Kudos to Jason and his SPIKES!

[Joey_V]

This is just a quick shout out to Jason who made a bunch of spikes for us. I completely forgot about them and I found them during one of my study breaks, under my bed. I took them out and I installed them into the rears of my Summits.

I don't know if it's too premature, but initial impressions are very favorable. I will report back after I do more A/B comparisons but I feel that this is a step in the right direction. The spikes allow for the panel to be more parallel with my ear and seems to take the room out of the picture a bit more (less ceiling reflection points among other things).

Maybe I was just tired from studying and doing question blocks since 8am... but at approximately 6:09pm CST, I had goosebumps.

I don't know if that's a good sign, but it was definitely something I had not felt in a while.

I will listen some more a bit later after my next question set... and I will report back my impressions tomorrow or the next day. If my hunch is right, this is something a lot of ML owners should get their paws on because I remember discussing this with one of the head honchos at ML during the Meet and he echoed the same sentiment, and that they were thinking ML should go in this direction (more vertical panel), or atleast make them user-adjustable.

It's been long overdue, but thanks Jason!

Joey

 

[jtwrace]

thanks for the kind words....please let us all know as you listen more.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Hi Joey,

Glad your first impressions are positive and I believe you will find the vertical angle adjustment to be most beneficial.

Logically, the closer you get the panel to perpendicular should improve the sound because you are minimizing the time delay from sounds coming from the lower part of the panel versus the top. Result being a more cohesive sound with better imaging, etc. My sense is that the ML folks were trying to strike a balance between very minor time delays and adequate vertical imaging dispersion.

Anyway, hope you are well and to my friend Jason, creator of this wonderful mod, I look forward to seeing you at the RMAF. Looks like I'll be able to make it.

If you could Jason, please PM me with your contact info in Denver, including your cell if you have one, and your home phone number so we can coordinate accordingly.

Chou.

Gordon

 

[tonepub]

I also thought the spikes were great and should definitely be a big help for
someone in a smaller room, who can't get 8-10 feet back from the speakers..

Excellent job.

Jason, will you be at RMAF showing, or just attending?

thanks!

Jeff

 

[Rich]

I also want to throw my kudos to Jason into the ring here. I have been meaning to post regarding these spikes for a couple of weeks now and keep forgetting. My experience in my room was that installation of Jason's spikes raised the soundstage and brought it forward. Imaging is also tighter. This is a great tweak.

 

[Joey_V]

Imaging is also tighter. This is a great tweak.

Definitely the one thing I wanted..... I already had a pretty tight grip on imaging with the toe in, the tubes, the class a amp, the dac.... but this tweak really pushed it just a bit more in the right direction!

Too bad I didn't try this out earlier... Jason was right, I just wished he pushed/nagged me more.

It is an awesome tweak!

 

[Joey_V]

My sense is that the ML folks were trying to strike a balance between very minor time delays and adequate vertical imaging dispersion.

Gordon my friend... how are you? Hope all is well!

Regarding ML's thoughts on this, I talked to ML and they told me that the only reason why they're raking back the Summits (and the entire ESL line) is because of the vertical dispersion. Seeing as the new stats are technically "shorter" than the older Requests/Monoliths/Prodigys, they had to somehow make a compromise and the "rake" is what they came up with.

They did not do it to correct for time delay as stats are theoretically time and phase aligned.. unlike our dynamic driver counterparts which need to be corrected mechanically.

Anyway... it's all good in my bedroom at the moment.

Happy listening all! I will report once I have time.

:music:

 

[jtwrace]

I also thought the spikes were great and should definitely be a big help for
someone in a smaller room, who can't get 8-10 feet back from the speakers..

Excellent job.

Jason, will you be at RMAF showing, or just attending?

thanks!

Jeff

Jeff,

I will be attending. Where will you be out there? Room #?

 

[Joey_V]

Just listened again... god this is such a good tweak.

Going to write a review once my studies calm a bit.

I think it's well worth the money, tightens up the image for sure.

 

[abhijit]

Hi, I am located in Kuwait. How do I buy those spikes for my Summits?

 

[abhijit]

thanks for the kind words....please let us all know as you listen more.

Hi, I am located in Kuwait and I am interested in a set of spikes for my Summit. I have a post box in NY. What is the cost of these spikes?

 

[jtwrace]

Hi, I am located in Kuwait and I am interested in a set of spikes for my Summit. I have a post box in NY. What is the cost of these spikes?

e-mail sent

 

[Huey]

my Aerius' came with spikes..standard. Is this a tweak??

 

[jtwrace]

my Aerius' came with spikes..standard. Is this a tweak??

LOL....NO!

 

[Huey]

then why all the Hue and Cry????

 

[jtwrace]

then why all the Hue and Cry????

I will let the very happy end users explain.....

 

[Huey]

OK jtw. but are they beter than the standard spikes?? Can you HEAR the difference?

 

[sleepysurf]

Jason's custom spikes are extra-long versions, used specifically for the rear of the Summits, to tilt the panels towards a more vertical plane. For many of us, this simple tweak significantly improves the clarity, tonal balance, and soundstage depth. Many of the earlier ML designs utilized a (near) vertical stance with their default spikes, but the default Summit spikes don't provide enough range in adjustment. The new Purity and Source models have reversible bases, allowing either a backward tilt or full upright position. Hopefully all future models will also incorporate that flexibility.

 

[Joey_V]

OK jtw. but are they beter than the standard spikes?? Can you HEAR the difference?

It's not that the tweaked spikes couple better to the ground (or decouple, I should say), or allow for some weird psychoacoustical event to occur.

The spikes merely tilt the newer designs more vertically (closer to 90degrees) and allow for a better overall audio experience.

I can hear the difference, quite apparent.

Huey... I think you may be able to gain something from a tweak like this seeing as your Aerius are raked back much in the same way as my Summits are. Not sure if it'll fit though, better ask Jason.

 

[Huey]

OK..m aerius have 2 spikes at the front, and 1 at the rear, so I would need 1 extra long spike at the rear to tilt the speaker forward??