I’m not surprised the Townsend Podiums have such a positive effect on the Fact speakers. Those little outrigger strips PMC supply for them seems a poor design choice imho. Yes they look elegant, but somewhat insubstantial and as an afterthought for such an otherwise premium appointed speaker.
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HH,
There is more than enough confrontation and disagreement in the world today so I have removed my post. It is your call on whether you wish to leave your first post.
Best regards, BF
Hi Peter,
I’m glad you’ve been able to optimize your system even more.
Those Podiums sure make a difference! I guess they are particularly effective at reducing vibrations transmission at low frequencies , which of course leads to clarity in the upper mids and highs.
I never understood the interest of using spikes. From a mechanical point of view they do not decouple the speaker from floor. In fact, spikes are rather good vibration conductors 
I had a similar experience with Magico S-PODs.
I used my speakers without the S-PODs for several weeks then mounted the PODs. What a difference!!! Those little buggers are awfully expensive but really efficient at absorbing vibrations.
Enjoy your “new” speakers!
Hi Peter
You said that you put the Podiums where the Facts were previously.
Are you planning to try other positions to see how that effects the sound?
Jim
I think these floor interactions are just another variable, in a long list, which need to be experimented with. Of course, folklore for standmounts was/is for heavy metal stands, often filled with fine sand and even lead-shot.
Raidho (I think a high end Danish brand) have some standmount/bookshelf speakers and (IIRC) the dedicated stand isn’t at all rigid. I think there are other brands which have cottoned on this too.
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Hi JimDog.
Going back to my original site for speaker placement is not a floor/speaker interaction consideration, but based on where I know they work best acoustically. 
ATB Peter
Hi Thomas.
Indeed amazing what taking out that deleterious interface does for the enhanced musical enjoyment. I’m chuffed to see others here sharing their experiences with various means of designs all come to the same conclusion. The clarity and amount of detail reproduced is really something else. I was playing the last track earlier on Buddy Guy’s Blues Singer album and had never before heard him licking his lips at one point. His vocal is simply reproduced beautifully with so much verve and emotion. It’s all good stuff! Enjoy your weekend Thomas, Peter.
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I use Townsend Pods under my turntable and they are equally as effective as underneath the speakers.
I first used Townsend Isolation Bars some 5/6 years ago and would never go back to spikes.
Whoah Gerry …it’s been a while. Hope you are keeping well and I’m sure like me enjoying retirement.
All the best Peter
Hi Peter,
Yes I am thanks, looks like all is well with you also.
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Most of those heavy stands look dreadful to me. I get that for some people, looks are completely eclipsed by functionality and sound quality, but for me there’s a limit to what I’m prepared to have on view, and oil rigs in my living room are definitely out!
I could happily live with some of those tripod designs made of tubular steel, or better still, wood.
Then there are Naim’s N-Stands, another design that’s not at all bulky or particularly rigid.
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Not a fan of Hutter then? – like me.
I would agree Chris, they are a bit crude! 
ATB Peter
Nothing could be further from the truth. 
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My standmounts are on a suspended wood floor. I found the Podiums leaned-out my sound too much. Previously, Stillpoints under big floorstanders did an excellent job. I’ve yet to try them under the standmounts. But I’ll most probably keep the podiums for when I move back to floorstanders with more bass energy; because I suspect the effect will be positive. I’ve also got Townsend isolation pods under my t/t and am awaiting return of a repaired phono amp with great anticipation of the result.
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As Much as I think the Townshend Bases work as described I would not recommend them for
Standmount speakers --especially those with large heavy stands . I tried the Speaker Spring bases-similar to the Podiums under my SF Guarneri’s and the sound did not improve even after lengthy
listening in/out.
Discussing this with another industry expert on Speaker isolation, he stated that the Stands themselves
would contribute to the Sonics -or rather lack of difference . he said they would be fine for Floorstanders but not so much for Standmounts.
So try -yes I liked the products and Max is character and helpful but sure use the trial or return if you have too.
D41
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Dear All
I just don’t get it…but, maybe someone could explain, if my thinking is too simplistic.
Surely, the idea is to keep the 'speaker cabinet absolutely still, rather than ‘wobbling around’ on compliant supports…with the objective that it is the drivers that do all of the moving.
I can think of an exception; where the speakers are designed to wobble in a certain way, but surely this would be accomplished by the designer…without recourse the aftermarket devices?
Agreed, bonkers, isn’t it. And yet… it works.
Well I use PMC MB2se on their own heavy dedicated stands. I can tell you the Podiums make a massive improvement , just as PeterR described. I don’t think it matters if you have stands/speakers or floor standers , the Podiums will still give total isolation from the floor effect.
The Gaia as far as I know works similarly, and there the idea is that you get the advantages of decoupling without the disadvantages that traditionally came with it, by having little compliance in the longitudinal direction (in which the drivers move).
As for the larger point: one wonders, but the same could be said for any aftermarket feet. E.g. regarding Stillpoints or Cerabases, “surely if the speaker was supposed to be on ceramic balls, the speaker designer would have done this”. But nevertheless, many such solutions have benefits. One explanation might be that if my speakers came with Ceraballs or Townshends, they would be 20% more expensive