View Full Version : Weights on speakers
Hello. This is my first post. I have been upgrading my ageing system for the last couple of years - the latest and most significant upgrade being the re-building of my old Thorens TD160 with new suspension, tone arm and cartridge. I am currently trying to make my speakers more stable. The Spendor SP1s are large and quite heavy but sit on a wooden suspended floor which is springy on one side. The speakers are reasonably stable on open stands but the floorboards cause some movement. I have experimented with isolation feet, which didn't work as the speakers wobbled around alarmingly and the sound deteriorated significantly. I have read about weighting down speakers and wondered if anyone has experience of doing this. I have tried placing some 5kg weights on each speaker and that seems to produce a cleaner bass. I can't find any literature about the finer points of doing this and would welcome any advice.
walpurgis
07-11-2015, 18:27
Hi John. Welcome to AOS.
Tell us a bit more about yourself.
What music do you like and what is the rest of your system and do you have any changes planned?
You should find plenty to interest you here. If you want to ask questions about your speakers, visit the Blank Canvas area and start a thread there where everybody will see it and you should get some replies.
Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.
Hi,
You really need to properly introduce yourself and give details of the whole system, music tastes etc. as part of the membership here..
Back to your question. Spendor SP1's have thin wall cabinets which are designed to flex to a certain extent, thus keeping the midrange clean but maybe making the bass less good as a result - this technique has been CONSIDERABLY refined since the early 70's BC1 and BC2 and I suspect the SP1 was also 'stiffer' than my rather 'talky' BC2 boxes. As a result, my recommendation would be to go for some Something Solid stands, which can be custom sized to your speakers, supporting them at their bottom corners and leaving the panels free. Bottom spikes will couple better to the floor and spike 'shoes' can be used if your floor is polished and not to be pierced by spikes.
If you still have flexible floor issues, one cheap if inelegant thing to try is a paving slab under each speaker stand. A reviewer friend of mine fixed some attractive tiles on top to partially mask off the appearance and stood the spiked stands on top of this. Results were very good indeed and much cheaper than 'designer' granite plinths and similar.
Thanks Geoff. Don't know my way around the site yet, but will follow your advice. I included details of my system on my profile and thought this would be visible, but maybe not?
That's really interesting Dave. I hadn't thought of anything as radical as paving slabs! I have some left over from patio so will give it a go. I could even cut into the floor and have them inlaid if it works. Are you advising against weights on top because of the Spendors design? I love the SP1s though.Upgraded from BC1s which I've had since the 70s. Good to hear of another Spendor fan. I'll check out the stands you mention too, although the ones I have seem to do a good job. Got em 2nd hand. Think they may be Target.
walpurgis
07-11-2015, 19:39
I included details of my system on my profile and thought this would be visible, but maybe not?
Hi John. An outline description of your system in your intro post is not mandatory. I asked because most people just include one. You could always do as I and some others do and add one to your signature, so it appears at the bottom of each new post that is made. That's not obligatory either. Hope you like being here! :)
My BC2's (which I sold to their original owner late on 1974, the first 'proper' speakers I ever sold, so they have huge sentimental value to me) are sat on 12" target open stands, to which I've added 28mm feet on the top rails as spacers for the speakers to sit on. The stands are spiked at the bottom. Similar stands were sold extensively with SP1's I think and they work very well.
Try the paving slabs and see how you get on. Not sure I'd cut them into the floor though, but that's up to you. Another possible option is to reinforce the floor with MDF 'islands' firmly screwed to the floor underneath.
I like the SP1's very much. The series 1 model doesn't seem to suffer the main driver surround hardening that afflicts the SP1/2 and related SP2 models. They love a good powerful amp such as a Krell and were even Naim compatible :eek: as well as working just fine with a Quad 405-2 and 606 (a 306 isn't quite 'there' for rock and jazz with these imo). Alex_UK here uses a Rega Brio R and the lively quality comes through well. By inference, the Elex R and Elicit R would be even better.
pgarrish
08-11-2015, 15:47
I found that putting my valve mono's on top of my Cheviots made a big improvement to the speakers. Unfortunately the amps rung a bit with the vibration, but the extra mass certainly helped
Hi Dave. MDF screwed to the floor sounds like a better option - less severe and easier on the eye than paving. As mentioned, I tried isolation pods under the speakers, but they were unstable. How do you get the feet to hold the speakers firmly? I have spikes on the top rail with the speakers sitting on them -this seems to work well, with blue tac underneath the stands. I agree that the Spendors need powerful amplification. I ran them for awhile with a Rotel RA-01 which gave a smooth, well balanced sound, but the 40 watts struggled at anything over moderate volume levels. I then tried a Yamaha AS-500. This had more punch but the sound was too bright and a little brittle. Finally settled on the Roksan K2 and I heard the potential of the speakers for the first time. I think it's a great match.
They were showing just the thing at the Windsor Hi Fi News show last month:
http://i65.tinypic.com/2lnuvbs.jpg
Yes big leather sandbags if you can find someone to make u some up. Im still looking for a nice but cheapish option re that. Those tobacco style pouches are ideal
What are those sinister looking things - are they the leather sandbags Struth mentions in the next post? And does sand have acoustic properties that my 5kg weights don't? After Dave's point that Spendor SP!s need to flex a little as part of the design I've put the weights on the bottom of the stands. This seems to have the same affect, and is less intrusive.
walpurgis
09-11-2015, 19:54
And does sand have acoustic properties that my 5kg weights don't?
I can't comment on your 5kg weights, but sand particles (and other stone particles/granules) interlock mechanically and resist vibration very well. Try kicking a bag of sand, hardly going to ring is it! :) This makes it a good material for filling stands for instance.
If the o.p. is prepared to cut into the floor I suggest getting the wobbly bit sorted instead.
I wonder if a Seagram's Crown Royal bag filled with lead shot would do the same thing?
What are those sinister looking things - are they the leather sandbags Struth mentions in the next post? And does sand have acoustic properties that my 5kg weights don't? After Dave's point that Spendor SP!s need to flex a little as part of the design I've put the weights on the bottom of the stands. This seems to have the same affect, and is less intrusive.
They're Entreq Vibb Eaters. http://www.entreq.com/products/accessories-17667732
Looks like a morbidly obese rat wearing a red bolo tie. I think the novelty of having those things staring at me every time I try to listen to music would wear thin pretty quickly. Like before the first album side is done.
I wonder if a Seagram's Crown Royal bag filled with lead shot would do the same thing?
probably would. think sand or grit blast would be better than ball shot. you want something that links well with its neighbours if possible
I might be incorrect, however I think that the Entreq Rat's do in fact contain small metal shot.
Used to have tons of these products lying around too:doh: sand, grit. metal grit shot and full steel shot. couldnt give the stuff away... now I see how I could ave made my fortune....so sad
Buy good hifi/enjoymusic/dontstress
All of the best to all re-buying for too much inferior replications of best recorded music etc.
walpurgis
09-11-2015, 21:36
Ordinary gravel would be fine. As long as it is dried out before use. I've used it in speaker stands effectively. I'd imagine a canvas or leather bag filled with it would be OK as a weight on top of speakers.
Like this: http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/gravel---maxipack---10mm-921248
Bagged gravel or sand sounds the way to go, sonically if not aesthetically. Don't know if I could live with the weird shape though, but it would be lot cheaper than the 20mm thick granite slabs, which were estimated at £120 a pair cut to fit the top of the speakers, still leaving me with a flat surface for album cover etc.
Cutting into the floor does seem a little extreme on reflection, but it would be tricky to fix the loose floorboards as we laid a new floor on top of the existing floorboards. Screwing down some MDF seems favourite.
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