Well, I don't know how much it will actually change the sound, I doubt much if any really, but it will add ballast and help stabilize your speakers and keep them from easily tipping over. I would do it myself for that if no other reason. I would also use the heavest stuff that doesn't resonnate (salt over shoulder).
FWIW. |
Must disagree with Newbee in this case. I have 4 pillar stands that were filled with lead shot, and they were great with ProAc Response Ones. When I put Celestion SL6Si Speakers on them, the speakers sounded dead. I emptied the stands, and the majic returned. So, all cases will be different, but for better or worse, there will be a change. |
I have my monitors (Usher X719) on target stands filled with sand and blue tack coupling the speakers to the stands. IMO the both are better than none, and the Blue Tack helped the sound more than sand. |
Skylan stands do sound best filled. Use white rice it is less messy. Start with nothing and then fill them half way and listen. I ended up filling mine about 3/4. Tonal quality, clarity, and soundstage improved. The top end was always open and lost nothing. |
I have a pair of custom 24" stands with two pillars coming up from the base. Similar to what you have I imagine. I filled mine with silicone caulk. You might try 1/2 full and then try the rice or kitty litter and adjust until satisfied. Somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 full you will hit the sweet spot. Buy a dozen from Lowes, you will need about six per side. I do not recommend ever completely filling any stand. Typically 60-70% is about right without over dampening. YMMV! |
Yes, if only to test whether an improvement in the sound would result. I've always used lead shot. Most of the speakers were ProAC and the sound did improve. |
*The tonality I get now on on my monitors (not Harbeths) is about perfect to my ears on some little cheap Polywood tables.*
What are your current monitors? I have Totem Mani-2's on the totem steel stands--unfilled--& like you, I think my system sounds beautiful with the stands "empty". Honestly, am I going out to buy a big bag of sand, or lead shot, to "see if they sound better that way"? Also, how do you move the stands if you need to? It's gotta be a royal pain to remove the sand, or whatever.
I also have a pair of Osiris steel stands, also "unfilled". I had Merlin TSM's on them, & now Spendor S3-5's, & both speakers sound or sounded beautiful that way. Provided: that all the other components are of very high quality. (My C-J preamp blew up & I'm now using some stupid Krell integrated I had around with the Spendors, so right now I've got a way bigger sound quality problem than filling or not filling stands).
Hhmmm....would anyone know how to cut up a Krell KAV300i into small enough pieces to fill speaker stands.....?? |
The monitors I referred to are my Lahave Mela monitors. I also have
SF Cremona Auditors (also fine, but the Lahaves are more natural and better in every way I can discern.)
And Roxy54-- believe it or not, I've go an old pair of Celestion SL6s I bought in 1993! Thanks.
Oh, about the rice, very interesting but I thought organic things like rice could rot or get moldy or attract insects.
I never heard this before, but it's intriguing.
Thanks to everyone. |
Yeah, just to go tangential on my own thread here, but the little 30-pound Lahave speakers have a place in my heart such that I'll never sell them even if I the upgrade bug hits and I try something new out of curiosity.
I have many speaker I liked in the past that all did something special : Von Schweikert VR7s (percussion, mids in general), Wilson WP6s (detailed natural bass, layering, staging), Kharma 3.2s (coherency, the disappearing act, imaging, speed), Aerial 10Ts (easy on the ears sound all the time), Apogee Stages (completely real human voice reproduction and a 4th-wall-dropping in-the-room sensation that was amazing).
But, in tonality aspects, including bass quality, the little Lahave Melas are as good in all these areas and have that special natural and live sound with soaring/exciting but totally non-fatiguing highs and a deep satisfying non-soft bass and palpable super-natural vocals. So the Lahaves are my favorite as the total package overall of all the other speakers. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't had them in my room. (They were recommended to me by an audio-buddy.) |
I actually owned all of the other speakers I mentioned. (I left out the word "owned").
I also had Piega P10s which had great imaging, too. |
I would fill them if the stands you have allow it. Not only will it increase weight and stability, it will reduce resonance.
Here is another alternative to sand. I use crushed industrial quartz in my 24" monitor stands. Cost about $3.00 for a 40 lbs bag at your local Honme Depot, Lowes, etc. Its cheap and heavy but does give off dust while pouring. Just use a funnel while you are filling your pillars and when full, simply wipe away the dust that settles on the stand. So its best to do it outside or in a garage. I have a pair of B&W STAV24 stands and I filled each pillar to the top and each stand took about 20 lbs of fill. So a single 40 lbs bag was ideal. They are very, very stable. |
Thanks Paraneer! That's a new one to me. |
I just got the b&w sta v24 stands today and filled them all the way to the top with a bag of "play sand" from home depot. No leakage and not too messy or time consuming to fill them (in the driveway of course). it took me less than half an hour to assemble and fill the stands. I have them sitting flat on inch thick granite on carpet. It's easy to move the stands (with the speakers on them) this way, makes the stands more stable and looks good to. My speakers sound great set up this way and even when cranked to the max, there is zero vibration coming from anywhere on the stands. I'm in the camp where I don't really want anything in my room resonating except for my speakers themselves (speaker boxes not included) That's why I've reinforced the doors and the one window in my listening room. By the way, I think these b&w stands are absolutly great. I'll be buying another pair to use side by side for my center channel which should create a nice clean look, matching my front right and left stands :-) |
