AudioAficionado.org - Stillpoints under speakers

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- - Stillpoints under speakers - spikes or no spikes? (https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=31731)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tima (Post 704026)

What works best is ultimately confirmed by trying and listening. That said...

Within the UltraSS series, from your photos, I'll say the 3rd photo with or without the spike may work best. The idea being to have the "technology pockets" where the vibration mitigation takes place closest to the component. That would be the tapered end of the UltraSS. As your pictures show, you can unscrew the 'hat' from the tapered end, screw the unit into the component and either put the hat or a spike on the wide end. This applies only if you are threading the UltraSS onto an adapter attached to the component. The spikes are new enough that user feedback is just starting to trickle in - at least from what I've read. At this point, imo, the spikes are for an UltraSS on carpet, and only if needed and if four units are in play, it would have to be an awfully thick carpet to create instability of a speaker. But hey, ymmv.

Without the threaded adapter you want the component sitting on the 'hat' with at least a credit card's width of space between the hat and the main UltraSS body.

Unless you need the base for the extra stability that its width brings, be sure to try the UltraSS without it.

edit: Looks like attached photos are not included in a quote. The reference is to rnrmf1971's post, not the photos immediately above.

Thanks for the input. Your advice echoes what I've read regarding placement of the "technology pockets."

Despite that information being out there, some seem to suggest attaching the speaker adapter to the wide end (bottom) of the Stillpoint Ultra SS, and orienting it hard hat (tapered side) down.

Obviously I have little choice but to use this type of orientation with Ultra 5's when I try those.

The question that I don't have an answer to is what purpose the hard hat would serve if it's attached to the wider end of the Stillpoint, and used as the point of contact with the floor. It no longer serves to isolate the speaker or component from the technology pocket. The best answer I come up with is for leveling purposes of the speaker, perhaps. Otherwise I see the hard hat on the wide end of the Stillpoint Ultra SS as an area of possible instability.

Presently, I use the speaker adapters and spikes on the Ultra SS's (as pictured below), but I'm not crazy about the spikes stability on my floors, so I'm considering the Ultra 5's or using the Ultra SS's in a different orientation.

Whether or not to use the outriggers or attach directly to the bottom of the speaker is whole different issue. My gut says the outriggers on these speakers don't help the sound when using Stillpoints. I'll play around with that after I decide which works best on outriggers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971 (Post 704027)

There's a lot of experimentation going on with the Ultra devices. Stillpoints encourages it, and as the different reports suggest there are no hard and fast rules. Of course experimenting takes time, especially with speakers, so people are looking for guidelines. While one orientation versus another probably is appropriate for any specific context, its hard to screw-up in any major way. Be that as it may, I suggest placing the pockets closest to the component as a starting point.

And I agree with your take on the hard hat; when used with a threaded adapter, it allows for leveling, but then again so does attachment with the adapter alone. I'd probably take off the hats if I used the UltraSS with speakers and adapters.

That's where the Ultra5s really work well for speakers; they're wide so stability is not an issue and they have more technology pockets. If you had Ultra5s on the speaker bases and the speakers were stable, maybe you don't need the outriggers or the spikes. Pricey, yeah, but they'll always work and never wear out. That's one of the nice things about Stillpoints - they trickle down well.

How about with Bryston Model T?

Ivan:

I know you suggested a solution (which I purchased) for "pucks" to put under the outrigger spikes for my future Model T's. How would you integrate Stillpoints into the Model T setup?

Always curious...

Steve

Stillpoints under speakers - spikes or no spikes?

On my TAD R1 MK2s, I use Ultra5s with no spikes. Threaded inserts into bottom of the R1s with beveled edge of the Ultra5s down. Stillpoints logo then is next to bottom of speakers. With the R1s, spikes on Ultra5s were tried but the config was not good and speakers could not be moved without risking breaking off the bolts on bottom of speakers due to 330 lb weight of each and the smallish 1/4-20 threaded insert on back of the Ultra5a, so "No Spikes!". The sound improvement with Ultra5s was well worth the price...

I do the same as SCAudiophile: Ultra 5s, bevel down, no spikes.

On my Aida's I have the Black Ultra 5's bevel up, no adapters. They look better that way, and sound amazing. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masterlu (Post 833578)

On my Aida's I have the Black Ultra 5's bevel up, no adapters. They look better that way, and sound amazing. :)

So they are not attached at all, the speakers just sit on the magic side of the Ultra5s, correct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCAudiophile (Post 833594)

So they are not attached at all, the speakers just sit on the magic side of the Ultra5s, correct?

Yes, that is correct; Aida does not have any threads on the bottom.

I am very grateful to all my fellow AA'ers for broadening this thread. For my financial sanity, I shall use Ultra SSs, adapters, no spikes on up-coming Dali Epicon 6s. As for the orientation, I will try speaker base, adapter, SS 'technology pocket', no hard hat, carpet. I may possibly add the hard hat back in to see which is best, if only aesthetically.