Speaker spike feet?


I recently acquired a nice older hifi system with Aerial Acoustics 7B tower speakers.I am not an audiophile. The speakers have heavy iron bases on them but there are no feet of any sort on these bases. I emailed the owner/designer at Aerial and he sent me a schematic of the bases which show that they originally had spike feet. He said he could provide the spikes at minimal cost. I was afraid to ask what minimal meant since I seem to remember that these bases cost $400 when new. (I'm still getting accustomed to what things cost in the audiophile world.)

I am wondering if I really need the spikes. These speakers sit on a carpeted floor with hardwood on typical joist construction floor. They sound quite good to me but if spikes would help in any way and I can get them cheap then I will do so.

I'll ask Aerial how much theirs cost but I'm pretty sure that stainless steel tripod (for photography) spikes will fit the 3/8-16 threads in these bases. The cost would be about $40 for those. Maybe the actual Aerial ones wouldn't cost any more but they are longer and look very sharp which makes me wonder about floor/carpet damage since these speakers weigh around 110 pounds each.
n80

Showing 7 responses by frozentundra

N80:

I just received some Revel Studio2's and I am in midst of fiddling,  and read your question on spikes........

Mine speakers are sitting on carpet( floor above basement) with the polymer footers.
I think spiking is a bunch of " hooey", And according to others ( it should)- thin the bass a bit and tightens the base resolution

I just spiked the feet.......
Holy cow, bass tightened and the emotive force really went up, it's like adding more bass drivers
And the bass was good to start with

I would have never expected

Why?
maybe it's like hitting a squishy pillow vs hitting a solid wall

I suggest you give it a try

jeff
N80;

trust your own hearing, not someone else's 

Honesty can be brutal at times.

What you driving your speakers with?

jeff


N80;

Sweet spikes & handy work!!!
Grade 8....You could support a dump truck with them 

One comment;

You need a narrower spike profile to pierce carpet.( mine were 1/2-13 with a machined profile that was 3/16 dia with a long and thin spike )
I had to rock the speakers around to get them “ mated” to the wood( pierce carpet)
They felt like they still floated on carpet

Then the bass  “ accelerated” and did it’s thing

I suspect your still sitting on carpet 

Yes, Once you spike them it IS pain to move

jeff





N80;

Take pics of your setup!
Ariel are nice speakers & Iron base is a new one for me?

jeff


N80;

Or Journeyman Machinist 

How do the spikes sound?
could you tell a difference or “ so so”?

It was obvious with mine? 

Ps: Next set make out of a M4 tool steel hardened to 55-60 Rockwell & pint ground to 32 rms
lol

jeff
N80,

You got a sleeper there in the amp.
I had a old college buddy that had one & made his old Krell sound like a sissy in bass.

Transparent make good stuff too.

jeff