alternatives to spikes on wood floors?

Small metal discs that the spikes can go into to (a number of companies sell these). They will keep the resistance high and protect your floors. If you find the right spot putting them into the floors does yield better results, but at obvious cosmetic expense.

Another possibility is the Aurios. I'm using these between a granite platform and my Talon Khorus to good effect. Also tried Nordost pulsar points and DH cones, but like the Aurios better.

Another possibility is Polycrstal spikes (available from the cable co.) which would be a sonic improvement and will not make holes in your wood floors unless your kids use the speakers as skateboards-

Yeah, I prefer "Lovan's" little metal discs with indentation in the middle! You can put some sort of sorbothane rubber on the bottom for "adhesion". At any rate, it seems to work well

Right on Richards! I, too, love the Aurios! I think that they tighten the bass (although upon first hearing, some people perceive less bass. This is actually the removal of distortion artifacts, which can produce a boomy bass). Imaging in the sound stage also improves!

To make leveling with spikes possible without puncturing the wood floor, I chamfered eight pennies in their centers with a quarter inch drill bit and put these under my spikes. Cheap and easy!

The spikes may not be needed at all. I once had my Thiels on hardwood - made no significant difference with or without the spikes (I spiked them on thick ceramic tile) in my room. The purpose of the spikes for Thiels, IMO, is more to couple the speakers to the floor over carpeting than vibration control. The Thiels are very very solid, so I don't think vibration is as big of an issue with them. In my opinion, I don't necessarily agree with "... I know I should be using them up on the spikes ...". Of course, your situation is most likely different than mine - my speakers are placed where the side and rear walls are not a significant factor.

Polycrystal makes a product called "cone-coasters." You can read about this on their website. I had the same problem you had. Cone-Coasters solved it.

http://www.audiopoints.com has brass coupling disks.

thanks to all so far. again, this is why i love this site. i'll consider your recommendations (the penny solution is definitely the most creative). As for whether "i should be using the spikes" i appreciate your take GS5556. I found that there was a noticiable difference when i put my old 3.6s up on spikes so i was just assuming the same would hold for the 6s. Unfortunately, i am limited in terms of speaker placement (they are close to a wall behind them and not far from walls on either side). Perhaps in this situation getting the speakers up on the spikes seemed to open up the sound (at least they did for the 3.6s) and provided a cleaner, less muddy bass).

anyway, thanks again for everyone's help.

Hey, maybe it's just me -- or, more likely, the exceptionally spongy nature of my floor "hardwood" floor -- but I've had my Thiel 2.3's on spikes, and the spikes on pennies, for about three years. So far, the spikes have literally drilled through about 8 pennies (I replace them from time to time). I'm seriously considering a major upgrade . . . to nickles. Figure it will cost me about 30 cents for a full set of six. I think it might be worth it.

Some people use big round furniture glides instead of spikes. They're cheap at Home Depot.

Rockvirgo, the men in the black helicopters are headed over to your house right about now....:)

Thanks Karls, I better put the kettle on. Did I mention how handy $100 bills are for lighting the stove?

You could try Vibrapods, that's what I use between my floorstanders and a piece of laminated glass on carpet over hardwood, suspended floor. Sounds very good to me.

http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize011999.htm
http://www.vibrapod.com/Reviews/tas.htm

Harmonic Resolution Systems Nimbus pucks. Info at www.avisolation. They've worked wonders in my system.

I really wouldn't fret too much over this. Your speakers are probably heavy enough that the difference would be negligible. In fact the spikes could possibly make the sound worse, by exciting the floor boards.

Apcd discs from Starsound are the perfect mate to speed away the resonant noise and protect your valuable floor. Recommend replacing the steel spikes with the brass Audiopoints. You will hear a major improvement with these devices. They will not dampen, kill dynamics or slow down your Thiels like the rubber devices made by others.