For speaker stands and spikes, keep it simple by sticking to ideas that make sense and seem practical. If an idea is expensive and seems like audio voodoo, avoid it.
Yes, as others have already said above, you need stands to raise smaller speaker cabinets to your face level while you are seated. They must be stable and should not vibrate. Materials like wood, steel, plastic all work. Some stands have hollow steel or plastic tubes that vibrate less and may be more stable (bottom heavy) if you fill them with sand or lead shot. Spikes under speakers or stands make them more stable on carpets by penetrating the carpet. Obviously this does not work on hard floors. End of story.
Any claims of audible improvements due to stands or spikes should be taken with a large grain of salt. I am always confused by statements about decoupling speakers from or coupling speakers to the floor, and I think I'm not the only one.
I've seen people who paid good money for audiophile spikes, put them on hardwood floors, and then buy expensive spike discs to protect the floor from the spikes. Nickels (or quarters, if you have expensive speakers) do the same job. Rubber furniture feet also work well.
