Protecting Real Hardwood Floor

Naim produce "chips" that are intended for this purpose.  The spikes sit within small cups so don't touch the floor whilst allowing you to retain the isolation benefits.

Chord have Silent Mount feet which can be used under racks. They decouple the rack from the underlying surface which helps reduce distortion in the components and would help protect the wooden floor.

Graham

You could also try placing "sacrificial" pieces of hardwood under the speaker spikes, then lean heavily on the stands or speakers to force the spikes into the hardwood. It worked like a charm for the speakers below, transforming them from unlistenable to engaging. Strange, but very effective. It also makes it a lot easier to reposition the speakers !

That's a 2.75 inch driver backed by a folded transmission line. No crossover. 

Graham Russell posted:

Chord have Silent Mount feet which can be used under racks. They decouple the rack from the underlying surface which helps reduce distortion in the components and would help protect the wooden floor.

Graham

 

Yes, at nigh on seven hundred smackers for eight that turned out to be simple machined stainless discs. Any engineering company could bung them out for the price of a couple of pints.

Still, I gave them a try since I'd borrowed them. Made the sound worse over my inverted Naim chips so straight back they went.

Quadraspire do a range of stands in various finishes and feet configurations to suit different decor might be worth a look.

Reference the speakers there are various types of floor protecters avaliable a quick search on the Internet should throw up a few.

tonym posted:

Graham Russell posted:

Chord have Silent Mount feet which can be used under racks. They decouple the rack from the underlying surface which helps reduce distortion in the components and would help protect the wooden floor.

Graham

 

Yes, at nigh on seven hundred smackers for eight that turned out to be simple machined stainless discs. Any engineering company could bung them out for the price of a couple of pints.

Still, I gave them a try since I'd borrowed them. Made the sound worse over my inverted Naim chips so straight back they went.

That's interesting. I haven't tried them, just heard them at a HiFi show. I'm heading off down the Stillpoints route to isolate each component.

Naim's chips are just fine on my floor. I also use Linn Skeets too.

Depending of your budget and willingness to try something unorthodox, take a look at the Harmonix RF 900 - 999 series. Yes, these should not work, but usually do, even in the context of a Naim system.

Naim Fraim Chips work wonders on wooden floor.

DB.

Indeed, I use Naim Chips under my SL-2s and they really are excellent - and allow the speakers to be moved relatively easily (a bonus in my case).

If you need cheaper options consider Michell Tendercups or just google 'spike floor protectors' and look at Amazon's offerings.

Sonically, the Naim Chips make a difference but they are more expensive of course. I've even found speakers can sound better on carpet which was a real surprise.

If your racks are Quadraspire racks then you just need the 'flat feet' for them. If you wish to move the racks around, then castors are available. You can order any of these separately from Quadraspire or their dealers I believe.

Quadraspire make decent racks and their AV options would suit a TV. Again, available with whichever foot arrangement you prefer and you can choose various heights of columns.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

tonym posted:

Graham Russell posted:

Chord have Silent Mount feet which can be used under racks. They decouple the rack from the underlying surface which helps reduce distortion in the components and would help protect the wooden floor.

Graham

 

Yes, at nigh on seven hundred smackers for eight that turned out to be simple machined stainless discs. Any engineering company could bung them out for the price of a couple of pints.

Still, I gave them a try since I'd borrowed them. Made the sound worse over my inverted Naim chips so straight back they went.

Seven HUNDRED quid?  Were they milled from billets of solid unobtanium?

Mind you, Nordost do a set of equipment/speaker spike for an even headier price.

Yeah, the Silent Mounts are serious money...

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

They're seriously good too. 

My first attempt at protecting my laminate floor from speaker stand spikes were 2p pieces with a 3mm diameter hole drilled through them and felt pads (from a well-known DIY store) stuck to one side of the coin.

I did eventually "upgrade" to Atacama floor protectors (basically a fancy version of what I did).

But then again, until Monday just gone my speakers were Quad 11L's!

I now have Neat Momentum SX5i's and I used the floor protectors that were in the same bag as the spikes.

Darke Bear posted:

Naim Fraim Chips work wonders on wooden floor.

DB.

But how will a wooden floor affect the audio sound, after having carpet?

Debs

Dave J posted:

They're seriously good too. 

Yes seriously good and not just machined stainless discs . Yes they are expensive (I didn't pay £700 btw) but I bought them after a long home demo , they were one of the most effective upgrades I've made . I imagine that Fraim Chips work perfectly for many set ups as well but it would be crazy to dismiss them as expensive when we're happy to pay ££££ for cables etc. 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

What about a set of threaded 'feet' which screw directly into the base of the stands (replacing the threaded spikes)? 

Something very similar to the feet on office furniture and washing machines etc to level the items (don't laugh). These threaded feet usually have rubber pads or similar to prevent floor damage.

I got the idea from a US audio manufacturer of speaker spikes and cones etc - but not yet found any source in the UK.

I guess something like Naim Chips or Skeets which actually screw in to the threaded holed where the spikes are usually affixed.

You just place the spikes into the chips, skeets, 2p pieces or whatever. Quadraspire make floor protectors that are cheaper and work well. 

Now having a wooden floor I stand my Credos and Fraim on coins, obsolete currency is the most convenient. I haven't noticed a problem with SQ, but you could try experimenting with Italian lire for opera and pre-decimal pennies for Elgar...

pete T15 posted:

Dave J posted:

They're seriously good too. 

Yes seriously good and not just machined stainless discs . Yes they are expensive (I didn't pay £700 btw) but I bought them after a long home demo , they were one of the most effective upgrades I've made . I imagine that Fraim Chips work perfectly for many set ups as well but it would be crazy to dismiss them as expensive when we're happy to pay ££££ for cables etc. 

In what way aren't they just machined stainless discs? They killed the sound of my DBLs stone dead.

tonym posted:

pete T15 posted:

Dave J posted:

They're seriously good too. 

Yes seriously good and not just machined stainless discs . Yes they are expensive (I didn't pay £700 btw) but I bought them after a long home demo , they were one of the most effective upgrades I've made . I imagine that Fraim Chips work perfectly for many set ups as well but it would be crazy to dismiss them as expensive when we're happy to pay ££££ for cables etc. 

In what way aren't they just machined stainless discs? They killed the sound of my DBLs stone dead.

"They killed the sound of my DBLs stone dead.".... Probably the funniest statement i've read on this forum , Hilarious . In terms of engineering I spent 20 years in that industry so I appreciate fine engineering when I see or hear it . 

I am very pleased with Fraim Chips under my speakers and racks, which have prevented any damage to our newly refinished oak floors.  The sonic effects of equipment/floor mechanical interface can be situation dependent, so go with what works for you.  I would be very skeptical of anything soft and squishy.  I would start by leaving the spikes on and placing some floor protector beneath them.  Frame Chips have been engineered for this application.

Charlie

Darke Bear posted:

naim_nymph posted:

Darke Bear posted:

Naim Fraim Chips work wonders on wooden floor.

DB.

But how will a wooden floor affect the audio sound, after having carpet?

Debs

Do not put Fraim Chip on a carpet, unless you like a very boomy sound!
Been their and tried that - you need the spikes on Fraim Chips directly on the floor to sound right.

DB.

DB,

what sort of daft answer is that?

...no fear, i have no, and never have, any intension of using fraim chips on my carpet! : D

I am totally astonished that this so thread has gone so far down the page and no one [well, bar me, ha!]  has hinted on the obvious consideration that having a brand new wood floor installed could bring huge differences with the room acoustics, and possibly to it's detriment, especially if carpet was there *beforehand*.

Although the OP hasn't mentioned what the new wood floor will be replacing.

Debs

I bought 2 granite tiles and used adhesive felt pads on the bottom, and the spikes are on the granite.  Also makes tweaking the positioning easy-peasy.  This is on a laminate floor.

In response to Debs,

To clarify, the floor (modern build using the usual chipboard rubbish) was carpeted with with thick underlay - hence the previous use of spikes for the speaker stands and through the carpet.

BUT, houses are for living in and dedicated music rooms are a luxury. Rightly or wrongly my wife prefers to replace the damaged carpet (following a recent flood from the bathroom and through the ceiling), with an expensive real hardwood floor - as opposed to less costly laminate alternatives etc.

I accept this MAY effect the sound (even with an ornamental rug etc but there has to be a compromise, unless the family lounge was to become a dedicated music/hifi listening room - which it isn't.

The low metal framed ATC speaker stands wee retrofitted with spikes, since they are not fitted to the classic series as standard. The speakers with their built in tri-amp packs weight a colossal 48.9kg (each) and if sat on a flat wooden floor surface (without spikes) are very unlikely to move.

The idea for simple floor protectors, was exactly that .... e.g. simple foam pads to protect the floor, without the need for any fancy 'ball and cup' or spike into metal disc type configurations.

I thought about a screw in type 'leveller' to replace the removed spikes but I may be way off the mark ..... just seemed a logical replacement and I found these Herbie's Threaded Stud Loudspeaker Feet on a US website - but they don't seem to be available in the UK. Just a thought, even though it may be unusual 

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