[andycsb]

Hello,

Seeking ideas and suggestions on how to "improve" SQ by placing stuff on top of speakers...kinda like totem beaks. Thinking of experimenting with different woods. Please chime in on what you have done and materials (quantity) you have used. And most importantly...how it changed the sound.

Improvement for me would be a more natural sound...perhaps more romantic (pear shaped...thicker at the bottom and mids...less pronounced at the top).

Thanks so much. 

[FullRangeMan]

Two units for $18, you can fill it w/something, found best results w/bee wax, sugar or honey, avoid sand or empty.
https://www.amazon.com/Square-Wood-Sake-Box-masu/dp/B0006LRSX0

[srb]

Grizzly G9649 - 9" x 12" x 2" Granite Surface Plate (25 lbs)
$  26.95 ea.
$  65.89 shipped for 2

or if speaker is < 9"W X 12"D or 12"W X 9"D

Grizzly G9647 - 6" x 8" x 2" Granite Surface Plate (12 lbs)
$  21.50 ea.
$  52.99 shipped for 2 (12 lbs each speaker)
$100.99 shipped for 4 (24 lbs each speaker)

These will help control box resonance and make no sound of their own.  No additional wax, sugar or honey required. 

Steve

[FullRangeMan]

Grizzly G9649 - 9" x 12" x 2" Granite Surface Plate (25 lbs)
$  26.95 ea.
$  65.89 shipped for 2

or if speaker is < 9"W X 12"D or 12"W X 9"D

Grizzly G9647 - 6" x 8" x 2" Granite Surface Plate (12 lbs)
$  21.50 ea.
$  52.99 shipped for 2 (12 lbs each speaker)
$100.99 shipped for 4 (24 lbs each speaker)

These will help control box resonance and make no sound of their own.  No additional wax, sugar or honey required. 

Steve

Now sweet tweaks are fashion as beeswax impregnated paper dielectric at hi prices of course.

[Todd Willhoit]

Two units for $18...

These sound twice as good for the same price.   

https://www.amazon.com/pack-Masu-Wooden-Sake-Large/dp/B00065YBOA

[Letitroll98]

I don't put anything on top of my speakers, might mar the finish.

[srb]

I don't put anything on top of my speakers, might mar the finish.

I used Shepherd #9966 non-adhesive .031" thick transparent vinyl disks for glass table tops.

I didn't experience any discoloration, but I suppose there's always the possibility there could be a chemical reaction with the vinyl material and certain types of finishes.

Steve

[JLM]

After 40 years I haven't heard a tweak (footers, cable lifts, ground devices, etc.) make a sonic difference.

Boutique versus "ordinary" caps ?  Yeah.

Tube rolling?  Yeah.

Power conditioners?  Yes, but only if you have noticeable power aberrations (very location specific).

Racks?  Yes, but only if you remove them to open up your soundstage.

Cables?  Yes, but only if they were poorly designed.

My priorities:  speakers, room, source, amps

[Guy 13]

After 40 years I haven't heard a tweak (footers, cable lifts, ground devices, etc.) make a sonic difference.

Boutique versus "ordinary" caps ?  Yeah.

Tube rolling?  Yeah.

Power conditioners?  Yes, but only if you have noticeable power aberrations (very location specific).

Racks?  Yes, but only if you remove them to open up your soundstage.

Cables?  Yes, but only if they were poorly designed.

My priorities:  speakers, room, source, amps

 

Guy 13

[poseidonsvoice]

Grizzly G9649 - 9" x 12" x 2" Granite Surface Plate (25 lbs)
$  26.95 ea.
$  65.89 shipped for 2

or if speaker is < 9"W X 12"D or 12"W X 9"D

Grizzly G9647 - 6" x 8" x 2" Granite Surface Plate (12 lbs)
$  21.50 ea.
$  52.99 shipped for 2 (12 lbs each speaker)
$100.99 shipped for 4 (24 lbs each speaker)

These will help control box resonance and make no sound of their own.  No additional wax, sugar or honey required. 

Steve

Steve,

Thanks. These should make excellent turntable platforms, or even under the loudspeaker if the size fits.

I personally don't see any benefit in placing "thingamagigees" on TOP of a loudspeaker. On the bottom for isolation on a speaker stand or floor? Sure:

The Primacoustic Recoil Stabilizer: http://www.primacoustic.com/recoil.htm

Isoacoustic Stands: http://www.isoacoustics.com

Available at reasonable prices at the usual ProAudio sales websites, like Sweetwater, etc...

Of course, acoustically treating your room goes without saying.

I know the OP didn't ask for the above, but I hate to see money thrown around for tweaks that have substantial amount of confirmation bias and marketing associated with them, like the Totem beaks. Steve's
suggestion is more appropriate but I would augment that by placing his granite block on top of a loudspeaker with a Primacoustic Recoil or Isoacoustics stand below, so the speaker sits in a sort of "sandwich." I would imagine that a better built and braced speaker would benefit less from the aforementioned additions.

You can also DIY your own "Recoil Stabilizer" by using the aforementioned Granite boards Steve linked with a little bit of creativity. And apply that to not only speaker isolation but more importantly subwoofer isolation. The high mass really helps.

Best,
Anand.

[andycsb]

I guess I'll scrape the idea of thingies on top of speakers. Experimenting room treatments for now.

Thanks for everyone's advice. Really appreciate it

[ssglx]

Putting weight on top of speakers will change the nature of the cabinet resonance and the sound.

More impacting is what you put underneath the speakers.

With my floorstanders a substantial difference (to my ear) was made by putting them on bamboo cutting boards VS solid maple. Though maple is touted as adding some sweetness, I preferred bamboo as the mids were more satisfying and fleshed out.

Elastomers under speakers will generally warm up the sound, unless it's sorbothane which sucked cabinet resonance and some of the midrange out of my speakers (both bookshelf and floorstanders) and made them lifeless.

Most likely the more inert a speaker cabinet, the less impact this all will have.