Love these mods because they do make a significant difference. I used bar stools and added carpet grips to the legs for stability and isolation pads to the speakers. The stools match the decor and were loads cheaper than anything else premade.
I did something similar around thirty five years ago when I purchased the dbx 3x2 sub/sat system from the DAK catalog (anyone remember those catalogs?). I needed something around 3' high and inexpensive but they also had to meet the WAF so I picked up a pair of solid oak plant stands from a local outlet store for a great price. Years later when I bought a large pair of stand mount speakers (AuraSound LSW-828M's) I simply cut the four legs on each stand down to an appropriate length. I ran the speaker wire up one of the rear legs and tacked it down so it wasn't visible. My wife never complained about them and they got the job done for quite a few years. My SIL is using them these days.
These have been great stands for me, but definitely need to be filled! I used quartzite to fill mine as I saw some others use. Buy it as #2 chicken grit, and give the rest to chickens or someone who has some. Takes a bit less than a full bag. I also had a sheet of white foam left that came as packing material I used to plug up the very bottom and top 15%. It was the perfect thickness to cut into squares and slip down the top slits into position with a rod. I didn't fill mine all the way full to help with balance. I added dynamat type material under my bases too. I like those cork tops, and the hardwood idea! My speakers are mounted with several of the Command picture hanging strips. These keep the speakers from falling off even if my cats jump on them, and give a little isolation too.
Last year I picked up some 2nd hand NHT Super Zeros that came with metal stands. Whoever had them before hadn't filled the stands so they also rang like a bell. I noticed the bottom of the tubes weren't sealed so I had the not so smart idea of sealing them with PVA wood glue. It worked... eventually. It took about two weeks for the glue to dry and some also seeped out and had to be cleaned off. When it finally dried, I first added about an inch of sand then more PVA glue to create a really solid plug before completely filling them with sand.
I added silicate sand to mine with a funnel, but I used silicon under the bottom of the post before I put the base plate on, (I like your bag idea as well ) and I also put a piece of tape over the threaded holes at the top so no sand would get into the threads when pouring to make it easier to screw the top plate on after I removed the tape. Silicate sand is very fine and it stick to the threads very easy.
Excellent video and advice Matt. I used resin coated aquarium gravel as fill to 3/4 full. I wanted to keep centre of gravity below 1/2 height for stability. I found aluminum pucks that have a rubber ring on the bottom face. The top face has a threaded hole which the spike can imbed itself. Provides more stability than spikes and those plain little metal disc footers. Stability is very important as well as damping and resonance control. Tweak those threaded spikes every month a few times. Bass really stays tight, musical in Hi-Fi systems
@1Hiprascal- Yes. I have used resin coated aquarium gravel too. It was easier than using sand which sometimes can hold a fair amount of moisture depending on where you live and the time of the year.
I have the same stands. I filled the tubes with clay cat litter. The metal top plates are pretty flimsy and small, so I made new tops out of Baltic birch plywood.
Thanks for this - there is a dearth of videos on speaker stands. I just wish they also had an 18" and the top plate needs to be larger for the lower heights. The tallest stand can have the smallest top plate.
One recommendation I have is to only fill 3/4 of the way up with sand. Filling them all the way up makes the sound sterile from my experience. A little ring and not pure stiffness really relaxes the sound. Yes, some vibrations can be good.
To stick the cork sheet down, 3M spray adhesive would work great. A less expensive but equally effective adhesive would be rubber cement. Thin it down until it flows pretty well and paint a thin layer on both surfaces. You would not need to cover the entire area, just the edges or corners. Once it's all dry, stick the two surfaces together. Do it carefully, because once they are together it will be very difficult to get them back apart. Come to think of it, you could probably use the same method to stick the speakers to the cork pad. In that case, I'd paint the entire surface, not just the edges.
Applying rope caulk to the bottom inside edge of the pillars works great to keep sand (or dry concrete mix in my case :) from seeping out. If any is sticking out after tightening all of the bolts you simply cut it away with a utility knife.
I use Quikrete or Sakrete concrete mix (just the mix...I don't add water...LOL) to fill the leg(s) of my speaker stands and it works great. It deadens the stands just as well as sand and it's significantly heavier which is a major plus in my book. I use a large funnel when I'm pouring it in.
Hi everybody and nice job Matt! I also have these same stands but I went with aquarium gravel to fill them, crazy how they ring like a bell without it. I saw on one of z’s vids that he has the same stands and he used little silicone rubber half-spheres on top, so I copied that and it works great. Now I’m trying to find a good looking and cheap set of adjustable height feet because my hardwood floor isn’t quite level and sometimes I pull them out into the room where the floor is level. Keep up the great work and if this doesn’t workout it looks like you’d be ok at gymnastics or something?
I wonder, if you could put the bolts in all but one of the bottom openings and fill the tube bottom with spray foam? Of course you're going to need to be quick to get that last bolt in before the foam starts to expand out,or use a longer application tube from above.
Matt, I have the same stands, I don’t see the point in filling those up with sand. You’re not gonna beat on legs of the stand for any reason. I used furniture self stick silicone pads on the corner of each speaker pad to protect my speakers
I feel the best way to think about it is that the stands filled with sand won’t add anything extra to what the speakers are producing. A stand that has a ring or one capable of transferring energy into the room through the stand and into the floor could influence things. Mind you this is just my opinion and the modifications I offered are budget friendly so I feel it’s worth the effort. Thanks for watching!
You won't be beating on the legs ... your speakers will. There will be some frequency (depending on the stand) where a tone from your speaker will cause a resonance in the stand... and that can be quite audible. (Resonance: An exaggerated reaction to external stimulus)
My speaker stands are made from the gut lining of endangered ring tailed Lima's, they really enhance the airy magic of my system. They're a bargain at $12,997 (each) 😉
I'm a floorstander guy. I like my towers and presently use a pair of the Pioneer towers designed by Andrew Jones ... BUT ... next time I end up messing with lollipops, I know exactly what to do. Thanks Matt.
@@MattCoykendall1 I used to do that. But when I got the Pioneers, I chanced upon a modification that upped their game considerably and now I don't want to let them go. These days I only do lollipops for friends and their friends... The bargain price stands and your DIY tips will make that easier for me.
Worst things I've ever had to go back and redo... I'm a watchmaker. I was reassembling a type of watch movement I've probably done a couple hundred of that typically takes about 4 hours to put back together after dismantling and cleaning. The third step of about 200 is to screw in a setting lever spring which holds in the stem and crown. I put the spring in place but never screwed it down. Within about 5 more steps, you completely lose access to that screw, so anything from here on out is wasted time. By some bit of magic, the setting lever stayed in place and worked perfectly until I had the watch almost completed and back in it when I pulled out the crown and the crown and stem came out in my hand... which is never a good sign. I eventually found that setting lever spring screw in one of my cleaning baskets. Regardless, I should have immediately noticed it was missing when I was attaching the setting lever spring the first time. Just complacency from doing something too many times. Good news is, I haven't ever done it again cause knowing I was going to essentially spend a day dismantling, recleaning, and reassembling a movement that I thought was finished pissed me off so bad I actually left work and took the rest of the day off. I thought it better that than throwing the whole thing out the window.
I use a thick piece of rubber under my speakers when not using cork.. No vibrations whatsoever.. I build most of my speakers stands too👍 My solid wood adjustable stands can be built by anyone within a few hrs at a very reasonable cost.. Basic woodworking skill is all that’s needed..Enjoy The Music❤️
Handy instructional video for those unaware that small changes can make big improvements, when it comes to audio. Physics play a huge part in the enhancing and optimisation of your components and listening room.
