Out on the tiles...with speaker spikes.

Being crazy I have tried a lot of different stuff under speakers and racks on my tiled floor at my beach house. I found wood pucks to be hopeless, most metals to be problemmatic, but brass to be best of the bunch. Even tried various exoticly expensive stuff like the pucks from various companies like Black Diamond Racing - yuk, the Brass was better. The ones I use cost 1 NZ Dollar each, but you will not get them anywhere else in the world. I reckon the Systrum ones look adequate, albeit more expensive. While you are at it you can get brass replacements for your steel spikes (assuming they are steel) from them. (Can't say I like their racks though). I still found there to be is a slight tinge of metallic twang there with brass, but not much and speed was maintained. One slight tweek got me to Nirvana - I wrapped plumbers tape around the thread of the spike before inserting into the speaker, and this seemed to just damp the metallic twang without any noticeable mushiness sneeking in.

OK , this may get some flak in response but I used to use pennies under my spikes to protect a wood floor where I lived. They worked very well and they were cheap(about 3 cents). They'ld probably work for your tile floor and if not it won't even cost you a nickle(which you could also try).

No kidding, pennies sound better than quarters. This experience was actually the first time I knew I was a freak. I could hear the difference between quarters and pennies, and it was similar in general terms to the difference between silver and copper in interconnect and speaker wire. All I could think of was "Omigod, what's next?" I also endorse the Audiopoints products, having used them to good effect under many components. Also, I believe Mapleshade recommends brass cap nuts to put under their footers (upside down to "catch" the point) to protect wood floors.

Judit, as we know, there are proper applications for different coin denominations. Obviously you are aware of this, and I was simply mentioning my use of the 25 cent application. However, I would never be "nouveau riche" enough to use 25 cent models, when 5 cent models will suffice. :^)

Edesilva has a good point(ha!) that some very heavy things could punch through the coins. That means that the frugal audiophile will have to resort to "punch outs" from steel electrical boxes, which are about the size of coins, but made from steel. Still cheap and effective.

I don't like to spend alot on certain simple tweaks, because then I can spend more on my new amps, or whatever.

You must have used cheap (pun intended) coins. I use British two pound (sterling) coins - they are probably the most expensive coins that one can get. Pbb, I would use the Canadian two dollar coin, but the two metal design would not be as effective (tongue planted firmly in cheek).

Salut, Bob P.

I'd actually recommend staying away from coins... I had a pair of ProAc RS2s on sand-filled Target R4 stands and the spikes punched through the coins I used... The ProAcs probably weighed, what, like 30 lbs, figure 75 lbs for the stands, maybe 25 lbs of sand (I'm guessing here), so less than 150 lbs total. Nice clean holes right through to the floor, as I discovered when I moved.

The Linn products are called Skeets. They work well but are, as usual, overpriced. Coins are a great idea and if you use pennies, the spikes will put an indentation in the copper and you can then slide the speakers for minor adjustments.

Twl has the expensive version.($.25). I use Nickels, and for some things pennies.

I used a spade bit to cut a depression into the middle of a hockey puck, and dropped the cone-point's floor disc into that, so that it was flush with the top of the puck. That gives you a little more lift, and makes the floor disc a larger target, so it is much easier to position under very heavy speakers. Looks fine and works great.

I second TWL's motion for coins or hockey pucks. No need to spend a lot on tweaky stuff. One friend bought round lamp finials made of chrome plated steel. The tips of the spikes dropped into the threaded hole and the overall effect was to protect the floor with a distinctly high tech look.

will

Apc-d coupling discs from Starsound will give you the most improvement in sound. Lak is correct these work perfectly on all types of wood or stone products and they are an extension of The Audiopoint so they do improve energy transfer.. Its a combination of material [ brass ] and the geometric ratio by design..

Apc-d coupling discs from Starsound will give you the most improvement in sound. Lak is correct these work perfectly on all types of wood or stone products and they are an extension of The Audiopoint so they do improve energy transfer.. Its a combination of material [ brass ] and the geometric ratio by design..

If you've got the patience and access to the right equipment (I do!), you can cut aluminum round stock to the thickness you require, then countersink (a standard drill bit will work just as well) to the depth you want. The aluminum is soft, and easy to work with. Probably less abusive on your tile than a coin would be also. Then go to Home Depot or Lowe's, and purchase some felt dots to stick underneath. Although I much prefer the acoustics of a dead floor-- Carpet, with a heavy pad beneath.

Linn used to make little feet for use underneath spikes, but I can't for the life of me remember what they are called. One of my friends uses them and they work very well. They seem to keep the speakers very stable. I would think you could pick up a pair for about 50 bucks.

If your room is "on the slab" (concrete) you probably don't need spikes. From what I've read, spikes are best used on floaty, loose (i.e. wooden) floors or to provide acoustic isolation for us apartment "dwellers".

I have a beautiful black tile floor. I use Walker 1/2 inch discs to protect it. A bit more expensive than the other suggestions, but definitely worth it.

Coins are good and almost invisible, use Canadian coins, very well made but way cheaper, each one will actually cost you 0.157349 USD at today's exchange rate. Hockey pucks are good but highly visible. Try it without any spikes, you may not hear a difference and may start a reversal of trends in the audiophile community. From the Canadian mid-fi trenches. Good day.

Use coins under the spikes. Only 25 cents each.

I have had great success with the Coupling Disk made by Star Sound Technology. I use them on my hardwood floor, on my audio rack (so as not to pit the wood or metal) and on the bottom of some of my equipment.

http://www.audiopoints.com/

http://www.audiopoints.com/apcd2.html

You also might want to see if the company that makes the spikes that you use make a comparable product.

The Sound Anchor stainless steel / polyester felt pads are excellent. I am using twenty four of them to protect our new India slate floor in the listening / living room.

Link below:

http://www.soundanchors.com/page24.html