Vibration dampening

This is an interesting discussion. I know a sound engineer from college and recently met a manufacturer of sound isolation gizmos. They had some interesting insights.

For most components, wool balls provide the best vibration buffer. Wool diffuses the vibrations randomly. It has no sympathetic frequencies and transmits a lower amount of vibration than any other substance. I buy wool dryer balls and cut them in half to put underneath my CD player and other sources with mechanics. Works a charm.

For heavier things like speakers, Steve recommends wood hemispheres. A half globe has exactly the same amount of contact with the ground or the gear as a spike - one point. Generally, a sphere spreads the vibration more. Wood is also better than most metals at dampening vibrations. (They can also be painted or stained to match your speakers.) Steve chuckled at the design of most audio gear solutions. He said most spikes and springs are like putting your equipment on tuning forks. Any isolation will help matters, but sympathetic resonances from "tuning fork" arrangements might create unwanted peaks and dips.

Attached are a photo of my CD player on its half balls, a picture of the 10 dollar box of wool dryer balls I bought at the grocery store to make them, and a 5 dollar bag of wooden hemispheres I bought at a craft store. Woolen Ball Supports  Dryer Balls Wooden Hemispheres

Of course, YMMV. Acoustics is a situation best addressed by experts, as each room and system produces different patterns and distribution of sounds and frequencies.Some rooms match your system marvelously, some not so much. Given that most of us cannot rigorously measure the sound in our rooms and determine with professional certainty what solutions will work, I use Jordan’s razor - start with the simplest, cheapest effective solution and see whether that does enough. As all audiophiles know, there is always someone looking to sell you an expensive solution based on little more than knowing you have a problem to solve. Which is not to say that you might not need an expensive solution, just that you might not need an expensive solution. There are a million ways to shield components. If vibrations annoy you, try until you smooth them out.

it implies a few issues if the subs vibrate - it must sound "shaky". I wouldn't solve it by fixing whatever it is connecting it to the floor, I would eliminate the vibration. 

I have used Herbies products and I think you need to decide if you want to couple the sub to the floor or isolate it. I use Townshend Podium products to isolate my speakers from the floor (suspended wood) rather than coupling.  Isolation made a significant difference and for my application, they are a essential componet.

I have laminate floors.  My subs are on SVS Soundpath feet, then on a heavy travertine plinth, then on rubber and cork anti-vibration pads.  Definitely tightens up the bass. 

I have laminate floors and I also use the SVS Soundpath feet under my Velodyne DD 10 sub. In my case, the sub sits on a small slab of granite (19" x 16"), which in turn sits on a thin rubber mat of the same size. I am happy with the sound and even happier that my adjacent neighbors don't complain. Lots of good advice here, so best of luck with your particular situation.