Is Spiking Necesarry?


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?
128x128kclone
Post removed 
geoffkait, re  06-26-2017 1:23pm post....

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*
@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. 

Spikes definitely alter the coupling between speaker and floor, the type of change, the effect on sound and whether it's a good thing or not probably depends a lot on your floor construction and speaker placement.

I've got a pair of ProAc D38's that I've had on a carpeted floor in an old weatherboard house on piles. The cones are quite wide and I doubt they would make it through the underlay to the floor beneath which may explain why I can't hear any difference with or without them. We've just moved to a new place with far brighter acoustics and hard floors, so I'll have to experiment again and see what works. For me, speaker placement is the first thing to sort out, then try the spikes. Good luck and enjoy the speakers! I'm just a wee bit jealous ;)

Cheers

More to discover