What I don't get about speaker stands...

[Century L100]

Another question from someone who has obviously been away from the audio business for a number of years:

Just about all stands for bookshelf-size speakers are pedestals that raise the speaker 18 - 24 " or more off the floor (unlike years ago when we accepted a modest 5" height). I've looked at the brochures and assembly instructions for some like Sanus and Wood Technology and it appears that the speaker simply rests on the stand, as opposed to being secured to it somehow. Am I missing something, or this really how it is?

I know the stands can be weighted down with sand or whatever inside the columns and that the top and base plates are pretty substantial, but it would seem that they're an accident waiting to happen. Has anybody had one of these stands tip over?

[Pat D]

Another question from someone who has obviously been away from the audio business for a number of years:

Just about all stands for bookshelf-size speakers are pedestals that raise the speaker 18 - 24 " or more off the floor (unlike years ago when we accepted a modest 5" height). I've looked at the brochures and assembly instructions for some like Sanus and Wood Technology and it appears that the speaker simply rests on the stand, as opposed to being secured to it somehow. Am I missing something, or this really how it is?

I know the stands can be weighted down with sand or whatever inside the columns and that the top and base plates are pretty substantial, but it would seem that they're an accident waiting to happen. Has anybody had one of these stands tip over?

Point well taken. There are some standmount speakers which can be bolted to their dedicated stands. After having used some (PSB Stratus Minis), I must say I highly approve. It's much easier to move the speakers around if the stand is attached and the speaker does stay put on the stand. Nevertheless, if one really wanted to make them difficult to tip over, I suppose one would have to bolt the stands to the floor (or perhaps, to some heavy wide base). Many use some sort of velcro tape or tape sticky on both sides to help anchor mini-monitor speakers to the stands but this is, I think, less satisfactory. But floorstanding speakers can tip over, too.

[RGA]

Use blu-tac. four small pea sized amounts of blu tack for each corner is enough to lock the speaker to the stand such that you are going to have to push quite hard to move the speaker off of the stand. It requires some time to really get a strong sticking.

Still Blu Tac works, it's cheap and if you really want to take the speaker off of the stand it will come off without the need to drill holes into your speakers. The speaker stands I have are heavey (made by sound Anchors for Audio Note) and the spikes go down through the carpet. With the sand filling they are very heavey. The speakers are fairly light given their size but the blue tac works well.

[kexodusc]

I'll second Blu Tac. I also use those little plastic/rubber bumpers you can buy in any hardware store for $1 or so. They're just tiny circular bubbles that provide great friction and keep the speaker just slightly elevated from the stand's base.
Felt works fine as well.
Most speakers are fairly heavy, and you shouldn't have much activity around them anyway, so the chance of knocking them over isn't as great as you'd think.

[speakeroligist_38]

Kex where can I buy some blu-tac? I need some for (2) sets of Athena S.5's speakers. They fit on the stands but seem to move around a little. Is it available at Lowes or Home Depot?

[theaudiohobby]

Kex where can I buy some blu-tac? I need some for (2) sets of Athena S.5's speakers. They fit on the stands but seem to move around a little. Is it available at Lowes or Home Depot?

A bookshop like Borders seems to be a more likely place for Blu-Tac.

[emaidel]

Kex where can I buy some blu-tac? I need some for (2) sets of Athena S.5's speakers. They fit on the stands but seem to move around a little. Is it available at Lowes or Home Depot?

I think the posting recommending Borders is a good one. I tried to buy it at both Home Depot and Lowe's and the looks I got from the salespeople when I asked for it by name spoke volumes about their total unfamiliarity with the product. I might as well have been asking for a sky hook...

[kexodusc]

I get it at Walmart, Home Depot has it near some craft/woodworking stuff.
You think Blu-Tac is hard to find, try asking for foamboard.

[Pat D]

I'll second Blu Tac. I also use those little plastic/rubber bumpers you can buy in any hardware store for $1 or so. They're just tiny circular bubbles that provide great friction and keep the speaker just slightly elevated from the stand's base.
Felt works fine as well.
Most speakers are fairly heavy, and you shouldn't have much activity around them anyway, so the chance of knocking them over isn't as great as you'd think.

I take it you don't have children around the house?

[L.J.]

Can anyone recommend 31" stands for my C-3's. Possibly in the 100/pr price range?

I was thinking about these or these, but I'm not sure if I can get better for the same amout of money. Thanks!

[Woochifer]

This is simply a sign of the direction that the market has gone. In recent years, the audio performance from smaller bookshelf speakers has risen dramatically. And with the more widespread use of subwoofers nowadays, the trend towards smaller main speakers has been ongoing. Accordingly, the stands have matched what the market demands.

The older short stands were relevant when the majority of speakers on the market roughly approximated the JBL L100's boxier dimensions and did not include any kind of pedestal or spikes to separate them from the floor. Those speakers were too big to fit on shelves, but a bit too squatty to just sit on the floor. Accordingly, the floor stands that those older speakers used didn't have to do much other than just raise the speakers off the floor a few inches. Even so, I remember that a lot of those older stands were still too short to elevate speakers like the JBL L100s so that the tweeters were closer to ear level. (then again, floorstanding JBLs like the L65 Jubals that my parents owned were also short of ear level)

The newer stands are designed to elevate the speakers up to ear level. In my system, I use a pair of Paradigm Studio 40s, which are very tall bookshelf speakers (and probably a similar height to the older L100-sized floorstanding speakers, but narrower and deeper). The matching stands for those speakers are 18", which is about as a short stand as you will see for a bookshelf speaker.

The majority of floorstanding speakers out there nowadays are much taller (and narrower) than the boxier floorstanders from 30 years ago. Plus, they generally come with either an integral pedestal built into the base or floor spikes, and thus do not need stands.

As far as attachment goes, a lot of these stands include drill holes on the top plate. Plus, some speaker manufacturers have begun pre-drilling their speakers to match the drill holes used in their accompanying stands.

[Woochifer]

Can anyone recommend 31" stands for my C-3's. Possibly in the 100/pr price range?

I was thinking about these or these, but I'm not sure if I can get better for the same amout of money. Thanks!

I was looking at stands as well for my Studio 20s, and once you get above 28", the pickings really narrow down. When I was looking at stands, the Sanus ones seem passable, but definitely not nearly as stable or substantial as more expensive models.

Are these for surrounds or mains? I ask because for the C-3, it would seem that 31" is a little tall for those speakers as mains, but a bit short for use as surrounds. One alternative that you could look at is the Premier S-series (aside from the fact that I own them!), which are made by Paradigm and should be available locally for you at Custom TV. A 30" model is available. One advantage that they have over the Sanus stands is their heavier weight at the base (which you want because it lowers the center of gravity), and the Premier stand prices are very competitive with the generic stuff that BB and CC sell. (The 18" stands in my system cost $120, and after filling the columns with white sand, they are reasonably stable)

If you go over to Custom TV, you might want to check on what generic stands they carry. The audio store I used to go to in SF carried the Target Audio stands, which were some of the better constructed stands I saw for the price.

[L.J.]

Are these for surrounds or mains? I ask because for the C-3, it would seem that 31" is a little tall for those speakers as mains, but a bit short for use as surrounds.

They are used as mains in my bedroom. My bed is pretty high up and the 31" stands I'm using for them now are at the perfect height. I plan on moving those stands to the back because they can raise up to 45". I will give custom TV a call.

[Century L100]

The older short stands were relevant when the majority of speakers on the market roughly approximated the JBL L100's boxier dimensions and did not include any kind of pedestal or spikes to separate them from the floor. Those speakers were too big to fit on shelves, but a bit too squatty to just sit on the floor. Accordingly, the floor stands that those older speakers used didn't have to do much other than just raise the speakers off the floor a few inches. Even so, I remember that a lot of those older stands were still too short to elevate speakers like the JBL L100s so that the tweeters were closer to ear level.

I've been using a pair of stands under my JBL L40s made by Gusdorf which are angled slightly so that the tweeters are aimed at your ear level. Then again, with the kind of dispersion you get from most dome tweeters, I don't see why that's an advantage.

As far as attachment goes, a lot of these stands include drill holes on the top plate. Plus, some speaker manufacturers have begun pre-drilling their speakers to match the drill holes used in their accompanying stands.

Just wondering: Does anyone here know if B&W bookshelf models have this? I can't seem to find any specifics on their stands on their web site, although I believe they do make stands.

[Woochifer]

I've been using a pair of stands under my JBL L40s made by Gusdorf which are angled slightly so that the tweeters are aimed at your ear level. Then again, with the kind of dispersion you get from most dome tweeters, I don't see why that's an advantage.

Another consideration though with older speakers is that their wider bodies can create more diffraction. The disadvantage of any kind of tilted alignment is that unless you can vary the angle, the axis-angle will change with the distance from the speaker. With the speakers themselves elevated to ear level and level, then you can align the axis and maintain it no matter how far forward or back you place the seating position.

The stands that came with the older wide-bodied speakers were not really stands so much as they were pedestals designed primarily to keep the speakers from sitting flat against the floor (and as with your speakers, provide a tilt up to the ears). The wide dimensions (typically as wide or wider than the speaker itself) and open frame cradled design on a lot of those stands could not really go too tall without appearing massive and taking up a lot of space.

Just wondering: Does anyone here know if B&W bookshelf models have this? I can't seem to find any specifics on their stands on their web site, although I believe they do make stands.

I don't think that B&W's speakers are predrilled. The quickest way to check obviously would be to go to a B&W dealer and get a look at a demo unit. The only thing I remember about their stands is that they look good, seem reasonably stable, and cost $300 a pair.

[Century L100]

I don't think that B&W's speakers are predrilled. The quickest way to check obviously would be to go to a B&W dealer and get a look at a demo unit. The only thing I remember about their stands is that they look good, seem reasonably stable, and cost $300 a pair.

Ouch!!! If I go with B&Ws, I think I'm looking at some other kind of stand.

[RGA]

You could contact Skylan Stands. Noel is a good guy to deal with and he will custom build your stands exactly to any speaker's need. I had a pair for a while but when i upgraded speakers I also got a very good deal on the Audio Note stands which are made by Sound Anchors only for this speaker.

But Skylan is very good and relatively inexpensive - certainly inexpensive compared to B&W.

http://www.skylanstands.com/

[L.J.]

I get it at Walmart, Home Depot has it near some craft/woodworking stuff.
You think Blu-Tac is hard to find, try asking for foamboard.

Kex, I went all over HD looking for this stuff and couldn't find any. Can I get a description of the container?

[L.J.]

OK I went all through Walmart and Home Depot looking for Blu-tac with no luck. Walmart had a bunch of stuff in their craft area(tacky glue for example), but I wasn't sure if it was pretty much the same product or not. I guess I will try borders.