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Speaker footers – Ugh


I’m exhausted in my search for the truth. I have a pair of Rega’s R7 floor standing speakers (about 40” tall) and feel that I can improve their sound by changing out the 4 stock spikes each speaker came with.

I’ve read where spikes can be a “bad thing” by exacerbating vibration within the speaker. Mapleshade has a philosophy that vibration needs to be drained from speakers. They sell heavy brass footers (3” tall, 3” diameter) that are supposed to accomplish that. However, they cost a few bucks and cosmetically are not exactly what I’m looking for.

I’ve spent hours trying to identify footers that will make a difference and am at the point of exhaustion. I could research more, but feel I’ll get no closer to the truth of what would be a good solution. I encourage anyone who has had a good experience with replacement footers for a floor stander (like the R7’s) to share.

Thank you.
rbschauman
rhljazz
1,117 posts
 
Spikes are promoted to drain energy by various manufacturers and vendors. If your speakers were utilized with the supplied spikes they were designed for, that is likely the best support for them. Any change of support will alter the sound for better or worse. BTW quit searching for the truth in audio, concentrate on the beauty.

I once tried a set of Audio Points in place of the stock spikes on my ESP's and found that the stock spikes were well chosen. Your results may turn out the same.
camelboy
50 posts
 
I use, first, a two inch thick cutting board from Home Depot, which is spiked with carpet piercing spikes,
to a concrete floor, then, my speakers rest on a combination
of DH Labs ceramic cones, one large one in the front, and
one small one at each corner in the rear. I like the sound of ceramic.
tholt
545 posts
 
I'm tempted to try some of the Boston Audio TuneBlock S feet underneath my speaker spikes.
rbschauman OP
113 posts
 
Thanks Gentlemen,

I should have noted that my Rega R7’s are on a hardwood floor.

Rhljazz – You raise a point that I have pondered: wouldn’t the manufacturer provide a pretty good solution to begin with? They show their stuff without swapping out various parts at a most important time; the time when their trying to make a sale. However, I’ve seen so much put forth about “improvement to be had” by tweak manufacturers that I’m left exhausted but curious…
bryoncunningham
888 posts
 
I have used a variety of footers under speakers. The ones I got the best results from were Outriggers and the various Black Diamond Racing cones/pits.

Unfortunately, there is only so much that can be learned from reading about these kinds of products, since their effects on the sound are very system/room dependent. So, experimentation is the only real way to know. Good luck.
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