Keeping standmount speakers steady

[JohnNB]

I have a long-standing issue with my stand mounted speakers. They are largish Spender SP1s on tubular steel stands. They sit on an old Victorian suspended wooden floor and sway a little with any movement around them. I've weighted them on top with 5kg weights. This has helped, but I'd still like them more stable. A friend suggested placing 3 small blocks under the stands (he reckons 3 legs better than 4!) Again, slight improvement but still not entirely stable. I'm thinking of drilling through the stands and screwing them to the floor. Will this work, or would it be detrimental to the sound?

[struth]

think they prefer 18" open type stands.. if stands are not sitting correctly on floor then maybe fit some granite or wood plinths for them(stands) to sit on

[Sherwood]

think they prefer 18" open type stands.. if stands are not sitting correctly on floor then maybe fit some granite or wood plinths for them(stands) to sit on

+1 for plinths secured with blutac

[Pieoftheday]

I have a long-standing issue with my stand mounted speakers. They are largish Spender SP1s on tubular steel stands. They sit on an old Victorian suspended wooden floor and sway a little with any movement around them. I've weighted them on top with 5kg weights. This has helped, but I'd still like them more stable. A friend suggested placing 3 small blocks under the stands (he reckons 3 legs better than 4!) Again, slight improvement but still not entirely stable. I'm thinking of drilling through the stands and screwing them to the floor. Will this work, or would it be detrimental to the sound?

Personally I found the tripod support thing with amps or CD players crap. With regard to speakers I found hifiracks speaker stands great and even though much lighter than fillerble metal stands there was far less movement

[JohnNB]

The stands are 18inch high, and Spendor approved the design. I also use blue tac between stands and floor - but still too much wobble! I could try them on a couple of paving slabs, but I fear the slab would then move. I thought screwing them down would solve the problem but you don't think this would work Grant?.

[Edward]

Try get the centre of gravity nearer the floor. If you can mount a weight of some sort under the speakers and between the tubes that will help. (old photographer tripod trick).

[JohnNB]

I think the stands are the hifiracks ones James - square tubular frame type. The three feet haven't made them worse, but not sure about better - the one-legged back moves very easily

[Gaz]

Do you think your stands are unsteady or do you think the problem is the floor itself?
If the former, perhaps spikes on discs would steady them, if the latter, get a structural surveyor in, if your speakers are capable of causing significant movement in dozens of sq ft of 1/2 inch oak or pine nailed to 4x2 you've got problems lol

[Pigmy Pony]

If the speakers wobble when you're walking near them, it's the floor that needs sorting.

Is the underfloor space accessible? And can you fit under it? The floor joists probably rest on small brick walls at intervals, and they can move/settle over the decades. This can lead to the joists "hovering" over their supports in places. By using a car jack to slightly lift the joist, and then shimming into the space with something hard and permanent (not wood, pieces of slate are ideal) then lowering the joist back will sort things for a few more decades. Shimming it too much though will make other joists hover though, so don't go mad with it!

Sounds like a bit of a faff, but really it's quite simple. If I can do it (and I have) then anyone can :)

[goraman]

I also had this problem.
I went to Saunus stands and filled the bases of them with 60lbs.
Of number 12 lead shot, each stand, then added fine white sand to the top.
They where really hard to move .
Speakers seemed to benefit sonicly too.
I can't remember the model but they where their best stands each had 3 pillers to fill up.
Hear they are, the ultamate , at the time they where there statement stands ,seems they no longer make them as they where expensive compared to what the now offer.

[paulf-2007]

In my listening room in my barn I France, I shuttered a box under the suspended floor and filled with concrete. Speakers sit directly on the concrete covered with carpet tiles. Could be done under a wood floor

[graham67]

If you are putting stands directly in floor and floor is not overly wobbly, then one solution I have found is to replace the m6 or m8 spikes of the speaker stand with swivelling and tilt feet. Due to ball socket mount, they adapt to unevenness on floor. Then blu-tack speakers to stands.

See below for a good provider of these items:

http://www.castorsunlimited.co.uk/new-category/

To help damp a flexing floor, I have sometimes used granite slabs with discs of some manner (even coins) at each corner so that slab is free from floor. Then put speaker stands on slabs using thread on spikes or pucks to level. This will only work if floor boards or joists are not actually loose or broken.

[57charles]

If you are putting stands directly in floor and floor is not overly wobbly, then one solution I have found is to replace the m6 or m8 spikes of the speaker stand with swivelling and tilt feet. Due to ball socket mount, they adapt to unevenness on floor. Then blu-tack speakers to stands.

See below for a good provider of these items:

http://www.castorsunlimited.co.uk/new-category/

To help damp a flexing floor, I have sometimes used granite slabs with discs of some manner (even coins) at each corner so that slab is free from floor. Then put speaker stands on slabs using thread on spikes or pucks to level. This will only work if floor boards or joists are not actually loose or broken.
If your wooden floor is suspended, and stands have threads - presumably M6 or M8 - replace spikes with threaded feet - I got mine from Malvern Audio on ebay - and then buy discs of Sorbothane ensuring you choose the requisite Duro and place under feet. Don't use Blutak between stand and speaker. You will be amazed at the improvements - bass will be articulate and midrange beautiful.

[Spectral Morn]

think they prefer 18" open type stands.. if stands are not sitting correctly on floor then maybe fit some granite or wood plinths for them(stands) to sit on

Yes heavy 3 inch thick granite or slate plinths, one piece best, larger than foot print of stand, with cones underneath resting into the tops of large cross head screws, screwed into the floor. I had a similar problem years ago and that cured it and sorted out the bass issues a crap floor can bring.

[Spectral Morn]

In my listening room in my barn I France, I shuttered a box under the suspended floor and filled with concrete. Speakers sit directly on the concrete covered with carpet tiles. Could be done under a wood floor

That is one way of solving the problem, if its a down stairs room.

[goraman]

If the floor is flexing so much that speaker stands are not stable even when waited down then you need a good carpenter to repair the floor.

[Pigmy Pony]

If the floor is flexing so much that speaker stands are not stable even when waited down then you need a good carpenter to repair the floor.

It's so simple even a shit carpenter could fix it