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Speaker Spikes - Working Principle

Vibration damping obvious makes sense (in speakers just as well as in cars). 

That involves 'killing' (converting into heat, through typically internal friction) kinetic energy. So any sort of elastic material (rubber has lots of internal friction) makes sense. 

And then there are spikes. Using a pointy hard object and pair it with a softer, elastic material (to deform, and kill kinetic energy) can work; think metal sharp spike into carpet or wood floor. 

But what is the idea behind pairing fairly unelastic metal (brass for example) with similarly unelastic (brass, stone, etc) material (example photo provided)? Only thing I can come up with: LOOKS good and makes owner feel good  thinking its an improvement (works only for Audiophiles though),

Even more curious: are they ENGINEERED "spikes" (vibration dampers or shock absorbers) for speakers that are TUNED for the frequency (and mass)  that needs to be dampened? Can piston style fluid dampers be designed for the high frequencies (100, 1000, 10000 Hz) using geometry, nozzles size and viscosity of the fluid?

 

kraftwerkturbo
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,712 posts
 

@kraftwerkturbo Wrote:

The acrticle does NOT offer solutions to decouple.

Norman Varney’s solution for decoupling are Equipment Vibration Protectors see below:

Mike

See previous post below decoupling the speakers from the wood floor:

187462-179235

 

ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,216 posts
 

I don't know if this qualifies as a speaker spike, but I found that using the ISO- Acoustics Gaia 1's under my Clarisys speakers to be a big improvement over just using the aluminum feet. I also added the carpet spikes under the Gaia's and found that to be an improvement.

ozzy

whipsaw
753 posts
 

I also use ISO Acoustics Gaia under my speakers, and there is no doubt that they improved the sound over spikes. They don't decouple fully, but work well in that direction, and, along with the likes of related Townshend products, reduce the "smear" that results from vibration, and also improve the focus of bass response.

The disadvantage, at least for some (not in my case), is that hard-coupling devices like spikes do transmit more bass energy to the floor, and some listeners prefer to have that visceral feedback, which is reduced with the use decoupling devices.

uncledemp
708 posts
 

Springs/ Townshend products suit me best. I suppose it’s like many things audio, a bottomless lake of options and definite maybes. 
 

Hope you all have enjoyed the Holidays and wish you peace in the new year. 

pwerahera
107 posts
 

I am having second thoughts about replacing carpets with hard wood floor in my listening area after reading this thread and one other thread where low rumbles are a major problems and headaches. My wife wants to replace carpet with hardwood flooring including my listening area. To date, I had no issues from floor reflections to unwanted vibration creeping in to my audio signal path whether I played LPs or CDs. My Thiel 3.6s are on factory provided carpet piercing spikes and my TT stand also have spikes and anchored to the floor board.

I feel like 2024 is going to give me headaches we replace the carpets. I am planning to use a rug between speakers and my listening position to control floor reflections. But now I see another whole set of problems are going to creep up on me (LOL).

Wish you all Happy New Year!

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