Edda about the spikes, or why the decrease in the area of ​​the support does not damp out

    The reason for this publication was the discussion about the spikes after our last article on the Neat IOTA Alpha speakers. So some readers claimed (providing comments with “proofs”) that the use of spikes as a decoupling between the speaker system and the floor damps spurious resonances, thus significantly improving the sound of the speaker system.


    This conventional wisdom was rooted in the minds of many audiophiles and music lovers, who, without wasting time, rushed to get pointed pedestals for speakers, hoping to get the “same” “divine sound” (tm) without parasitic harmful resonances. However, everything turned out to be somewhat more complicated than just buying spikes and screwing them to the system, since they (spikes) by themselves do not extinguish or eliminate anything. The decrease in the area of ​​the support, of course, greatly increases the pressure at the points of contact with the floor, while the vibration energy remains almost unchanged and is perfectly transferred to the floor. For what reason this happens, and how you can get the spikes to work, we will consider further.

    In fairness, I want to note that under certain conditions, the spikes begin to work as a "sound improver", but this requires not only the spikes and they are not a vibration isolator. That is why a number of comrades who write about the "studded" effect on the forums do not always lie and are mistaken. In order to understand what and how, it makes sense to consider both the pseudoscientific views on the influence of spikes and the completely scientific justification for how they can work.

    The prophecy of the velva about thorns


    Traditionally, a little mythology and humor.

    In fact, spikes for speakers appeared in medieval Scandinavia around the 9th century A.D. The harsh Vikings intuitively felt that such an approach would allow them to get rid of spurious resonances, eliminate vibration of the dragrakar case while listening to pagan metal and war drums.



    Among the mentions of the spikes, a fragment of the thematic eda has been preserved. I give a small excerpt from this work:

    Listen to me all the sacred births,
    Great and small children of Heimdall,
    Oh, Odin, I will tell them about the past of thorns,
    What Velund forged for the joy of mortals.

    At the beginning of the times when Ymir lived,
    There were no spikes for speakers in the world,
    And music sounds and the power of resonance,
    Drakkars forced to crack during campaigns.

    The boats split that sound parasitic,
    And the brave warriors went to the hel,
    Until the great god Velund came up,
    Spikes, that would save from harmful vibrations.


    According to edda, the wonderful properties of thorns were attributed to the great blacksmith, Velund. From the experience of the ancient Scandinavians, their modern followers concluded:

    In order to minimize the transmission of vibration of the acoustic design of the speaker to objects in contact with it (floor ceilings, shelves, for example). The effect of the use of spikes is based on a radical decrease in the area of ​​contacting surfaces, which reduces to the area of ​​the spikes / cones. It is important to understand that installing the speakers on the spikes DOES NOT eliminate the vibration of the case, but only reduces the effectiveness of their further distribution.

    Quote: user Ancient User - audioportal.hi-fi.ru)


    A song about nickels and stone slabs


    But jokes are jokes, but seriously, the theory justifying the anti-vibration effect of the spikes says that reducing the area of ​​contact with the surface can reduce resonances. Moreover, from the arguments of such a plan, the fundamental law of conservation of energy somewhere disappears, which states, among other things, that energy (any) does not disappear anywhere. The spike is solid and, accordingly, is an excellent conductor of vibration.

    Roughly speaking, the only thing that a tenon does with resonances is that it concentrates the vibration (resonance) energy at the points of contact between the tenon and the floor, which essentially does not change anything, since the same amount of energy is transferred to the floor (more about energy density is here ).

    At the same time, a number of manufacturers of products of this kind recommends installing them on the so-called "five-copeck coins" (supports with recesses). Stands are made of metals with a density lower than that of spikes (the latter, as a rule, are made of red-hot steel). Such a solution, from the point of view of physics, has insignificant vibration isolation properties, relatively soft metals (copper, aluminum) are able to partially absorb resonances due to shear strain.



    However, the “pyataks” effect is largely due to the use of special thick pads on the bottom (which are made like standard speaker legs made of silicone, felt or PVC). In fact, the main link that dampens vibration in such situations is an elastic absorber, i.e. the same felt or silicone, which have a significantly greater shear strain than metals.

    The path of the resonance energy can be represented as follows: a spike made of solid metal — a vibration conductor, a “nickle” made of soft metal — partial absorption, an elastomer — significant absorption. Such a system will really work, but I still do not understand why it has the first 2 links. When using this design, many people subjectively note significant changes in sound (it remains unclear, the comparison was made with bare spikes or with standard speaker legs).

    The most effective anti-vibration application of spikes from all the methods that are True from the point of view of philosophical philosophy (audiophilia) is the use of a massive base (stone slabs, etc.). The use of a heavy base is justified by the fact that it is really capable of effectively damping RF vibrations. This is especially true for speakers with a relatively small net weight.


    In this case, as in all the previous ones, the spikes are used as a vibration conductor, a massive granite or marble slab acts as an absorber. It should also be noted that in this way high-frequency vibrations are suppressed, and for low-frequency vibrations it makes sense to place felt under the plate. If you have a stone floor, then the purchase of plates for you is not relevant.

    And a little more about using spikes


    Spikes, as well as supports of a different shape, can “help” the sound in situations when it is necessary that the speaker fixed to the bottom of the speaker does not rub on the suspensions of the diffuser on the floor, for example, or when for one reason or another you just need to understand the speaker at a certain height.

    Total


    Spikes as a vibration absorber (insulator) never work, due to the fact that, due to fundamental physical laws, they cannot reduce the amplitude of vibrational vibrations, but they can be used in a system that will, with one or another efficiency, act as a decoupling of columns from the floor .

    For those who are aware of the need for spikes , as well as for lovers of the Scandinavian epos and in our catalog there are stockpiles of products of this profile (spikes, dimes) at various prices from 119 rubles to $ 50-60. Meanwhile, we want to emphasize that the manufacturers of speakers, which are presented in our catalog, are seriously approaching the creation of equipment. This means that the speakers we sellcompletely ready for full use (reproducing high-quality sound) and do not require additional modifications.

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