[oskar]

Quick question;
is it preferable to spike speakers to a concrete floor or use some kind of isolation product?
To couple or decouple?

[milford3]

This product should to the trick.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00516DL5Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

[Guy 13]

Hi all,
that product would also work for ceramic tiles like I've got
in my listening room on planet Vietnam.

Guy 13
 

[rajacat]

http://www.supersoundproofingsales.com/SSP-Vibration-Isolation-Pads-7_8thick-2x2-w_Cork-Each/productinfo/09-00002-2EACH/

[oskar]

Ok thanks. Is the consensus then that spikes are wrong way to go?

[jk@home]

Not necessarily. If you have carpet on top of the concrete, the spikes will cut though the carpet and make contact with the concrete below. Whether you want this, the couple vs decouple thing, you need to try it both ways to determine (1) if there is a difference, and (2) which do you prefer.

I would always go the "couple" method, unless it audibly screws thing up, as that is the more stable method. My experience has been concrete floors are not as critical as platform ones. Our house is on a slab, with the HT room downstairs. The dedicated 2 channel room is upstairs. I heard real differences in bass output playing around with the couple/decouple methods, on both speakers and stands, in the upstairs room. Not so much downstairs.

[oskar]

Thanks JK. My entire condo has terrazzo concrete floors.
I posed the question because I was told emphatically spikes degrade the sound in my circumstance.

[DaveC113]

Spiking to concrete will produce some harsh, annoying distortions.

If you have the vertical space I'd go with IsoAcoustics stands, if not ask Steve at Herbie's audio lab what the best product is for your application...

[milford3]

IsoAcoustics stands is a good call.  I have them for my two subs.  Outstanding product.  Should have thought of them first.

http://www.isoacoustics.com/index.php

[jk@home]

Thanks JK. My entire condo has terrazzo concrete floors.
I posed the question because I was told emphatically spikes degrade the sound in my circumstance.

Try it both ways. And I'm going to third that Isoacoustics recommendation. In the upstairs room, the monitor speaker stands are spiked to the floor, but the monitors on top sit (decoupled) on Isoacoustic platforms, which are in turn decopled from the main stands.

[oskar]

I have floorstanders @ 36". Those ISO acoustics would put them too high methinks.
Have heard that they work great tho. Looking at Herbies products.

[jk@home]

Are you going to have some throw rugs over that  terrazzo? I would think that would be a pretty reflective surface to deal with.

[oskar]

Spiking to concrete will produce some harsh, annoying distortions.

Well that is what I'm contending with. At least on some recordings but not all.
Yes I have large thick  area rug in front of speakers. Can't imagine life without.

[rajacat]

The Supersoundproofing. com isolation pads are only $1.50 ea. 
 Expensive boutique pads would probably be OK too but there's no guarantee that they would any better than these cheap pads.

I'm sure that the Isoacoustic stands would work well given the reviews. What I don't like about them is their height, their cost, they look sorta plasticky, the brand label is displayed prominently and they might not suit a particular speaker style/ appearance.

[jk@home]

Yeah, if I had one complaint with the Isos it is the price, especially considering they are aimed at the pro audio market. But I needed to raise and tilt my speakers, so it works out perfectly. As far as the name showing, one can assemble it in different configurations, including the name facing rearward.

[SteveRB]

I find speaker placement including heigh is dependant on the room dimensions and materials. You are really going to have to find what works best.

[Don_S]

oskar,

Spikes will damage your terrazzo floors unfortunately.  I say unfortunately because my experience spiking at least three different speakers to concrete (through carpet and pad) improved the sound with no negative affects.  Bass and midrange improved the most. Spiking did not increase harshness in the three cases I have experience with.  Also note that one pair of speakers I had came with spikes too fat to penetrate the carpet and pad.  I replaced them with longer, thinner spikes and a definite improvement was heard.  Spikes need to contact the concrete.  I do not know what happens when you use spikes with protective discs.

Of course, with carpet I could not use simple isolation devices like spongy half-balls. I could understand using them if the floor was wood over joists but I am confused as to what value they have when used over concrete.

[oskar]

Limited options here on placement. I've got speakers 30" from front wall.
Looking at Herbies Dots. I'd like to compare and hear what differences there are.
Now what to do with the 10' wall of windows 3' left of left speaker.
One thing at a time. Thanks to all.

[riffer]

IsoAcoustics stands is a good call.  I have them for my two subs.  Outstanding product.  Should have thought of them first.

http://www.isoacoustics.com/index.php

Those are sweet.  Thanks for the link.

[InfernoSTi]

+1 on Steve from Herbie's.  The gliders are likely to be a top choice and I can say from experience they work very well.

http://herbiesaudiolab.net/spkrfeet.htm

Symposium Rollerballs (the Jr's with the 1/4 20 threads for attaching) are a step up from there if you want to take it to the next level.

http://www.symposiumusa.com/rbjr.html

John