The spike dilemma
by Paul McGowan
Audiophiles spike their speakers for better sound. Debate rages as to spike's efficacy, but I don't intend to address that in this post. Instead, I want to examine the decision to use them in the first place.
Spikes are supposed to provide a degree of isolation. The thought goes something like this. Coupling a loudspeaker to the floor with its full base touching, transfers speaker energy into the floor—something we don't want to do. Some would rather all the energy moves air instead.
I would argue that one of the reasons we even use speakers, as opposed to headphones, is to recreate what happens in a concert where sound pressure moves more than just air. We feel sound as well as hear it.
If spiking a set of loudspeakers lessen the physical movement of music in the room, are we not attempting to ameliorate one of the principal benefits of the speakers themselves?
Food for thought.
Paul McGowan
Founder & CEO
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