Speaker Isolation Advice Please

I found that for you. Looks elegant.

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Wrong pic I think! These are the Forte IIIs:

To the OP, this info from the Stereophile review may be of interest:
As I played different recordings, I kept thinking the low end should be better defined, given the wooferā€™s high cutoff frequency. The Forte IIIā€™s thin footers practically embedded themselves into the floor, so I slid four 2" by 2" by 7/8" Anti Vibration Isolation Pads (ribbed rubber with cork center, Amazon $6.99/4) under each cabinet. General focus improved, as did low-end definition.

They look very similar. The point is the short stands under them.

Ah, I see, you were showing the stands that appear to have been used as a replacement for the original base/plinth. On the fave of it the OP would struggle to lift onto the stands - however if they are screwed to the bottom of the speaker in place of the original base, rather than the speaker simply resting on top, that could be achieved by lying the speaker on its side, changing the base for the stand, then lifting back up, never having to take the full weight. They could then be ā€˜walkedā€™ into position, which is how I move my (heavier) speakers.

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For what it is worth these are Heritage Speakers not Focals or what ever they traditionaly are connected to the floor the way you bought them. They are also voiced exactly as they are. Any thing you put under them will certainly alter the sound but iwould say it wont be long before you revert to stock. A Plinth if sitting on carpet underlay is actually a good support for a big speaker of this type.

That applies to every speaker, modern or heritage. Many owners of classic ā€˜BBC-schoolā€™ type speakers like Graham, Spendor Classic, Harbeth etc. use isolation devices with great results.

Interestingā€¦Just looked at those. Trying to move my Kudos Titan 606ā€™s are a nightmare. Especially as Iā€™m nearly 70!

How do you adjust them? With spikes, you can rotate them to your chosen height.

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There is no adjustment, you would need to adjust the spikes screws to get them even. Itā€™s a very simple product, but incredibly effective at dissipating vibrations. It is the only product that I enthusiastically recommend, as my experience with it has been positive beyond expectations. Their 60 days trial policy is quite good, if they donā€™t work for you just put them on an envelope and send them back with a copy of the receipt, no need for RMA.

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Thanks agin everyone for some fascinating replies / insights.

This is what I am beginning to think. Obviously most speakers are either designed to be used on stands or if floor standers they usually have provision for spikes or decoupling feet of some sort. The Klipsch Forte IIIā€™s are mounted on their own wooden plinths that hove no provision for spikes or feet of any sort.

The message I am getting is that this is how they were intended to be used and how they were voiced. Adding anything else beneath them will perhaps be going against the design principles and alter the specific voicing. Similar in a way to Naim IBLā€™s, SBLā€™s and DBLā€™s which all had built-in support systems. One wonders what the effect of replacing the spikes on these with some sort decoupling feet such as Isoacoustics or Townsend would have. My gut feeling is that this would possibly improve some aspects of the sound but would rob them of their specific character - so that in effect one would now be listening to a very different speaker. I suspect the same may apply to my Klipsch speakers. Leave well alone I think.

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This is never the case as your speakers were not voiced in your room, not with your kit and not on a carpeted suspended wooden floor.

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A question may be whether the manufacturer designed them to sit on carpet or hard floors. If the latter unless both floor and speaker base are perfectly flat there could be some wobbling, which is one of the ills that spikes or other adjustable feet can correct (as also can wedges, blobs of ā€˜blu-tacā€™ etc). More significant may be whether the floor is truly solid, or somewhat ā€˜bouncyā€™ as are most suspended floors, and that is where decoupling or coupling to the floor may prove beneficial or otherwiseā€¦

Donā€™t assume manufacturers are that thorough and thoughtful of every detail, many compromises are made in the design process. Thereā€™s no substitute for experimenting in your room with your specific setup.

As you can see, my DBLs have Stillpoints Ultra V, on a thick marble base, sitting on Herbies Fat Gliders, on a suspended wood floor.

They not only have not lost anything, but have gained clarity, bass tightness and extension.

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OK seems I may need to give this some further thought. I guess Iā€™m just looking for an easy way out!

sbilotta,

Iā€™m fascinated by this. Stillpoints are out of my league with their prices but Iā€™ve read good things about Herbies Fat Gliders.

Food for thought.

That is true but you are slightly missing the point. The speakers you mention were never heavy weights that sat on plinths. But ones that mostly came with Metal Stands.
I am speaking (as useual) from actual experience with this style of spk 1970s JVC, Pioneer etc. when you try to Hi FI them up bricks innertubes etc. they do not repay you.
I also have a pair of new Tannoy 15 inch Ardens which sit on a Pinth with 4 flat plastic stoppers as carpet contact. Experiments with these show that still to be the best outcome.
So unless you wish to invest in Townsend Isolation Platforms it may be an exercise of effort to cure a problem he does not have.

I think you are slightly missing my point tbo. :slightly_smiling_face:

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