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anyone ditch their metal speaker stands?

While cleaning up just recently. I was moving speakers and stands away from the wall just to get at that horrible dust bunnies that grow like tumble weed, I decided to place the speakers back in there determined spot{Sound Dynamics 300ti} and play some music while tiding up. I sat down and I was pleasantly surprised.I was enjoying the speakers while realizing less of a mechanical sounding presentation with more soul and body. The stands are rather heavy.And sand filled with the typical metal resting plate. Now I am confused to the point. Should I substitute them with what and have any audiogoners tried another avenue and ditched the metal? Thanks
schipo
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Long ago I was setting up a monitor on metal Target stands
I had just bought and filled with 30 lbs of birdshot.
A friend of mine was there at the time, he listened to a few
record sides, got up and put the speakers on the box they came in.
I had to agree they did sound better his way.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,899 posts
 
I think the most important consideration is the speaker height. As long as the tweeter is at or slightly above ear level, when seated, all is good. Right now I have my new monitors on some wooden saddle back bar stools with some Herbie's Tenderfeet to isolate the speakers and everything sounds really nice.
No smearing, great focus, nice soundstage, nothing amiss.

I'm going for the Timbernation wood stands for aesthetic reasons as well as better stability and isolation as the bar stools look out of place.

All the best,
Nonoise
mesch
3,520 posts
 
I owned a pair of the 300ti speakers. Wish I hadn’t sold them. I believe the sonic difference you experienced could likely be due to the height difference than to stand construction. I assume based on your description that the speakers were placed closer to floor and against the wall which would change the bass and lower mid range response. That said, I use bluetack to solidify my speakers to my metal stands. I have 3 stands of different heights, 16-24”, all filled. Currently using the 16” ones with my Esoteric MG-10s on a carpeted and padded concrete floor. Tweeter are somewhat lower than my ear height.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,341 posts
 
More so than mere height, orientation of tweeter matters. FOr example sometimes lower stands with slight upward tilt might work best to let the floor work best to reinforce bass, not smear the soundstage and still have proper exposure to the tweeter at the listening position, which may be direct exposure or not. Each case is a little different. DO whatever works best.

AN example in my case are my Triangle Titus XL speakers in my wife's sunroom. The isolating Isoacoustic stands I am using there now set up as shown in my corresponding system picture finally solved the problem in that room in all regards better than the high quality ear level metal Dynaudio stands I have tried in the past. THose work well as shown also in the other system picture with my Dynaudios in my office.
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