[Super Hans]

Hi all, thinking of getting some sorbothane pads for speaker stands.
Any idea if it makes much difference whether they are hemisphere shaped or flat on top ?
Naturally more surface area in contact with speakers with the flat ones. Not sure if that is good, bad, or matters not.

Thanks

[max190]

I would go with some Fat Dots from here http://herbiesaudiolab.net/spkrfeet.htm#bigfat versus sorbothane.

[Speedskater]

I use many sorbothane hemispheres, but not under speakers. I use then under components that have CD/DVD players, hard drivers or fans.

Weight limits and good prices on this page:
http://www.edmundoptics.com/optomechanics/optical-breadboard-components-laboratory-tables/laboratory-tables-breadboards/sorbothane-mounts/1618/

[electricbear]

Isn't it better to try and physically couple a speaker as rigidly as possible to the surface it is sitting on? Sorbothane would be doing the exact opposite.

[JLM]

Isolate components on soft (wood) floors, rigidly couple components on hard (concrete) floors.

[mresseguie]

What would I use for a cement floor with a floating wood floor on top of it?

[mick wolfe]

What would I use for a cement floor with a floating wood floor on top of it?

I have a friend that used Herbie's Gliders with good success in that scenario. ( wood over concrete)

[charmerci]

What would I use for a cement floor with a floating wood floor on top of it?

You're connected to the wood (vibrating) floor, not the concrete.

[mresseguie]

You're connected to the wood (vibrating) floor, not the concrete.

I had wondered about this. The bass tended to be a bit muddy/overpowered. My wife would kill me (or cut something off) if I used spikes under the stands. I did find a granite dealer who was willing to CNC cut and and sand/polish the edges for ~$60 for two. I could place these below the base of the stands and use the spikes on the granite.

You probably can't find a deal like that in N. America; I found this one while I was in Taiwan. I'll buy the granite next time I'm in Taiwan.

[DaveC113]

Good isolation is always better ime, IsoAcoustics stands are really good in all applications I've tried and everyone I know who's tried them.

[JLM]

If the wood floor is secured directly to the concrete or framing bears directly on the concrete (wood framing doesn't act like a beam), consider it concrete.  If the wood floor has any sort of framing between it and the concrete slab the void creates a resonate space.  I have a friend who for some reason put his gear on a raised platform in his low ceiling basement room which of course resonates.  Houses built over crawl spaces have a bigger problem than over basements.

Soft supports should be selected based on the amount of weight being supported.  I'd avoid any manufacturers that don't design on that basis.

[Super Hans]

sorry I didn't clarify.
I'm looking for bumpers/pads to go between the top of the speaker stands and the bottom of the bookshelf speakers.
The tops of the stand are just a flat, heavy gauge metal.
The bottoms of the stands have regular spikes.
I've just had hardware store bumpers before, never really looked into halfway proper isolation pads.

Thanks

[jk@home]

Good isolation is always better ime, IsoAcoustics stands are really good in all applications I've tried and everyone I know who's tried them.

And relative to the OPs question, the top of the Iso stand's contact points are concave, so using semi hemi pads (with self adhesive stuck to the speakers cabinet) between the speaker and the ISO really locks in the connection. I do this with my LS50s.