Footers under new speakers

I think the 2 major factors in deciding whether to use footers or not are of course the type of floor you are on and the speakers themselves. A suspended wood floor would definitely require footers of some type regardless of speaker used. On a concrete floor you won’t get near the vibrations but still may benefit from footers. I think this is where the type of speaker you have comes in. Smaller lighter speakers might still be susceptible to vibrations but a heavier speaker    with a very robust cabinet I believe would not realize much benefit. I put a dual indicator on top of my speaker with no sound and the needle didn’t move. I then played music including heavy bass edm and the needle move .006-.008 of an inch. Very little vibration in my opinion. 
@hilde45 

In your test at your friends house what is the jump you are talking about when tapping on one speaker? Was it a jump in sound or did you do a measurement like I did? 

@buellrider97,

Misconceptions about loudspeaker spikes see here and here. 

Mike

When using Cabinet Speakers there is a lot that can be achieved by setting them up to be at a particular Dimension Spacing Between Speakers,  Speaker Toe In and the Vertical Plumb selected for the Front Baffle albeit, set perfect plumb or with a lean towards the Listener or to lean away from the Listener, a 1/2" inch to 1" inch lean can really nail the presentation from the Speaker when the other ideal dimensions for Spacing and the Toe In are discovered for the Room and Listening Position.

The speediest Way to learn about changes without exerting too much energy is to place the Speakers on 4 wheel bogies/skids, this method will create an ’on the fly’ change option where Speaker manoeuvring is speedily executed.

Once it is felt the placement is quite accurate the Speaker Position can be marked on the Floor using a Tape of about 3" Inches thick, the tape is also best if one that can have a demarcation drawn onto it, as small incremental changes to the orientation can be tweaked using the demarcations.

When the Speakers are presenting in a way that is seemingly unable to improved upon, a cheap way to experience a suspended Speaker is to use Inflation Devices similar to those shown in the Link.

For approx’ £20 outlay, each Speaker whilst on the Skid can be gently lifted to take the weight of the Floor. This will supply most of what a purpose made suspension footer will produce.

Additionally it will introduce the Speaker Owner to how lively and precarious a Speaker is when set up as a suspended speaker.

When one is confident all that can be created as a betterment for the Speakers set up in the listening space is achieved, the selection of a Permanent Footer is then the next stage.

I am familiar with AT 616, Gaia and Townshend used under Speakers on Concrete Floors and they are all very very similar in what is the end sound produced.

I have also created a very very similar impression as the suspended method using a Five Tier Support under Speakers, being Cork Pads as the Base Footer(Isolator), a Sub Sub Plinth, Cork Pads as the next Isolator, a Sub Plinth, and then suspension or pad isolation between Sub Plinth and Speaker. The Choice of Suspension Isolation or Pad Isolation for the Top Tier serves more as a tuning method, than a solution. 

Sub Plinths can be a variety of materials and need not be expensive, alternating the materials to be the Sub Sub Plinth or Sub Plinth does at times create a change worth producing. A not too compressed Chip Board is one material I always keep available and ready to be used as a Tier.  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=inflatable+lifters&adgrpid=1174279341628466&hvadid=73392707061692&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=41557&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-73392619677444%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=22610_2286972&mcid=b0ac2dff81c0317aa436c43098617e79&msclkid=e7f83436e928144258d35c731d0ba858&tag=mh0a9-21&ref=pd_sl_8exbaujyv6_p  

@ronboco jump in measurement

@ditusa , thank you I stumbled across that recently on my trek to a new understanding. This perfectly illustrates what I’m now learning. There’s a quote about “ Contempt prior to investigation “, and I’m open to the wisdom shared and look at it as a time/money saver leading me in the correct direction. @pindac , thank you great info I shall study this further. I’m liking the bags  for experimenting and just trying to move 115lb speakers alone. Cheers , Mike B.