Not discrediting you Spike by any means as MANY people make "assumptions" when it comes to performance changes with bows based on results that they "see" or "feel"....often what they "want or have been led to believe" they should see, expect or feel. It's not your fault and many have fallen to this entrapment from the manufacturers.
The only "true" measurement is with "hard data". A chronograph to measure speed and a db or decibel meter to measure noise.
I've worked with many people and their bows who must have thought that their eyes were certified as they could tell the arrow was faster....
Pull out the chronograph and show them that they were wrong,
... as their eyes can't measure the difference no matter how good their vision is and their mind was forcing them to believe what they were led or wanting to believe.
Same scenario with your comment about the penetration into the target. Unless you were to shoot each arrow into a new and untouched target this is not a truly dependable means of measuring penetration. If your arrow hits a spot that has been hit previously it's going to penetrate deeper as each arrow leaves a weakness in the spot it hit. Even if using a new target each time the penetration is not a true measurement of any speed change as there are other variables involved.
Don't take it personal, it's not your fault you want to believe what was advertised you should believe and expect, that's human nature. We've all done it including myself, if not I wouldn't have a ton of gadgets I bought & tried over they years based on advertising hype.
But you must also understand and accept the physics of a bows function.
An arrow's speed is really based on 3 main factors. Draw weight of bow and thus power stroke,......weight of arrow.....and lastly the weight of the string.
Each bow has a different efficiency rating as well but that's for another more complex discussion.More draw weight = faster....right ? Yes, we all know that.
Lighter arrow = faster......right ? Yes, again we all know that.
Lighter string = faster......? Absolutely !!!!
Anything you place on a bow string adds weight to it. Added weight impedes the string's ability to retract or slows down it's travel forward as the string reacts to you releasing the stored energy in the bow.
The closer to the center (top - bottom) of the string the greater the impact this weight has on the speed of the bow. Move any string accessories further outward toward the limbs and their impact on speed lessens.
It's impossible for the human eye to detect these changes but it's there and a chronograph will reveal it.
When manufacturers shoot their bows for their speed ratings they have virtually nothing on the strings what so ever. They use a tiny bit of serving to serve as a nock point if they use anything at all to get the utmost of speed out of them along with the thinnest lightest strings. Some of the strings they use really wouldn't last more than 50 shots they are made out of such thin lightweight material with as few a strands as possible, all to get the maximum amount of speed out of the bow.
You find the same scenario with the various types of string materials. Some materials are thicker and heavier than other materials for a variety of reasons and applications. The heavier materials make for a slower bow speed, lighter weight increases speed.
Your Spiders are nice and I have no doubt they help quiet the bow.
I meant nothing personal against you or them but I just didn't want you to be fooled by something that is virtually impossible to achieve.
Please accept my apologies if you took anything I typed personal as I never meant it this way.
It's just that being EXTREMELY fascinated with Archery for well over 30 years I've performed so many test's for a variety of things that people think I'm crazy but I also enjoy sharing the results and knowledge that I've acquired from these tests.