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Posted By: Capn_Pickard Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/08/08 07:55 PM
Hey Folks - it's been quite a while since I've posted here (years, maybe?)

I've had a set of M60's for a about 3 1/2 years - totally love 'em! I moved from an apartment with hardwood floors, where I used the rubber feet for the speaker, to a new house with a finished, carpeted basement. I'm looking to replace the rubber feet with the carpet spikes. Unfurtunately, they are no where to be found - Methinks I discarded them years ago.

Does anyone have a set (8 total) laying around that they wouldn't mind getting rid of? Of course, I'd pay to have 'em shipped.

Thanks in advance.
Adrien! I thought you was dead! Welcome back.

Congrats on the new house. The pictures of your old place were pretty impressive, so I can't imagine your upgraded bricks and mortar.

You missed a hella Axiom gathering a year or so ago at RFD with Ken, Peter, Medic8r and me. Next time I'm in DC, you ignore my invitations at your peril \:\)

I am using my spikes. Call Axiom?

I know I'm not helpful, but I was just so thrilled to see you post that I wanted to acknowledge it.

Happy New Year!
You could also just re-order them:
http://www.axiomaudio.com/gear_prepack.html
Posted By: Ken.C Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/08/08 08:16 PM
I'll have to look around, but I think I've still got a set.
Posted By: Hutzal Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/08/08 09:23 PM
why do you want the spikes over the rubber feet? Spikes kinda ruin the carpet, I have brand new carpet in my basement, I used spikes on the EP500, and they definitely poke holes in the carpet, I guess it depends on the kind of carpet you have as well.
Posted By: jakewash Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/08/08 10:15 PM
I preferred the rubber feet to the spikes, the spikes made the speakers feel like they would tip over if I blew on them, let alone bumped into them.
But, if you use the feet instead of the spikes, your speakers aren't adequately coupled to the floor, resulting in time-phase mumbo jumbo and serious veiling.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/08/08 10:57 PM
 Quote:
time-phase mumbo jumbo serious veiling


Dude's got a way with words, doesn't he?
The Dude abides.
Posted By: jakewash Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/09/08 01:03 AM
Actually I thought the idea was to decouple them from the floor. This would then allow the veil to be lifted and the rubber prevents static electical charges from building up in the speaker, which would of course cause problems for the dancing anjou speaker cables.
Posted By: Spoiler Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/09/08 06:47 PM
 Quote:
You could also just re-order them:
http://www.axiomaudio.com/gear_prepack.html


How did you find that page? I've looked at the site map for Axiom and cannot find the link... I'd love to buy the custom feet for my Boston Cherries... but that wasn't possible about a year ago.
Thanks, Tom. You've got a good memory, indeed. And no, I wouldn't ignore your invitation to hang out next time you're in DC.

I ended up talking to Brent about new spikes. I will probably order them with a new FMB to mount the center channel on the wall underneath my new 100" projector screen (totally psyched).

I don't know why I haven't kept up with the forum - except maybe the new job (that I started nearly two years ago) is a bit more time consuming than expected - oh, and I had a child... Those things tend to eat up free time to chat on the old world wide web.

Indeed, though, my wife and child hav emoved out to Arlington, VA, a suburb of DC. We bought a small home with a big yard (which the dog loves). It came with the added bonus of a complete "man-cave" style basement, a great "boxy" basement with wall to wall carpeting and a great big wall on which to hang the big screen. Overhead electrical was already run for the projector, resulting in a nice, clean install (went with the super-cheap, but very respectable Mits HC1500 720p PJ). Still have my M60's, VP100, QS8 combo - although I abandoned my 7.1 for a 5.1 set-up... and don't really miss the rear two speakers much at all - perhaps one day I'll jump back into the 7.1, but that's a project for much later.

Anyway, I hope to keep in tough more often. It'll take some time to catch up on what you folks have been gabbing about lately, though...

In re: spikes - I always thought that they would help make the speakers a little more sturdy. As it is, the rubber feet on the wall to wall Berber make the speakers just a tad wobbly (nothing really to worry about). I figured that the spikes would help the feet dig into the carpet more. I didn't count on any sonic improvements. I'll be interested to know what the consensus is in this regard.

Perhaps I'll upload some pics for the group of the new set-up when I get a chance. Thanks again for your ideas about the spikes.
Posted By: Ajax Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/10/08 04:14 PM
 Originally Posted By: Capn_Pickard
In re: spikes - I always thought that they would help make the speakers a little more sturdy. As it is, the rubber feet on the wall to wall Berber make the speakers just a tad wobbly (nothing really to worry about). I figured that the spikes would help the feet dig into the carpet more. I didn't count on any sonic improvements. I'll be interested to know what the consensus is in this regard.

Hi Adrien. Welcome back.

The spikes are intended to penetrate the carpet and the pad beneath and make contact with the floor. If this is achieved, the speakers shouldn't be wobbly at all. You may have an exceptionally thick carpet and pad, and the spikes aren't penetrating all the way to the floor. Try forcing the speakers downward to see if you can get the spikes all the way to the flooring. You may find you need taller, thinner spikes to get through your carpeting.

Speaker Spikes

Anyone buying aftermarket speaker spikes should be sure the threaded rod of the spikes is compatible with the threaded insert in the speakers. They do vary. If you'll call Axiom, I suspect they'd be glad to tell you the correct size and thread count of the inserts in their speakers.


Posted By: jakewash Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/10/08 07:38 PM
All i know is when I tried the spikes I felt the speakers to be more unstable than the rubber feet. I would order them anyway and see which you prefer.
Spikes=Good on carpet at my house.

Adrien, thanks for the update and congrats on the kid / house / happiness. I am delighted for you. We'll want pictures of the man cave.

Next time I'm in DC, you, me, Peter and Medic8r are going to party like rock stars.
 Quote:
Next time I'm in DC, you, me, Peter and Medic8r are going to party like rock stars.


Shuffleboard and Metamucil Smoothies?

DC, watch out. . .



Why is Virginia so popular these days?
In three years i've heard of three people moving there.
In the same three years i don't know any other family or friends that have moved anywhere.

Peter, perhaps you can enlighten the subject. Though, you were considering moving again yourself were you not?
Is the beer that good there Tom?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: Metal Spikes for Floorstanding Speakers - 01/11/08 04:12 AM
I'm actually looking for a good way out. Not because I don't like it, but the West coast is just so much better.
Sean, you're funny.

Chess, the beer culture in the Pacific Northwest is so highly evolved that all other regions compare as inadequate. There are enough craft brewers and beer bars in DC/VA to avoid despair, but I was frequently relegated to beverages "imported" from either Europe or California.

I think many US baby-boomers are retiring from civil service, and their replacements are moving to VA. Or maybe there's still no growth industry that compares to the federal government.
Thanks, all.

I ended up buying a set of spikes on eBay. The threading was compatible (checked the Axiom one-packs) to be sure.

Upon installation, which took all of three minutes, the spikes satisfyingly punctured the carpet and the pad and achieved contact with the poured concrete floor.

I haven't noticed any sonic changes (no surprise) but I have noticed that the speakers are quite a bit more stable. Thanks for the help, guys.

I'll snap some pics tonight and upload them tomorrow. What's everybody using these days? Photobucket used to be the old standby. I might need a refresher course...
Pair of Spikes:



(Falling-Down tired from Shoveling Snow)
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