Pics of the system after adding the Sub-12 and Denon AVR-1909

[gadgtfreek]

Really? Never new that. I cant imagine more bass, guess Im not used to it because it thumps now.

A nice piece of plywood painted black, about the size of the sub, would not be bad.

 

[jayn_j]

Really? Never new that. I cant imagine more bass, guess Im not used to it because it thumps now.

A nice piece of plywood painted black, about the size of the sub, would not be bad.

Try it first, you may hate it. The guy at AVS would probably tell you that it wouldn't sound right unless it was a 1" thick piece of oiled mahogony though

 

[gadgtfreek]

Haha, too damn funny.

 

[Skibum]

Lemme show you some pictures of my roommate's gear. The spikes go through the carpet to the solid subfloor for the most efficient bass and sound possible. All the speakers in my house use spikes. The difference is noticeable to the trained ear.

Either way, is sounds like you really enjoy your purchases, and for good reason! Your setup is still very nice.:

 

[gadgtfreek]

Now thats interesting. Why would the spike alone make a diff in whats transferred to the wood below?

I would think youd be better off having the sub fire at a pc of wood staged between it and the carpet, never thought it transfer with those type of spikes.

 

[Skibum]

I'm not qualified to explain it I think, but it has to do with carpet absorbing a lot of the sound.

I just know first-hand that it works.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Since they Klipsch is already up on legs, im gonna consider a pc of wood painted black thats cut to size for the whole sub to sit on. The Klipsch manual states that the feet are the perfect height, so i dont want to change that part of it. From all acounts, have the sub firing down at something hard is better than carpet.

 

[jayn_j]

I'm not qualified to explain it I think, but it has to do with carpet absorbing a lot of the sound.

I just know first-hand that it works.

This is one of those legend things that come up periodically, kind of like the green magic marker, monster cable, and the little stands to hold the speaker wire off the carpet. The difference is that this one does have some basis in fact, in some applications. The application would be floor standing speakers that are front firing. Placing these directly on the carpet will rob some bass, but placing them on a stand and getting it a foot off the floor will have a bigger effect.

None of this applies to a downward firing woofer, because you are still blasting the carpet, spikes or not. That's why I suggested trying the plywood.

I'm not trying to pick on you skibum. I just think that any of these sorts of quick fix things need to be thought through in terms of the physics.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Thats what I was wondering, because its still shooting at carpet. Been doing some reading, it appears you can pick granit/marble tiles up from HD and Lowes pretty cheaply.

 

[gadgtfreek]

these seem to be popular, but the price is a little crazy. I may just try the granite/marble tiles

Auralex GRAMMA | Sweetwater.com

 

[Skibum]

None of this applies to a downward firing woofer, because you are still blasting the carpet, spikes or not. That's why I suggested trying the plywood.

I'm not trying to pick on you skibum. I just think that any of these sorts of quick fix things need to be thought through in terms of the physics.

I'm curious how it sounds then. Plywood is definitely a pretty cheap way to go. All I can say is whatever you think works best, IS best!

An article I found interesting on spike/cone use:
Speaker Spikes and Cones – What’s the point? — Reviews and News from Audioholics


From Klipsch's website:
" Q. Why should I use speaker feet or spikes?
A. Speaker spikes keep the speaker from rocking back and forth in response to driver motion, especially when the floor is carpeted. A midrange or tweeter moves very little on its own, and when bass is strong, the speaker may move more than either of these drivers due to the motion of the heavy woofer cone(s). This will have a negative affect on the sound. If the speaker is kept as still as possible, the definition and dynamics of the sound improves. On hard floor surfaces, the spikes can help to drain energy stored in the speaker cabinets into the floor, which will improve resolution. Make sure you do not use the spikes with a wood floor as this will cause damage to the wood. A coin under each spike, for example, will help protect the floor."

Does that apply to their subs, especially downfiring ones? I don't know. Wouldn't hurt to give them a call though.

 

[jayn_j]

I'm curious how it sounds then. Plywood is definitely a pretty cheap way to go. All I can say is whatever you think works best, IS best!
...
Does that apply to their subs, especially downfiring ones? I don't know. Wouldn't hurt to give them a call though.

Well, the Klipsch isn't pure downfiring, since it has a rear port. That will put some energy out the back, but not a lot. Like I said, this one has some basis in fact, but you do need to understand why you are doing this. In my case, I found a better effect by raising the speakers on a box to get them a foot off the floor. Besides, it brought the horns up to ear level on my system. I personally don't think it will help much on a down firing sub.

I like the idea of the granite tile. I've used these in projects, and they can be quite attractive. I bought some nice 12" ones in black granite from the local tile store for about $8/square.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yeah, Im thinking the dark tile might be a good experiment for this weekend. Dunno how to test the sound difference though

 

[Skibum]

Dunno how to test the sound difference though

Grab a dB meter and turn it up to 11!!! Really, though, it'll probably pretty subjective.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Auralex SubDude @ TrueSoundControl.com

Appears the sub dude is loved by guys over at AVS. Carpeted MDF on foam blocks, $50 for a 15x23 which is perfect for my sub.

 

[jayn_j]

Auralex SubDude @ TrueSoundControl.com

Appears the sub dude is loved by guys over at AVS. Carpeted MDF on foam blocks, $50 for a 15x23 which is perfect for my sub.

Wow, that seems to be the polar opposite of spikes. Foam core isolation??

 

[gadgtfreek]

Amazons got it for free shipping, think Im just gonna pull the trigger.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Auralex-GRAMMA-Monitor-Isolation-Charcoal/dp/B0002D0B4U/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1230927585&sr=8-3"]Amazon.com: Auralex GRAMMA: Amp and Monitor Isolation Risers; 1- 23"x15"x2.75" Risers; in Charcoal Only; Weight Limit 300lbs.: Musical Instruments[/ame]

 

[gadgtfreek]

Wow, that seems to be the polar opposite of spikes. Foam core isolation??

Yeah, its supposed to keep the bass out of the floor and diminish the rattles. My floor is wood underneath the carpet and it has some creaks when you walk. Supposedly this takes the wood floor out of the equation for cleaner bass. I sent a PM to teachsac to see if he's seen it in use in the HT market.

 

[jayn_j]

Yeah, its supposed to keep the bass out of the floor and diminish the rattles. My floor is wood underneath the carpet and it has some creaks when you walk. Supposedly this takes the wood floor out of the equation for cleaner bass. I sent a PM to teachsac to see if he's seen it in use in the HT market.

The price is right, and I think the outdoor carpeting isn't going to suck up excessive bass. Worth a shot. I'd still try the plywood trick if you can find a chunk just laying around.

 

[Skibum]

The price is right, and I think the outdoor carpeting isn't going to suck up excessive bass. Worth a shot. I'd still try the plywood trick if you can find a chunk just laying around.

Ditto. Please post your results, Elway!