I've had the ProAc Response 3.5s for quite awhile, but out of respect for the carpet (and the prospect of possibly rearranging the basement) I have not put the spikes on the plinths until this morning.
I've been following the speaker threads and tweaks and finally couldn't resist, so on they went.
The floor is padded carpet over concrete. Walls are block, furred out with insulation and drywall. All I can say is those speakers just came alive with the spikes added.
Listened to some reference selections and was just blown away by the bass improvement. The "old" bass sounds muffled by comparison. The bass extension, punch and imaging was vastly improved.
Overall detail was improved as was the soundstage, which seems a bit wider and further back. The sustain, already very good, also seemed to be improved. On balance, they just seem much more lively and musical. Off center listening (which I often do while at the computer) is much better.
Due to my floor materials, I just was not thinking in terms of the floor sucking energy out of the speakers, but the sound level is up a bit. Not as much as it would be with a flexible floor I suspect, but very noticeable.
Next up, I will start experimenting with wood under the spiked plinths and see if I can improve this further. MW, I'll have to go back and read your posts again, because I missed where you went back to the cutting boards. Dang, this is fun!
Do your spikes go all the way through the carpet to the concrete? If so you may be just about as well off as you get...which is good it seems. Pretty cool Neil.
You have some great gear Neil. Love to see ya try some vdH interconnects with your cd player. The ProAc Response speakers were some of the first hi end speakers I fell in love with...just fabulous. Glad to see your gettin' some more of the goodie from them.
When the speakers are properly spiked - they have pierced the carpet underweave (sharp spikes will not dmaage a carpet since they pass between the textures of the weave) - and balanced the speakers will feel as if they are bolted to the floor. No matter whether you push from the front, back or sides the speaker will not wobble and will not budge.
If your speakers have this feel when you push on their cabinets, then you have done the job correctly. If not, then you still have some work to do.
Jan, I still need to level them up a slight bit, but they are definitely through the whole works to the concrete with all spikes contacting. Thanks.
Art, I have a pair of Kimber Kable Silver Streaks on the way to try out in comparison to the Chords. I plan on trying a few different ones. I have not looked much at the vdH wires, but I will. Thanks.
I really need to get the CDP and amp moved so I can get serious about some speaker wire. I sometimes see this outfit pop up on A'gon with ProAc's wire at $12 a foot. Don't know much about it yet. If I stay with Chord ICs, I may try the Odyssey 4 bi-wires, which I hear are good.
I think my better half is having second thoughts about the Steve Blinn rack. Wants me to build something or buy furniture.
There is a lot of counterfeit cables especially van den Hul. If you get curious and want to try van den Hul, Eugene HiFi is a good place to call for auditioning.Chord Odyssey is a very good speaker cable.
Art, I looked a little at the van den Hul last night. More different grades of interconnects than I have seen from just about any other mfr. Left confused, bewitched, bothered and bewildered--LOL. What do you recommend trying? I normally look at the mid-grades, generally.
Nice to see your results from the spikes Neil. Congrats on that move!
I tried some older MIT cables and found they did better for my kit than even my DIY stuff which I had been very pleased with. I ended up with MIT Shotgun 2's for ICs and speaker wire. They are tunable to the input resistances of the down line gear.
editors note: I must acknowledge that I have since moved my MIT Shotgun 2 speaker cable from the mains to my sub-amp to 2nd coil of the Gallos and am back to using my DIY speaker cable for the mains.
"I think my better half is having second thoughts about the Steve Blinn rack. Wants me to build something or buy furniture."
Neil, I must drag out my tried and true, yet tired old formula here for you. It works like this. You operate under the rule of 25%. You always have 25% of available funds to put towards, umm, ah..., well, er, your kit.
How do you ask can one secure the 25% of available funds for one's kit?
Simple.
Spend 25% to 50% of ones available funds for the house.
Then invertedly spend 50% to 25% of ones available funds on the loved one.
That get you down to 25% of available funds. I'm thinking by this point in time all level of resistance if off the table, but you must act at lightening speed, or else the 25% of available funds quickly becomes the 100% of available funds. You must act before the loved one / significant other / wife has time to blink or it is too late.
tried some older MIT cables and found they did better for my kit than even my DIY stuff which I had been very pleased with.
Mike, I saw you moved to the MIT ICs from the DIYs. Thought that was about the time you went to the 240s, correct?
I like your financial analysis. Strangely enough, I understand it all too well. That should be working in spades for me as we just popped in a new washer and dryer. Cost nearly as much as my Blinn rack would have.
Yeah, I missed the boat by not firing on that rack immediately in her moment of weakness.
I actually got the MIT ICs with the 7300. I still have them in play but ended up going back to the DIY speaker wire. The MIT speaker wire allowed more to go through with the significantly higher output of the 7300. The 240s do not put out nearly as much power which allowed me to go back to the DIYs for them. JV actually suggested that switch and it worked out well.
Appropo pic Neil. LOL
It appears that Nuck is an Alma mater of a different school.
