Protecting Real Hardwood Floor

Hope this puts it into context 

I'd keep the spikes and look for a chip to place underneath. A soft foot might be convenient for moving the speaker but is likely to deaden the sound. With spikes and chips you'll have to carefully re-level the speakers any time you move them to assure there's absolutely no wobble of the speaker. Maybe try some painters masking tape under the chips to ease experimental speaker placement, then remove once you're zeroed-in. Or leave the tape on. Herbie's stuff always has a snake oil feeling to me.

Would coach bolts be OK on a wood floor? I use them on tiles in my dining room quite satisfactorily though not on particularly demanding speakers. They would give you something to compare the fancier solutions to.

pete T15 posted:

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 . 

Oh come on! I ran a machine shop in my business where we produced bespoke components out of non-ferrous and composites. Those Silent Mounts, fine engineering? Any small local outfit could bang a set of those out in no time to an equal finish. So you think I'm lying about the effect they had on my DBLs? Stop posting nonsense.

Ceraball feet are excellent, if a little pricey.  The little ones at the front are for replacing spikes under speakers and are adjustable for height, the bigger ones at the back are for replacing spikes on more heavier speakers and rack supports and are also adjustable for height. Instead of a point contact they have a hardened little ceramic ball/balls between the two parts. Sound excellent and everything can move about without scratching my wooden floor.

cheers

tonym posted:

pete T15 posted:

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 . 

Oh come on! I ran a machine shop in my business where we produced bespoke components out of non-ferrous and composites. Those Silent Mounts, fine engineering? Any small local outfit could bang a set of those out in no time to an equal finish. So you think I'm lying about the effect they had on my DBLs? Stop posting nonsense.

Tony , I never said you were lying but do think your statement is funny thats all . I worked in a machine shop as a kid as well . Lets just agree to disagree , no offence intended . I really do like the Silent Mounts though , they work really well on my floating wooden floor with PMC 23's . 

Peter.

So the Silent Mounts use felt pads when using on anything other than carpet? They're designed to transfer energy from the item being supported.

i) What a load of garbage. The felt reduces the mount's ability to transfer any energy and adds a damping effect on speaker drivers.

ii) Mounts like this should never be used on top of carpet, for the same reason above.

iii) They're offered in (wait for it) titanium for even more energy transfer. Titanium is amazing, what would we do without it's incredible abilities. They will be available in bamboo next.  

Naim chips are superb and seem to work under everything on a hard floor.

TOBYJUG posted:

 

Ceraball feet are excellent, if a little pricey.  The little ones at the front are for replacing spikes under speakers and are adjustable for height, the bigger ones at the back are for replacing spikes on more heavier speakers and rack supports and are also adjustable for height. Instead of a point contact they have a hardened little ceramic ball/balls between the two parts. Sound excellent and everything can move about without scratching my wooden floor.

cheers

They look interesting Mr Jug. I can't quite understand how they replace spikes; if you remove said spikes then how do the speakers locate in these?

Tony:

The small ones are threaded on the bottom. You have to use a small rod to connect the Ceraballs and speakers. On the big ones, called Cerabase, you remove the small rubberized pad and the upper part/cup. There is a hole in the cup, so you can screw the cup to the speaker. The base is threaded for hight adjustment.

Thanks Mr Mulberry. So there must be a threaded stud you screw up in place of the spike?

You will need a stud (thanks for adding the right word to my vocabulary) for the small Ceraballs. The bigger Cerabases come with flat-headed screws (at least the set I used on my previous rack included them).

I had exactly the same problem when I set up a FraimLite two weeks ago.   I rang Naim Support and was told that they had no product to cover this need.  The support guy did say that anything I used should be hard rather than soft in order to increase acoustic coupling to the floor.

I ended up buying and using chrome castor cups which I bought from Amazon.

With a Fraim I'd think the Cerabase feet would not work as well as its own spikes and chips on a wooden floor , and it'll look silly.

Quadraspire floor protectors, perfect for wooden floors and only £22 for a set of four. The Naim chips may well be better, of course. Either will be better than screw in feet. 

y

pete T15 posted:

Tony , I never said you were lying but do think your statement is funny thats all . I worked in a machine shop as a kid as well . Lets just agree to disagree , no offence intended . I really do like the Silent Mounts though , they work really well on my floating wooden floor with PMC 23's . 

Peter.

No worries.

naim_nymph posted:

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 did exactly that a number of years ago. I went from carpeted floor to solid oak flooring. I mounted the speakers and equipment stands all on Naim Chips (not cheap).

A week later I was in John Lewis searching for a large, thick rug to dampen the acoustic resonance!

On balance the new hardwood floor was far better than the carpet/underlay arrangement I had previously - increased stability trumped any ill effects from reflections.  

tonym posted:

pete T15 posted:

Tony , I never said you were lying but do think your statement is funny thats all . I worked in a machine shop as a kid as well . Lets just agree to disagree , no offence intended . I really do like the Silent Mounts though , they work really well on my floating wooden floor with PMC 23's . 

Peter.

No worries.

Thank you. 

To me you have two options depending on your needs

1) The little discs with the hole in the middle for the spike, and 'grip' material underneath with the intention of not moving the speaker.

2) That same disc sitting within a second disc that has a 'carpet or other' type material, that will allow you move or rotate the speaker.

I did the second set up in a previous house as the configuration of the main floor meant that I needed the speaker in one direction while watching a film in the lounge area, but the open kitchen was the other end of the room and for parties I moved out and rotated 90 degrees the speakers. - It was a 14ft x 70ft townhouse.

With the wood though, get one that is hard enough that will stand up to lady's heels, or speaker spike marks will be the least of your worries. Also, the wider the wood plank, the more expensive it is/the better it looks...

Depends on what school of vibration control / isolation control that you subscribe too , having a spike laying on a disc .. Energy transfer from what's been supported to a surface , surface being able to properly dissipate aside energy from what it's supporting.

Pay a visit to Tesco Direct.  You can buy solid granite with a rubber backing so you can move your speakers from side to side if needed.  Around £10-14 quid.  I have my ProAcs sat on two and one under the sub.

They wont improve the sound but will protect your floor.

Two possible solutions that I use with good result:

Soundcare SuperSpike

Sonic Design SD feet

Soundcare spikes.

£35 for a set of 4.

Standard Silent Mounts replaced my Chips to good effect on a suspended wood floor. YMMV..

ATB,

Mark