How to stabilize speakers without spikes.

I second using the Herbie's Big Fat Dots. They have the same effect claimed by those who use spikes and absorb microphonics instead of channeling the virbrations in one plane only. I had the same results using them under my components as well. Well worth it.

Thanks folks for all your considerations. At least I now have options and options are always good! After years of playing (and buying) I felt that I had finally reached that place where I was pretty happy with the sound. And now this! The one plus here is that once a new floor is in, (That's the deal) I can start looking for new speakers. Geez, what we do to support our hobby!

Tom

Many years ago I owned the 'steens with sound anchor stands. I had wood floors and I simply put pennies with little felt dots on the bottom under the spikes. The whole operation probably cost about 10 cents.

After living with carpet over wood floors and spikes on my speakers for many years, my wife wants to have a wood floor (maybe tile) installed in our house

This will change the tonal balance of yr spkrs' response (usually upward). You'll get more mid-hi frequency reflections off the floor. This simply means that you probably have to change the spkr placement; you may get a more "airy", "detailed" (if slightly bass-light) sound -- and like it more.

As to the spikes you're using: you can continue using them by placing hard metal disks under the spikes (a nickel as suggested) -- but the result won't be exactly the same. Until now you've been coupling the spkrs to the floor mass... the metal disk will decouple them.

I strongly suggest you buy nothing and experiment with whatever you find at home -- or, in extremis -- just go to home depot & buy 3 vibration control puks.

Although my original post got lost in Audiogon never-never land, agree with Wellfed recommending Herbie's "Big Fat Black Dots".
Maybe there should be a contest to invent a more elegant name for these superb footers?
The impressive audible improvement is not critically dependent on the material beneath a "Dot".
Simply position a single floor tile under the front of each speaker raising the floor height just under the front of the speaker. Then the two front "Dots" go on top of this tile.
As far as floor material for an entire room, wood is traditionally better than tile when trying to reduce glare or listener fatigue. At least that's how it seems after listening to systems in many different environments.

Herbies Big Fat Black Dots are the ticket IME. Perhaps some type of shim could be used to tilt these.

I recommend you try Soundcare Superspikes (http://www.soundcare.no) and they won't scratch your wooden floors.

Take one of your Vandersteen spikes to the local hardware store and purchase either hex or carriage bolts with the same thread size. They won't harm the floor and will provide solid contact and can be adjustable for desired tilt. This will cost less than $5. Another option is to find similar products from an audiophile web site and pay $100+ for similar, but much fancier, product.
The hardware store option worked great on my Meadowlark Shearwater HRs.

Depending on what's under your hardwood floors, spikeless speakers might work well.

I recently sold my ProAc Response 2.5s to a co-worker who after almost 2 decades of being off the merry-go-round has begun building a system again. He had no idea how to install the ProAc plynths and spikes so he just placed the cabinets on his hardwood floors. When I went over to have a listen and help him tweak the placement I was shocked at how stable the speakers were and how great the bass sounded. It turns out he had concrete under the hardwood and the floors were well leveled.

I brought over some brass cups for his speaker spikes, but it turned out they weren't necessary.

you can still use spikes but you will need to get either the support discs or Target Spike Shoes. Support discs from Music Girect are all metal, they are affordable and do exactly what they supposed to besides there is no sound degradation. Target Spike Shoes that Cable Company sells are also affordable. They are metal on top but rubber on the bottom. I have spike shoes under my SolidSteel 5.4 component rack and Support Discs under my speakers. And use spikes without any damage to the floor.

If you don't have a carpet anymore, there is no reason to have spikes since there is nothing for them to bite into and improve stability. Just use the brass discs alone or coins. Hockey pucks might be a better solution for a wood floor like someone else suggested.

type in adona in the audiogon search and scroll down to his floor spikes and protectors for some ideas.

I would try Cerapucs by Finite Elemente. They do not have spikes to damage the floor and come in several sizes. See info:
http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=AFINCERAPUC

I'm with Warrenh for the most part, but I would say it depends on what you are coupling with. Hardwood floors (especially those without adequate subflooring) move around a lot so decoupling might be the best bet in your case. There's really only one way to find out for sure and that's to experiment!

As far as the acoustics being altered with the new floors- chin up! Some of the best studios in the world implement a little audio action with brick, stone, wood, and other reflective surfaces to liven up an otherwise dead room. It isn't exactly a reference attribute with regard to playback but it can often make for a more enjoyable system so long as it's not too out of control. A large rug and your furniture along with the wood floors might just end up being an improvement over carpet alone.

Good luck.

Use Harmonix footers under the spikes. They are expensive but actually improve the sound (at least in my case it did, tightening bass and adding some needed warmth).

Two different applications: hockey pucks = decoupling/isolating.
spikes = coupling

I love the results from coupling and it is much easier to achieve than isolating/decoupling--which is near impossible, especially from airborne resonances. I'd keep the spikes and put a penny or the like between the spike and the floor. Brass is an excellent coupler.

Many people just use a nickel under the spikes to keep from marking up the floor.
Ben

Try some hockey pucks. Cheap & effective.

Thanks RW. Concerning the hard, reflective surface, that has been my argument all along. Now that I've lost, I'm already composing my second question about that once the new floor is in.

Tom

>> What would you pros do now? <<

Ummm, get a new wife? Just kidding. I'd find some spike cups and place them under the spikes.

Keep in mind, replacing your carpeted floor with a hard-reflecting wood or tile surface is gonna do a number on your sound. Be prepared to dial it in again...

-RW-