suspending monitors from the ceiling

Wonka's experiment is not the only one.  It's pure and simple physics. 

Of course, a lot of things come into play.  The location of the driver, the volume, the mass of the speaker, and the location of the driver relative to the stand.  Tall, skinny, lightweight speakers with drivers waaaay up high are going to have more of a problem than super heavy, and inert speakers with big woofers next to the floor.

What is the difference between suspension and springs which allows movement in all directions? Townshend's platforms come to mind.

I don't know Townhend's products but here are the requirements for a great speaker stand:

1 - Prevents the speakers from coupling to the floor, and creating a new sound source in the floor.

2 - Fixes the speaker cabinet in 3 dimensions so it is impossible for the drivers to move them.

#2 is why several audiphiles have reported good results simply putting 10 lb weights on top.  #1 is often well achieved by minimizing the surface area contact from the speaker to the floor, or bookshelf.

The problem with suspended speakers is the motors move the cabinets as well as the drivers, causing a form of Doppler distortion.  So, by no means ideal, but if that is what you need to do to enjoy music, do it.