Spikes changed everything

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revah

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After moving houses and upgrading several components recently, I have spent the last several months moving my Montis speakers around, first by feet, then inches, finally quarter inches until I got them to where I think they sounded their best. Once I was finally happy with their placement, I carefully marked their location and then replaced the flat feet with the ML-supplied spikes. The spikes sit on small (1") metal hockey pucks, which in turn are on a thin rug over a tile floor.

To my great surprise, the fantastic soundstage and imaging that I had worked so hard to optimize was gone! I re-measured everything and confirmed that both speakers were exactly in the same spot as before, the distances to the front and side walls and toe-in all the same as before. But now the image is fuzzy and diffuse and the soundstage has collapsed into the space between the speakers.

My room is 12x20x8 and the speakers are 75.5" from the front wall (the short wall), 33.5" from the side walls and 76" apart, center to center. The listening position is 8' from each speaker.

Has anyone else seen this before? Thoughts?
 
that has been my experience also. I replaced all the spikes with 1" gliders locked with a lock-nut on a floating bamboo floor. Much better in my system. YMMV!
 
Revah, I had exactly the same experience putting copper coins between spikes and quarry tile floor. With the spikes resting directly on the tiles the sound was both fantastic and destructive (!!!?!!). Using coins destroyed the sound. So did other materials for that matter. I did post a report about this titled 'Martin Logan Summits' on this site on 1st January 2017. To see my post I believe you have to click on my name then 'view forum posts'.

Have you tried resting the spikes directly on the tiles ? Or will the wife/husband/partner go ballistic ?

I eventually resolved my problem by sitting my Summits on Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Podiums which ameliorated the destructive and frightening, but very pleasurable, tight, pile driving bass. They also cleaned up the top end slightly. To be honest I would rather my house be more resilient and have the speakers sitting directly coupled to the quarry tile floor.

I think there is a lot we don't know about the coupling of speakers and what they sit on.
 
spikes are beneficial.. only on Wood ..(Carpet wood subfloor),, Hard tile I would error away.. NO coupling!
 
In my last house I had my MLs sitting on Brightstar Audio Big Rock isolation bases. The speakers were on the third floor of my house and there was simply too much floor-borne vibration getting back into the speakers. That's modern construction for you. With the speakers on spikes sitting on the isolation bases, it was a very effective solution.
 
spikes are beneficial.. only on Wood ..(Carpet wood subfloor),, Hard tile I would error away.. NO coupling!

That makes the most sense. I previously had my speakers spiked on wood and it worked very well. With the current setup, spike - puck - rug - tile, I must not be getting any coupling. Since I can't spike directly to the tile, and I'm not sure it would work even if I did, it's back to the flat feet I go. Thanks for the explanation.
 
Get a Yoga mat and sit them on it with no feet !
 

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