why spikes under speakers???


could you guys educate me about the use or need for spikes under speakers, it seems to me that putting an air pocket under a speaker would be the last thing you want to do, isnt bas about pressure? and if you put a gap of air between speakers and floor arent you losing some of what makes bass work? I am not claiming this to be bad, I simply want to pose my questions about this concept and get educated on why this is a good idea, and when it may not be a good idea...thanks
chadnliz
Actually, woofers can move enclosures. Try putting your cell phone on vibrate mode and set it on the counter. Watch what happens when it rings. It doesn't stand still..
I have achieved substantial improvement in the sound of tower speakers that were already spiked on a carpet, by placing them on a spiked stand on the carpet. I think that having the speaker lifted away from the carpet (even that it was already on spikes) seems to help the sound. I can't even begin to speculate why this is true. I don't think its tweeter height, as I do experiment with seating position height. I've done this with with several pairs of Thiels, Proac 2.5, Spendor FL-9 and now Silverline Sonatina II's. The degree of improvement always surprises me (you'd think I'd learn, but nah... ; - )
Art
Just to add to Goinbroke's correct explanation of what spikes are all about, the decoupling of the speakers will give an impression of less bass but in reality there will be more extesion in the lower region (less boom) and not only that but the overall sound will be cleaner.

I'm going to be lazy right now and not do the actual math, but the length of a low bass signal is about 20 feet or more, if I remember correctly. A space of 1-3 inches doesn't greatly diminish its transmission.

This leads me to another discussion that a friend brought up. If my listening room is 18 feet long by 12 feet wide, is there a practical limit to how low a bass signal I can hear in the room? That is, if the length is shorter than the distance between the low-bass waves, does that stop me from hearing them?