Metal Speaker Stands V Wooden Stands.

[brian2957]

I currently use metal speaker stands under my Dali Oberons and I've been thinking about building myself a pair of wooden stands. Anyone here use wooden stands or have any opinions/thoughts on metal V wooden stands.

[Macca]

I'd say the most important thing about a stand is that it puts the speaker at exactly the right height. Compared to that all the other factors are insignificant.

Having said that I do prefer open frame to solid pillars. And using wood does seem to make more sense than using metal in terms of absorbing vibrations.

[Lawrence001]

I've noticed with racks that wooden shelves sound different from glass shelves. If a system sounds right on glass shelves changing to wooden shelves can suck some life out. Having said that, if you find the system harsh and fatiguing wooden shelves could be the solution.

I've not tried wooden stands (although thinking about it I've had speakers on wooden furniture - but not compared) but I could see how it might have similar results to racks.

[brian2957]

Thanks chaps. TBH I prefer wood under my equipment. Tried glass and marble but didn't like the effect. Thought I would give wood a go as I have some spare here.

[Pieoftheday]

I had my usher 520s on some atacama nexus stands(metal) i somehow found the sound annoying, on some Hifi Racks slimline stands (wood) I didn't think about it, just enjoyed;)

[struth]

oddly i prefer metal for speakers. as martin says, tweeter height is usually important for most

[brian2957]

Well I can basically make these wooden speaker stands any height I want :)

[struth]

Well I can basically make these wooden speaker stands any height I want :)

and it'll keep you busy

[Macca]

Well I can basically make these wooden speaker stands any height I want :)

See if you can find out where the speaker's focal point is on the baffle and make the stands exactly the right height to put that point at ear-level. Most likely be the tweeter or just below it.

[CageyH]

I wooden worry about it.
Just enjoy the music.

[Qwin]

I prefer open framed wood, with no top plate, the speaker supported at each corner and the underside panel of the speaker allowed to resonate in free air.
Metal can work well, but the design and damping needs more attention in my view, so wood is an easier DIY option.
These are all I use, which have interchangeable spikes or swivelling feet, depending on the type of floor they are set on.
The tops have a large thin rubber disc, that contacts the speaker.

https://www.jkwynn.co.uk/Project_Images/Yam_Rev/YamRev_06F.JPG

[sailor]

I generally prefer metal, provided it is not solid or an unfilled hollow section. Metal being a high Q material, compared to wood can be damped easily. If the pipe, square or oblong section is filled with builders sand it behaves very differently and I find the sound to be noticeably cleaner.

I look at it this way: take a crystal glass (high Q) standing on a table and flick it with your finger nail, it will ring. Now pick it up by the rim with your finger tips and flick it again and hear the difference. If you do the same with a plastic tumbler or piece of wood (low Q) there is no change in sound indicating that a low Q material is very hard to damp. Wood varies a lot but is inherently low Q.

A high Q for a speaker stand is undesirable because it has a slower loss of energy which obviously is not good, but damp the column by filling it with clean and very dry sand and you have a sink for vibration/resonance. A side bonus is the increased mass also adds stability.

I use sand inside some speakers too for the same reason and see no reason why a wooden hollow boxlike speaker stand could not be filled with sand and provide much the same performance. It would be interesting to compare them side by side. I much prefer the look of natural solid wood but suspect the metal version to win.

[brian2957]

I decided to build some open frame wooden stands and I'm very happy with them. The metal stands are now going into the loft :)

[Bencat]

Just a personal view but I think much depends on the design of the speaker to help decide what you do . Many moving coil speakers (most) try and damp the vibrations the cabinet produces to reduce colouration and in these cases it is probably sensible to follow the same path and use a stand that also is designed to damp and control vibrations .

However some designs like the Sl600i and Harbeths are made with a stiff but light cabinet and they try let any vibrations get out and away from the cabinet as quickly as possible. Using these speakers then any stand that tries to damp the vibrations will stop the cabinet from doing its designed function. So for this type of speaker then a stand that is light but rigid (Torlyte or other honeycomb material) but above all rigid and light which allows vibrations to pass through is the way to go and produces the best sound when I have tried it.

I have also found that this same type of stand often works very well with the type of speaker design that tries to damp vibration as well and so wood stands would be my choice were possible .