Speaker Stand coupling

[chris_s]

hi folks,

Quick question - Speakers sat on stands which are then themselves sat on spikes - is it generally better, sonically, to ensure a tight coupling between the speaker and stand top-plate (ie mechanically attaching the speaker to the stand top plate with bolts) or is it best that they are sat on little isolation rubber/silicone pads on the stand top?

I have a pair of Tannoy Profile 632's which are sat on top of Atacama stands which are spiked onto brass discs on top of laminate floor.

Thanks

Chris.

[r100]

I am also interested in this question.
:popcorn:

[Pieoftheday]

hi folks,

Quick question - Speakers sat on stands which are then themselves sat on spikes - is it generally better, sonically, to ensure a tight coupling between the speaker and stand top-plate (ie mechanically attaching the speaker to the stand top plate with bolts) or is it best that they are sat on little isolation rubber/silicone pads on the stand top?

I have a pair of Tannoy Profile 632's which are sat on top of Atacama stands which are spiked onto brass discs on top of laminate floor.

Thanks

Chris.

hi chris, a small blob of blu tac in each corner of the top plate of the stand works a treat and helps to keep your speakers in place if they happen to take a bit of a knock :) jim

[Reffc]

Either can work well, Ensuring that whichever way is used, that a good stable connection is used which prevents the speaker moving is what matters. Some designs of speaker (ie thin walled) which tend to exhibit higher panel resonance amplitude with relatively good panel damping can sometimes be better spiked just to ensure that the base panel is lifted off the top of the stand. Open stand designs can also be used for these, with the speaker isolated at each corner using sorbothane or similar. I don't recommend Blu-tak for veneered speakers as the Blu-tak tends to bond to the veneer with time/pressure and can damage the veneer when lifted off. Sorbothane or similar rubberised hemispheres work well.

For heavier speakers, I prefer isolation pads, better still, these coupled to bolted fixings. This helps with panel damping and ensures a good rigid connection.

[chris_s]

The tannoys have a moulded plastic base which do have threaded inserts in them so can be spiked directly, plus they have a cutout underneath which would have matched the purpose built tannoy stands at the time. The awkward bit is their shape, kinda delta-shaped so at the moment it's "touches where it can" on the square stand top plate using small silicone buffers (the soft kind used on kitchen cabinets).

Chris.

[The Barbarian]

Since i was once a big Russ Andrews fan boy it was Torlyte stands, the speakers sat on Oak cones at the top of the stand...spiked on to the floor with hard surfaces such as concrete. Oak cones again on the bottom if it was a wooden Floor..

[worrasf]

From my own personal experince I think the answer (as is so often the case) is it depends on your system/speakers. As an example I have a pair of Ruark Epilogues on a pair of Lin Kann Mk2 open stands. I have used, spikes (as fitted to the stands), blue-tak and sorbothane domes - I preferred the sound when using the sorbothane domes. In contrast, my old Linn Kann Mk1's sounded "better" on the same stands using spikes

[weetabix]

Indeed, I've had the same experience with Stephen above, many years a go I had Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MKII's on the Dynaudio stands, I had 3 x downward facing cones onto the top-plate but found the synergy a little "dry" in delivery, so experimented with 4 blobs of Blu-Tac, which provided a more musical performance together with vibrancy.

Technically though, my mind was more for the downward-facing cones, but trusting my ears the Blu-Tac won me over way-more.

In summary, sometimes it's a case of experimenting and trusting your ears as to which sounds better and most pleasing.

[Pieoftheday]

Indeed, I've had the same experience with Stephen above, many years a go I had Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MKII's on the Dynaudio stands, I had 3 x downward facing cones onto the top-plate but found the synergy a little "dry" in delivery, so experimented with 4 blobs of Blu-Tac, which provided a more musical performance together with vibrancy.

Technically though, my mind was more for the downward-facing cones, but trusting my ears the Blu-Tac won me over way-more

In summary, sometimes it's a case of experimenting and trusting your ears as to which sounds better and most pleasing.

Like the avatar ! Blue tac does work and if it does damage the veneer on removal I'd guess it wouldn't harm the speakers value(much) I've had some decent vinyl veneers cope without a problem, ma bx2, and kef iq30:)

[maxrob200]

Blu-Tac under the speakers on to the stands works for me. Not Yellow-Tac, different composition IMO
Spikes on bottom stand to floor or onto coins so that they don't damage the floor boards. If carpet, then spikes alone should not be a problem.
I find that filling the stands with sand or a mixture of sand and lead shot contributes to better sound as well

[hifinutt]

just to put a spoke in the works I prefer townshends decoupling stands . makes a substantial upgrade

http://www.townshendaudio.com/hi-fi-home-cinema-equipment-vibration-isolation/hi-fi-home-cinema-vibration-isolation-speaker-podiums/

these are mine
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg160/phil125/P1030986_zps7e58bce6.jpg (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/phil125/media/P1030986_zps7e58bce6.jpg.html)

[zanash]

try a a layer of large bubble ...bubble wrap ....you maybe very surprised at the results. But as people have said its highly system /stand /floor /room dependent.

[Wakefield Turntables]

My 56kg ATCs sit on a 6mm piece of sorbothane cut to the speakers footprint which then sits on sand filled atacarma stands. This setup sounds best to me.

[ReggieB]

I would strongly recommend that you DON'T use Blu-Tack. I used some on some KEF iQ30, and they were in place for a year or so. When I took them off the stands to sell them (My Spendors were beckoning), the Blu-Tack ripped a hole in the veneer on the bottom of the speakers.

I now use sticky rubber feet stuck to the stands.