Soundcare SuperSpikes
Vibration Control

The Godfather of Gadgets finally comes out of the closet - yes, our Jimmy's a foot fetishist. And proud of it.

Soundcare SuperSpikes

Spiked feet are so universally accepted, it's easy to forget why they came into being and how they evolved. Basically, spikes where originally employed to stabilise loudspeakers on carpeted floors - to pierce the carpet and make contact with the hard floor beneath so that speaker and stand would be rigidly fixed. Only later was it noted that spiked supports under components like amps and turntables were similary beneficial.

Many enthusiasts like the effect produced by spiked speaker supports, but there's a practical problem: not everyone has carpeted floors. So, how to stop spiked points scratching the surface on which they sit? You can put coins under the points, but it can be very tricky to adjust speaker positioning.

Similar considerations arise when using spikes or cones under amps and CD players; you risk scratching or marking your support surface. A way around tis is to invert the cone or spike so the point contacts the bottom of the hi-fi component being supported. The drawback? The base of your component gets damaged instead! And in any case, best sound quality typically occurs with the spike pointing down rather than up...

If you're with me thus far, you'll be pleased to learn Soundcare spikes are designed to overcome these problems by giving the spiked points in its own integral cup. Since spike and cup are not detachble, you've two flat faces which greatly reduce the possibility of damage to surfaces. And you can stick the supplied self-adhesive padded protective discs of the base for even greater protection.

The range of Soundcare spikes is quite wide, with various types at different price points (no pun intended). Simplest is Spike 2, supplied in sets of three, which is designed to be placed under loudspeakers or smaller components like amps, CD players, or turntables. Pitting is simple; just put three Spike 2s under the component of your choice - and that's it. You can use the adhesive pads to stick the spikes in place, but avoid doing this initially so you can A/B compare the sound with and without.

Since many floorstanding speakers and speaker stands are threaded to take spikes, Soundcare offer the Spike 1, available in a number of thread sizes to suit differing requirements. One advantage of this spike over the self-adhesive type is that it gives the opportunity to adjust for uneven floors.

For components like CD players and amps with feet that unscrew, Soundcare offers a version with a plastic 'foot' that can be used to replace the existing foot. The Soundcare spike fits into a hollow in the plastic foot and is held in place by an adhesive pad.

Soundcare is a Norwegian company, which claims to have tried lots of different materials before settling on the combination used - hardened steel for the spike and zinc for the thrust pad, with a moulded ABS plastics covering to hold the whole thing together. Zinc was chosen for its inert, anti-resonant properties.

While Soundcare spikes are very tough and should support the heaviest speakers comfortably, the instructions warn against tilting the unit with which the spikes are used by more than five degrees to avaid damage to the spike and its outer housing.

So what did they sound like? I started with a set of the Spike 2s and put them under my Audio Signal Enhancer - a valve line stage that goes between CD player and amp. I chose this because it's small and light (making quick A/B comparisons easy to do), and because it seems to be unusually sensitive to what it sits on - for example, it doesn't like Ringmat Feet.

First impressions were of a sharper, more lucid sound, with slightly greater dynamics and projection. Bass seemed a shade tighter and firmer, while the treble was crisper and more detailed. I liked the effect Soundcare spikes had on music very much, feeling that they gave an impressively focused, tight presentation without being too stark. Later, I tried fitting the self-adhesive pads, and this mellowed things slightly without losing the brilliance and bite.

I also experimented with Soundcare spikes under one of the Townshend Seismic Sinks I use with my Rel subwoofers, again with good results. Adding Soundcare spikes made the bass slightly cleaner and tighther, with greater kick and attack. Because I have wooden flooring, I've thus far avoided conventional spikes - they're not practical. In any case, I didn't think I needed them.

However, there was definitely an improvement in clarity - and no problems with scratched flooring to worry about. Definitely recommended, then. The prudent should start with a single set (say, for amplifier or CD player), to see how things go. But be warned; you'll almost certainly be back for more!