cinder blocks as speakers stands?

[weez82]

How well do they work? I am planing on getting 6 8x8x8 cinder blocks and spray painting them black. I know they will be sterdy and thats what I'm going for. Will it change the sound at all? Is they any disadvantage in using cinder blocks as speaker stands?

[markw]

Unless they sit absotively posilutely stable upon each other, you may want to put a piece of material (old towels?) between 'em. I had these things years ago and they matched my stereo stand perfectly.

[Worf101]

How well do they work? I am planing on getting 6 8x8x8 cinder blocks and spray painting them black. I know they will be sterdy and thats what I'm going for. Will it change the sound at all? Is they any disadvantage in using cinder blocks as speaker stands?

Don't ask questions like this. Guys over 45 years old immediately start havin' hippie, psychodelic flashbacks... Man did I just have a laugh reliving the student's "furniture of choice", the ever faithful cinderblock.

Da Worfster

[Woochifer]

They'll work fine because they're reasonably stable and inert. The main issue is making sure that the stack is level, and that it's sufficiently anchored to the floor. If it's on a rug, it might not be stable enough.

[kexodusc]

The only bit of advice I would add from my experiences is to try stuffing a some soft material in the holes (assuming they're the common 2-hole variety).
When stacking I found it worked best to stuff towels, as was mentioned by someone else, inside the holes. Might have just been me, but we got some weird echo/resonance effect with'em. Soft material tends to insulate them, and also limit how much they can move if you, a cat, or whatever should bump them slightly.
My neighbor's got a few in his front yard you're welcome to, you'll have to move the Ford Tempo off them yourself though.

Cheers!

[weez82]

Thanks for the replys. They are level and very stable. When I got home from work I bumped into them and they baraly moved. They are not the 2-hole variety (8x8x16) they only have 1 hole (8x8x8). I am going to fill the holes with some foam sealent, hopefully that will take care of any "weird echo/resonance effect with'em." Also I will paint them black so the match my speakers.

[Jim Clark]

Is they any disadvantage in using cinder blocks as speaker stands?

Besides being hideously ugly? but hey if it works for you...not to mention that it's only my opinion.

Some better and inexpensive solutions from my point of view:
Most garden shops will sell concrete or a marble/concrete plant stands for about 60 bucks. Designs vary but I would suggest a simple Roman column as the most classic and versatile. Colors are limited but can be painted and I'd think a black faux marble finish would look classy, as would granite.

A simple square column made of MDF and trimed out on the top and bottom, filled with sand. Very easy project that can be finished with a black powder coat, veneer or any of a million faux finishes. A simple design and almost as easy to create. Cheap too. Could also mix MDF with PVC (filled) to create a ton of different designs.

Some designs others have created-

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/stubby_e.html

http://www.lungster.com/l/speakers/stand/stand.html

http://www.audiotweaks.com/diy2/robs_stands/page01.htm

Not sure I'd use steel on the last one, probably sub PVC and while it won't look as cool it should make for a better stand.

jc

[hmmmm]

I have 2 sculpture stands that I was thinking about using. They are just laminated MDF and are pretty heavy duty but are hollow inside. I can't fill them up with anything the way they are constructed. Will this cause any problems?

[kexodusc]

I have 2 sculpture stands that I was thinking about using. They are just laminated MDF and are pretty heavy duty but are hollow inside. I can't fill them up with anything the way they are constructed. Will this cause any problems?

Hard to say, my old cinder blocks were supporting some pretty big wharfedales, and I think there were some vibration issues that were probably more of a result of the blocks themself.
MDF is pretty solid and sturdy, I don't think you'll have a problem. I made my own stands for my Studio 40's out of MDF and left a hole in the middle to run the speaker wire through. No problems yet.

[hmmmm]

[

Some designs others have created-



http://www.audiotweaks.com/diy2/robs_stands/page01.htm

Not sure I'd use steel on the last one, probably sub PVC and while it won't look as cool it should make for a better stand.

jc[/QUOTE]

O.k. I just went out to HomeDepot and bought all of the materials to make the last stand that you mentioned. I did go with PVC instead of the steel. The stands are well on their way to being finished. It really is quite simple!

I have a couple questions though. Do you have any suggestions for wire management? Someone said just to run the wire up the tube but what about all of that sand/shot fill?
Also, I was told by a friend that I shouldn't use LEAD shot because of the lead. I thought this was better than sand. Any comments?
Thanks!