Exhibits, Shows and Displays

what is the benefit of having floor standing speakers stood on "spikes"?

i have speaker stands that came with spikes. will the sound be better with the spikes on?

Public Comments

1. The spikes are for people who have carpeting on the floor. They keep the speaker stands in place during loud noises or if they are bumped into. If you have a hard tile or wood floor, just some soft rubber pads would be used.
2. Its to help prevent vibration - the spikes should help to minimise surface vibration
3. hi there, i came across this myself not so long ago when buying my current hifi system, so i had a look around at the time and my research suggested that most folks swear to improved sound quality when the speakers are mounted on spikes. as it happens, i was really happy with the way my system sounded so i never actually used mine. also i didn't like the idea of spikes on my floor :) ! that said - i also have a little bedroom system that for the fun of it i put spikes on the speakers - and noticed no difference. so to me it sounds like it is a personal, subjective thing. try the speakers with and without, and if you notice a difference, you can make a decision. hope this helps, jim.
4. Your question is a bit of a contradiction!! A floor standing speaker does not usually have a stand, so I would assume you have bookshelf speakers and a set of stands. The spikes on the base of the stands are to isolate the speakers from their surroundings. You should use them if you have carpet on your floor, they will pierce the carpet and contact the floor below. If you have solid floors, eg. wood, tiles. Then still use the spikes, but if you need to protect the floor, use some pennies/coins blu-tacked to the floor under the spikes. Some manufacturers provide spikes on the top plate of the stand, but I would recommend blu-tack again, as it will give a good solid bond between speaker and stand. Bottom line is go play and experiment for yourself, the above will give the most accurate performance from your speakers. Loose the spikes and the isolation and you will pay the price with added bass. But maybe thats what you want........
5. If the speaker sits directly on the floor it becomes 'coupled' with the floor and any void under it. If it's a concrete floor it won't make a great deal of difference but if it's timber you will get an interaction between the two, changing the sound. It may be a bit bass heavy. The spikes limit the contact with the floor. try it both ways and see which you like. If your speaker is on a stand, the bass will transmit down the stand as if it is on the floor itself.