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How to couple my monitors to stands???

Happy New Year, everybody!

I just acquired a pair of Aerial Acoustics Model 5 monitors and will be receiving a pair of Osiris 24" stands by UPS today. I need to know what I can do to keep my speakers FIRMLY planted on the stands.

Here's the problem...For those of you unfamiliar with the Aerial 5's, they have 3 brass "cones" (for lack of a better word) that screw into the bottom of the speakers - two in the back, one in the front. The front "cone" is height adjustable and tilts the speaker back to align the tweeter and woofer. Of course, if I just set the speakers on the stands, they'll be very unstable and could easily come sliding off the stands. I've got little kids in the house, so they've got to be solidly planted.

How critical is it that the speakers be sloped? I was wondering if there might be some kind of a "cup" (again, for lack of a better term) that I could couple to the stands (with blu-tak) that would keep the cones from sliding off the stands?? I got the idea from the cups that I had to buy for a chair with casters that I was using on hardwood floors.

Any help that you can provide will be GREATLY appreciated!

BTW - I know that Aerial offers a Sound Anchor stand for these speakers, but at $500 I couldn't pull the trigger. I got the Osiris for $299 shipped.
danheather
eldragon
707 posts
 
You don't! Get floorstanders or gt rid of kids! I guess, you should rather go with the first choice.
aknorth
28 posts
 
You also can remove the screw in feet/spikes/whatever they are and drill the plate on the speaker stand top to match the hole pattern already in you speaker. Purchase the correct size machine srew/bolt (stud would be better if you can find) to match the threaded hole in your speaker where the feet/spike/whatever they are fit be for. Be sure the new machined screw/bolt (or stud if you can find) is long enough to reach up from the bottom of the plate and allow the hight of the angle you want or to level. By over sizing the holes in the speaker stand plate slightly and using a nut above and below the speaker stand plate you can angle or level and then lock the speaker in place by thghting the nuts on the speaker plate. As you tighten the nut on the top and bottom against the plate top and bottom you will lock the machined screw/bolt in place. You will have to hold the machine screw/bolt from turning and just tighten the nuts. You should be able to set the angle by first screwing the new screw/bolt/stud in to the holes in the speaker base then allowing the nut on top of the plate to support the speaker. Then turn the nut up or down until the speaker is where you want it. Keep the srcew/bolt/stud from turning whille you srcew the nut up from the bottom and tighten the plate between the two nut by thihtening the bottom nut tight.
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
Blu-Tak is one solution, but for about one-tenth the price you can buy essentially the same stuff at Office Depot or Office Max. The product to look for is Elmer's "Tac 'n' Stik" reusable adhesive. I've used it for years (currently using it under my center speaker and rear surrounds) -- it works every bit as well as Blu Tak, and sells for 99 cents a package. The adhesive is scored into 5 sections, and four half-sections, each rolled into balls, are enough for each corner of the speaker.
danheather OP
108 posts
 
Geez, Ed! I was looking for some FRIENDLY advice, not a rant about why I'm an idiot for not paying $500+ for a pair of stands. To put it into perspective, the difference in price was considerably more than $200 when you consider that the Osiris stands were $299 including shipping and with NO TAX. If I were to buy the Aerial (I mean, Sound Anchor) stands, I'd have to buy them in SF (tax rate = 8.5%), so my outlay would be $542.50...factor in gas (nope, it's not free) for another $20 and suddenly the difference is $262.50. I don't know about you, but to me that's A LOT of money. I'd much rather invest that money in software (music) than stands that are no better than the Osiris. Even better, I could use that money to take my family on a nice outing to the Monterey Bay Aquarium or something.

Also, I did shop around for the "factory" stands and there are no discounts to be had.

Finally, I'm not sure how you came to your position about the Sound Anchor stands being "far-better-made" than the Osiris. Merlin Music Systems used the Osiris as their "factory" stands. By most accounts, the Merlin TSMs are arguably "far-superior" to the Aerials in virtually every way. Even if you don't agree that they're better, you must confess that they're a fine speaker - one deserving of a very high quality stand.

I just received the stands from UPS last night and, while I didn't have time to set them up, I did get them unpacked and they're incredible...very massive and beautifully built. Can't wait to fill them with shot (the Sound Anchors are prefilled with sand - isn't that for playgrounds?) and get them setup using some of the methods recommended on this post.
mar00
59 posts
 
Hey Dan.....To folow-up on the email I sent you regarding the Sound Anchor Stands I have.I didn't read all the comments in your thread but I did notice your frustration with one inparticular.As a person who has owned both the Osiris you have and the Sound Anchor for the Aerial 5 allow me to attest to the fact that both are excellent products.If your not familiar with Sound Anchor they are indeed among the finest makers of speaker stands,racks ect.....Craftsmanship and materials are all top notch......Good Luck!
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