What feet are good for SRS/Wood Floor??

gdb

I'm wondering what's generally considered the best type of feet to use on SRS cabinets that sit on a hardwood floor surface, also, what was on them when shipped out from Polk ? What I've got now are hard chrome levelers that don't look original to me, maybe they are, I don't know. Is there anything that makes it possible to slide them on a finished floor without gouging it up ? I'll choose the set-up that offers the best sound, being able to slide them around a little would be nice but it's not essential. Anyone have a favorite type of feet they use with the bigger cabinets ?? Thanks !!

Libertyc

The chrome levelers are original. Don't slide them around too much because you will scratch up your floor. And DON'T use the carpet spikes on the wood.

F1nut

Mye Sound solid brass billet spikes are the best, IMO. They sell protection discs for use with the spikes on hardwood floors.

http://www.myesound.com/Points_n_pads.html

These are seriously hardcore spikes!

gdb

Thanks Jesse, pretty dam%ed cheap to boot ! Use garden variety tee nuts or what ?

F1nut

There should be tee nuts in the bottom already. The thread is 1/4-20. Just ask Grant for 1/4-20 thread on the ones you order.

I use the biggest ones he makes, I think they are 1 inch diameter, maybe 1 1/4 inch.

gdb

Jesse, I'll be making new caps so I'll get new tee nuts too. I'll give the oak caps to anyone who can use them, I'll repair the failed glue joint first though.:)

F1nut

Gotcha and very good of you.

Tollaksen

I work at the family rubber company. We have all kind of grommets and stops. Is there a reason that rubber feet aren't used in this aplication. We have some vibration isolaters that are feet for electrical componets. I wounder if these wouldn't work for you.

F1nut

Spikes are used because of the extremely small contact area.

gdb

Tollaksen wrote: »

I work at the family rubber company. We have all kind of grommets and stops. Is there a reason that rubber feet aren't used in this aplication. We have some vibration isolaters that are feet for electrical componets. I wounder if these wouldn't work for you.

Tollaksen, I wondered about that myself, I get the impression that it's better sounding if there's a firm link between the cabinets and floor/subfloor, except in the case of a conrete slab, then I THINK isolation is better. I read somewhere that Polk even suggested "bolting" the cabinets through the backs directly to a wall ! I'd like to hear if anyone has done that and what the results were,not that it would be an option for my situation. I do have my compressor on rubber mounts (VW engine mounts) over a wood floor, makes a big difference in vibration level.:)

Tollaksen

F1nut wrote: »

Spikes are used because of the extremely small contact area.

Is this for vibration isolation. So that the low frequency doesn't resinate through the floor?

George Grand

To couple it more firmly to the floor is the idea behind the small contact area. I think the idea is to make the floor and cabinet one. Increase the contact area, down goes the PSI.

guptonr

I've had good results from the spikes that came with a JBL sub. They are reversable. For the wood floor, the spike is screwed in pointed end first and a cap nut is placed on the protruding shaft. The cap nut is round enough not to damage the floor while also providing a very small contact point.

guptonr

guptonr wrote: »

I've had good results from the spikes that came with a JBL sub. They are reversable. For the wood floor, the spike is screwed in pointed end first and a cap nut is placed on the protruding shaft. The cap nut is round enough not to damage the floor while also providing a very small contact point.

I guess I should have been more specific, I meant a "domed" cap nut.

Tollaksen

Tollaksen wrote: »

Is this for vibration isolation. So that the low frequency doesn't resinate through the floor?

I just tested the rubber feet that we use for engine mounts. (picked for static weight and rough estimate for hz) I didn't want to bother engineering for the exact match to the speaker until we are a little slower at work).I tested the rubber feet with all the equipment of a fined tuned human ear (well my ear that is not so trained or tuned).

What I found was kind of interesting. Just the oposite of what i thought. The spikes were great for the concrete floor but the rubber was better on the hardwood.

1. Hard wood floors

with spikes (on pennies) muddled a little like reverb (only felt) but not from the speakers from the room
with rubber isolation feet clear, crisp, pure and not muddled like spikes

2. concrete

with spikes Clear, deep and smooth all around the room. Strange sounded like the hardwood but fuller

with rubber isolation feet motion(weird sound was moving a round alittle) punchy and inconsistant (not as deep or full)

Tested with:
SRT sats with 150 watts a channel dolbyHD audio. 22 on the AVR with John Mayer Blu-Ray