Speaker Stands?

[AJ Bertelson]

While browsing projects around the web I notice that some speakers use spikes while others use stands, some raise the speaker slightly others just use a flat piece of wood. I have also read about people adding sand in the stands of the speakers.


What are the advantages of each of these?

 

[454Casull]

Well, with spikes, it's a given that the speakers are floorstanders, unless the mean the base is spiked to the floor. Which, to be sure, has no apparent purpose to my ignorant mind.

If the stands are filled the sand, the stands do not vibrate as much as they would empty.

 

[Hybrid fourdoor]

What you forgot to mention stacked cinder blocks!?!?

^^^highly cost effective


Spikes in my opinion limit the amount of contact points, thus making it more stable. You put a flat surface on the carpet and its not too stable, use a spike at each corner and it less prone to leaning or tipping....thats the practical advantage....the rest are up to your imagination

 

[454Casull]

Well, there's that anyway.

 

[Timn8ter]

I use spikes on the two front corners to tilt the speakers back just a bit (due to that particular design). There is the belief that the speaker is less prone to the mechnical effects of the drivers firing in phase rocking the cabinet if it's coupled to a wooden floor with spikes (this is not a problem with push-push bipoles). The spikes small size limits vibrations from the cabinet being transmitted to the floor. This can also be accomplished through isolation. Something to consider for subs.
Sand in stands (or the lower compartment of a floor standing cab) creates a lower center of gravity for stability and can also act as a dampener limiting vibration transmission.

 

[DcibeL]

My speaker stands are industrial chemical drums I took from my old place of work. They are thick 1/4" solid paperfiber or cardboard or whatever you want to call it, it's real solid stuff. Throw a table cloth over them and BAM a beautiful DIY speaker stand