Spikes versus wall coupling

TWL I was the one who started this thread and I would love to hear what your ideas are on vibration control. No need to response to Barry or others point by point, rather just give your feelings on the best way the deal with 185 lbs speakers on woood floor to get the best sound.
Joe

Rushton Your point is well taken:)
But I looked at the prices on Walker - yikes! Any lower cost points that you like, perhaps mapleshade? I think that I will try both points and cork (or cork-pucks) and see what sounds best

Newbee
I am not laughing at all. This is my feeling too, that isolation would be better, unless you are trying to bleed vibration out of the speakers. With isolation I would think that you dont have to worry about vibration generated by the speakers going into the floor and then rebounding back into the speakers at the wrong time. The pucks or other devices make sense, but why not directly put the felt or cork under the speakers?

Thanks you all for your input. I get the impression that it has never been fully settled whether it is better to isolate or couple speakers. Am I correct that here are two schools of thought? Is the same true for components (some folks isolate and some couple :)

MarkPhD Thank you for your detailed response. I may be dense but if you are trying to decouple the speakers by using spikes, could you not also decouple using cork, felt or rubber, or combination products such as (VIBRATION ISOLATION PADS or Klein Tech Systems Iso-Damp Discs vibration isolation pad - both from the tweeks page) and get the same result without damaging the wood floors and still being able to move speakers more easily.
I assume these absorbant materials do not pass vibrations easily. Are you saying that spikes are better becuase they also anchor the cabinet and prevent the small cabinet movements that rubber etc might allow?

MarkPHD thank you and all others who have posted. I am clearer now on the issue. For me logically it makes sense for the speakers to have something very solid to push against so that the movement of the drivers is all in the correct direction, and spikes also isolate due to their small surface - cork, felt and rubber would tend to compress under 185 lbs speakers and behave more like a solid and transmit vibration, and therefore the spikes are most apprropiate.
For underneath lighter components with less intrinsic vibration I think these materials might be more appropiate to isolate the components, absoring vibration both from the component and from the shelf.

Barry Thanks for your detailed reposnse. I have checked out your well recommended products and understand the theory. You state "A speaker resting directly on a hard floor does not usually sit as flat as we assume it will. Both the floor and the bottom of the speaker cabinet are not truly flat and “chatter” between the two does occur. Again, wasted energy"
Therefore, how do you ideally couple the bottom of the speaker to your platform, or other such masses. Do you use the isolating nodes, or have them flat against each other?
Thanks
Joe

I personally am enjoying the thread, being the curious and obsessive type. I want to penetrate to a good understanding if possible. All your comments are helping me do this. I think I am leaning right now to just putting a big rock on top of my speakers and resting them directly in sand, lol. Unless of couse Barry's product is cheaper than I expect - just kidding Barry, you have been devoted in trying to explain this and I appreciate it emmensely and asked for a price quote today.
I am also an very intuitiive guy - make a living teaching meditation, and intuitively I dont like spikes.
Joe

The best part of my day is when I turn on the music. As a thank you gift for all of you who have responded, I would like to turn you on to two recordings that I have recently purchased that are splendid. Both recordings are beautifully done. The first Is Al Lee's Ain't Playing the Game by MapleShade (acuostic guitar, great lyrics described as James Taylor with cojones). The second is Arcadi Volodos Piano Transcriptions by Sony - amazingly beautiful in everyway.

Newbee, I teach meditation not mediation. OM! Though through meditation I have absolute respect for the process of mediation. Both increase the peace in the world. Thanks for the Schubert tip - I love much of Schubert. Has Barry convinced you yet:)