View Full Version : Speaker stands: High mass or Low mass?
Im not looking for stands at the moment but its one of those details i ponder when works quiet.
There seems to be a fair division of camps, those who use big metal stands like Partingtons ( me ) and those who use torlyte or perspex. There is no clear consensus ive read from audio hobbyists. People experiment with spikes/no spikes but with stands i think its one of those things you buy once and forget about but i have heard of extreme cases of speakers hanging from ceilings :eek:
I have played with several different stands.
What I have found is very high mass stands coupled to both the speaker and the floor gives you the most the speaker has to offer.
I use these filled with number#9 and #12 lead shot mixed and a little white sand,you can hardly lift them. 50lbs shot each stand then add some white sand and tamp till it's full.
I blue tacked the speakers to the top steel plate and they are spiked and pushed hard into the carpeted floor.
Bass becomes very tight and much faster having a stable foundation to support it's cabinet from unwanted vibration.
Here are mine.
http://www.home-technology-store.com/Audio-Video/SA-UF22.aspx
They come in taller sizes for smaller speakers too.
http://www.theaterseatstore.com/entertainment-furniture/sanus-speaker-stand
They look nice. Especially the base. Price is good too.
I have played with several different stands.
What I have found is very high mass stands coupled to both the speaker and the floor gives you the most the speaker has to offer.
I use these filled with number#9 and #12 lead shot mixed and a little white [/url]
That sounds like a good idea.
I have a pair of Atacama Nexus 6 (http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/product_id/443) stands to bear my rears. Although they can, they are not filled and hence pretty wobbly as they stand on an oak parquet floor.
Also their 4 spikes per stand doesn't contribute to its stability.
Maybe I should/will experiment with white sand and/or lead shot.
That sounds like a good idea.
I have a pair of Atacama Nexus 6 (http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/product_id/443) stands to bear my rears. Although they can, they are not filled and hence pretty wobbly as they stand on an oak parquet floor.
Also their 4 spikes per stand doesn't contribute to its stability.
Maybe I should/will experiment with white sand and/or lead shot.
The lead shot is a must but it can be pricey so look for reclaimed shot if you can find it.
Most skeet or trap clubs will have it.
I'll try find some but these clubs are not as common here in the Netherlands as they're in the US.
Or try and get some Atacama Atabites (http://www.atacama-audio.co.uk/atabites.htm) - specifically made for the job.
Stratmangler
11-06-2011, 08:17
Kiln dried sand is good http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9273147
You should be able to get it in the Netherlands.
chris@panteg
11-06-2011, 08:32
Kiln dried sand is good [url]http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j
You should be able to get it in the Netherlands.
Morning Chris
I use that stuff , does the job and cheap !
Stratmangler
11-06-2011, 08:38
Morning Chris
I use that stuff , does the job and cheap !
Morning Chris :)
It's completely non resonant too.
I'll try "bird sand", the sand used in bird cages. It costs a couple of euros for a 5kg bag and is supposed to do the job well. At least that is what some forums tell.
Stratmangler
11-06-2011, 08:42
I'll try "bird sand", the sand used in bird cages. It costs a couple of euros for a 5kg bag and is supposed to do the job well. At least that is what some forums tell.
If you've had your Atacama stands from new then they should have been supplied with a pair of large polythene bags to contain such filler material.
I know my SE24's did.
They didn't include those. The local pet shop will provide enough filler material though.
Jac Hawk
11-06-2011, 11:10
No one's mentioned the floor:eek: the stand is what couples the speaker to the ground, and unfortunately not everyone has a solid floor, most folks in the UK have suspended wood or chipboard flooring that unfortunately brings it's own problems. For my ears i don't think it matters a great deal what sort of stands you have on a solid floor, as long as you get the height of them right, however on wood floor, personally i would go with Hi Mass on spikes, wooden floors tend to make the bass go flabby and IMHO using a heavy stand with spikes isolates the speaker better giving the bass a more controlled and focused sound. I've got a set of Atacama SE24's and i've tried all sorts off filling, sand, shot, etc. but I found the stuff that Atacama sells itself gives the best results, it's not cheap though:(
Years ago I bought a bag of cat litter and filled my Mission Stancette's with them. I was a cheap skate, but it made an improvement for only a couple of quid.
I'm still a cheap skate now :lol:
Some speakers NEED heavy and solid stands, whereas others like to have a light but rigid support. Having said that, the attitude of one revered speaker designer is that you can use anything you like - books, plant pots etc. as long as the speakers have got to the correct height.
Apparently, a speaker I recently heard which sounded truly apalling is transformed if it's got level, one or two degrees kills it :mental:
I've never heard any speaker that sounded better on high mass stands.
They seem to increase bass but mess up the timing.
Paul.
The mass of lead is a must have the sand helps to absorb vibration too but it's not the same.You need both to do it right.
It dose not mess with timing,well unless your stereo is handicapped.:brickwall:
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