Whats the point of speaker stands?

[Mikeandvan]

I'm talking about for bookshelf speakers, just bought a pair of Spendor s3/5r, only 30cm tall, why can't they just sit on my Ikea Kallax shelf?

[Macca]

They can. Speaker stands are foo. I've been saying this for years but no-one listens.

[Beobloke]

Try sticking the Spendors on the floor and see how they sound then...

[Marco]

They can. Speaker stands are foo. I've been saying this for years but no-one listens.

Lol - bollocks!

Firstly, with most so-called 'bookshelf' speakers, in order to hear them properly, it's vital to have the tweeters at ear height (from the listening position), and the chances of achieving that by placing them on a bookshelf are virtually nil.

Secondly, is the question of isolation from the floor, in order to prevent the cabinets from picking up unwanted external vibrations, which will simply serve to colour the sound the drive units produce, then a properly-designed and well-built pair of stands will successfully address that issue.

Thirdly, you wouldn't like the sound of my Tannoys, placed directly on the floor in my room, in comparison with how they sound on their Mana platforms, because of what I've just outlined above, as even though they're far from being stand-mounted designs, the horn tweeters in the DC drive units benefit massively from being heard at ear level.

In that respect, there's a very distinct sweet spot for optimum listening!

So.... Speaker stands can do a vital job in a hi-fi system, no doubt

Marco.

[Marco]

eh? Aren't the vibrations coming from the cabinets in the first place? As for isolation, most stands don't do any isolating at all.

Yes of course, but you don't want any influence from that also coming from the floor, as it will further muddy the sound. Almost all stand-mounted speakers I've heard, when just plonked onto the floor, sound boomy in the bass, and rather 'one note' and un-tuneful there, with it.

I disagree about isolating (or decoupling for that matter); it all depends on how the stands in question are designed. Good ones, including their equipment support counterparts, help address how detrimental the effects of the surrounding environment can be to sensitive audio equipment.

Marco.

[GrahamS]

I'm talking about for bookshelf speakers, just bought a pair of Spendor s3/5r, only 30cm tall, why can't they just sit on my Ikea Kallax shelf?

I have my Wharfedale Diamond 9.1's on stands because I don't have a shelf.....

[walpurgis]

Try a pair of stands designed for Linn Kan or LS3/5a speakers. Should be about right.

[walpurgis]

Try a pair of stands designed for Linn Kan or LS3/5a speakers. Should be about right.

As I said.

If you ask on Private Exhibitions, I'll bet somebody has something to suit.

[Marco]

BTW, speaker stands may do more than just raise the speakers to the correct height etc., but that's the job they have to do first.

Absolutely. It's simply 'good practice' to use stands designed to properly support the speakers you're using, and as you say, raise them to the correct height, in order for them to perform as intended and be heard correctly by the listener.

In the same way that it's also 'good practice' to use decent cables, level your turntable, or do what's necessary in order for the components in your system to perform optimally.

For me, you're either in this game to do the job right, as a genuine enthusiast, or simply 'play at it', by doing the minimum possible in order for things to work to some sort of 'adequate standard' - and that's not the behaviour of a genuine enthusiast, who strives to have the best...

I was always brought up with the mantra of 'If you're going to do a job, then do it right', to the BEST of your ability - and that applies to how I set up a hi-fi system as much as when I'm painting a room, putting up a shelf or anything else.

Therefore, 'adequate', for me, is never enough! Especially when it comes to hi-fi....

I need to know that what I'm using is, as far as possible, performing at its *maximum potential*, which is why I'm a great believer in investing properly in the 'infrastructure' of a system: mains, stands, cables, supports, etc - all the 'unsexy' stuff, which experience tells me is vital to get right, in order for a system to perform optimally, and thus be truly musically rewarding.

However, you can go on about this stuff until you're blue in the face, because unfortunately some folks simply don't want to know, and would rather believe that all that matters are the boxes and speakers used, so that's where their money is spent, whilst virtually all else is ignored

It's no wonder, therefore, that so many of them are never happy with their systems, continually box-swapping and constantly chasing a 'sound in their heads' that they may never achieve, when much of that angst could be avoided (and money saved) if they concentrated instead on getting the basics right first, and with it, the system's infrastructure, thus allowing the boxes and speakers they've chosen to realise their FULL potential, before moving onto pastures new, continually making the same mistakes and getting nowhere...

<Rant over>

Marco.

[Macca]

You need them to get the things at the right height, agreed. A couple of three legged stools will do that. The idea that you need 2 grand (or more) worth of specially designed 'speaker-floor interfaces' is the bit that is bollocks.