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nusiclover
04-08-2004, 02:57 PM
hey tops,
if i recall correctly, you got skylan stands for your vr1. i was wondering why you chose not to go with the vr1 stand?

92135011
04-08-2004, 08:20 PM
Im not topspeed...but I can probably rationalize why anyone wouldnt want to buy stands of the same brands.

1) Stands from good speaker companies usually sell stands that are expensive, and not always very good, except for looks.
2) For the same or less money, you can probably buy stands that are better

RGA
04-08-2004, 10:43 PM
Agree with Mr. Numbers :)

B&W sold a set of Stands at close to $500.00Cdn for the B&W CDM 1NT. Certainly no better and maybe worse than the Skylans for $200.00. The B&W stand is a match for appearance but it's more of a cash cow for B&W. Plus if it's built in Britain and shipped here the price is going way up. Skylan is made in Alberta so us Canadians and Americans can do alot better buying speaker stands here. In fact it is a HUGE compliment to British and European speakers like B&W, Audio Note, Linn, Wharfedale etc that they compete SO WELL here when they have to raise their price sometimes considerably and still manage to compete against domestic brands that have the price advantages....You don't see too many North American brands compete in Europe because they have to raise their prices to compete there...And frankly when this happens they don't compete. There are some oddballs that do well over there like Martin Logan electrostats. But mainstream speakers have to raise their price so much that you would have something like the Paradigm Monitor 5 up against the N805. The Bryston B60 for instance is 2kCdn and for that price is a strong contender. The Sugen A21a goes for about $2300.00Cdn. I would pay the $300.00 more and many people would(if they actually ever got the chance to hear one i bet). Now the problem for Bryston is that it sells for $1800GBP in Britain where the A21a is 1,000GBP. Now, if more people like the A21a and would pay a few hundred more than when the Bryston goes over there you'd have to be an utter idiot to pay DOUBLE for an inferior sounding amplifier. (This is only an example because some may like the Bryston better but you get the idea).

topspeed
04-09-2004, 08:30 AM
Hey Nusic,
I went with RGA's suggestion for the Skylans' mainly due to cost considerations. The VSA stands, while very attractive, were going to be $250+tax and that was simply more than I was willing to pay for a freakin' stand. I'm not one of those guys that believes a stand is somehow going to make a speaker sound markedly better and magically do things it was never able to do by design. I just wanted it to be non-resonant, aesthetically pleasing, and as stable as Gibraltar because I have two young boys wreaking havoc in my house at all times! Woochifer gave me some great tips as far as what to look for in stands and where manufacturers will "cut corners" and boy, was he right. That eliminated a bunch of options right away.

Noel, the owner/builder of Skylans answers the phones up there and is a joy to work with. He asked what I was important for me and then custom sized the plates for my needs. The bottom plate is larger for better stability and the top plate is a mirror image of the VR1's. It should be noted that the fit on the top plate is absolutely perfect. Filled with sand, these babies aren't going anywhere and I haven't even put blue tack on them yet.

Good stuff!

What did you end up buying for your Danes?

nusiclover
04-09-2004, 11:19 AM
actually nothing yet. we moved this week (a bloody nightmare), and right now they are sitting on top of hardcover books on top of chairs (a makeshift stand if you will).so, while the new place gets tidy i am looking into stands. But, i have great news, and this probably validates many posters here! from the first moment i turned the danes on, the music just sounded incredibly better! this was foolproof to me of what a differnce room acoustics can be. the soundstage opened right up! it was really a pelasing experience. although, now we live in an apartment (before a house) and i cant crank them like i am accustomed. but, during the hours that i can. yippy. anyway, i had considered alternative stands (even skylan after your review), but aesthetics are a factor for us (hard to tell from their website) and i already got a compromise when choosing dynaudio (cant use that card twice in a row).

nusiclover
04-09-2004, 11:21 AM
btw, i just now realized i was upped into junior member status. so, im no longer a newbie. funny how the little details matter. lol.

F1
04-10-2004, 03:11 AM
...... this was foolproof to me of what a differnce room acoustics can be. the soundstage opened right up! it was really a pelasing experience. ......

Aahhh.. glad to know that you finally realize the importace of room acoustics. Many people often blame on the equipment while room acoustics is wrong. Anyway, enjoy the music... ;)