slate floor & have found that spikes on top of ball bearing footers work well. I don't move them once in the sweet spot though. That would truly be a pita. The combination creates a nice soundstage.
It’s the Out of Phase track. Move the speakers a little at a time. Start with speakers about 4 feet apart and slowly move them apart. Would you believe most speakers are set too far apart? I suppose we must think soundstage will be improved by moving them farther apart. "When it sounds like my voice is coming at you from all around the room" (when the sound is most diffuse) ...the speakers will be in the absolute best locations for when the system is in phase. It probably goes without saying that room anomalies should have been dealt with prior to using the speaker set up track, in order to be able to get the Full Effect of the voice coming at you from all around the room with no specific directionality. As the room acoustics improves so will the clarity and drama of that track.
Mr. Clone OP, to circumvent the whole problem of continually moving the speakers around to try and get the best sound why not just cut to the chase? Use the speaker set-up track on the XLO Test CD to find the absolute best locations for both speakers. You’ll never have to move them again. Using this method on the XLO CD is much, much better than trial and error, which is really like trying to solve 4 simultaneous equations in 5 unknowns.
Are the speakers on carpet or flooring? One option is to decouple the speaker from the floor by placing the spikes into isolation bases. See Herbie's... http://herbiesaudiolab.net/base.htm
Years ago, I brought home 3" thick granite surface plates. I placed my speakers directly on them without spikes. Floor was concrete slab. Sounded great so I would not say that spikes are always needed.
mine sound noticeably better when I push the spikes through the carpet to make contact with my basement's concrete floor. i do this with the subwoofer too. pain to move around but the sound is better.
on the other hand i was in the vinnie rossie room at AXPONA and he demoed his system with the harbeth's resting on top of the end tables. still sounded very good but a little loose / boomy in the bass if you weren't dead center.
I use little brass disks sold for just this purpose.
The general idea is to minimize the surface area of the speaker cabinet to the floor, AND minimize the movement of the speaker in space. Woofer's exert a lot of energy and may actually move the cabinet as they play.
So, spikes + mass are a good combination. Are they that important vs. say, flat furniture feet? Not sure.
Adding weights to the speaker top is also something to experiment.
If you can't hear the difference though, it's just a fetish. :)
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