I know this has been discussed before over several threads, but could I ask two questions:
Do you partially fill you speaker stands with an inert filler, and
What are the sonic benefits, or is it all about stability?
I have just ordered some new stands and the provider (Custom Design) have asked if I want to order some inert filler.
FWIW I have ordered these, which I believe will work better, be more stable, with my fairly deep speakers. I have ruled out the tripods (for aesthetic reasons) though I realise they are very popular here).
I have custom design stands for my ATC20s and use the inert filler, one bag per leg which fills them up about 2/3rds. Makes the stands feel a really safe and solid support for what are very heavy active speakers. I have found no downside whatsoever and the sound is way better than my expectations. The speakers sit on the supplied silicone pads. It’s a no brainer to me.
Spikes sit in crosshead screws in the floor which is a suspended sandwich of 2 engineering boards and insulation with a tongue&groove top.
Other variables will apply e.g. underlying floor surface (e.g. ability to spike and whether there’s bounce?), and the connection between the stands and the 'speakers (e.g. soft spike interface/use of BluTac?).
That is exactly what I am hoping for. No matter what I do I am getting some slight rocking with the current Norstone stands and I want to eliminate that.
Actually the Norstone stands are really good, solid etc., but I just think they need to be deeper for my speakers.
I suspect your speakers are a similar depth to mine so they might even be the same stands.
Thanks.
Tony
Only problem is that I will now have 4 pairs of stands. I wonder if it’s possible to sell them. Perhaps the Kan II stands will sell.
Kiln dried sand. Two thirds full (NOT totally full, that’s important).
Difference in sound ? No idea, never listened to the speakers without the sand in the stands. Just followed my Naim dealers advice.
Cross head screws are great for this if you have a wooden floor. You can both adjust the screws and the spikes on the stands so rocking should be a thing of the past.
My Naim dealer recommends the Tripods (Solid Steel), which I just can’t live with. No offence, I know they are widely used and great sonically, but I have to look at them. YMMV.
I have Custom Design inert filler in my PMC stands. The usual advice seems to be to fill to about 2/3. After filling them I read the instructions that come with the stands, which say to add 0.5L to each stand. So out came the filler and went just 0.5L, which is way less than 2/3. The sound was more lively and it was obvious that overfilling was deadening the sound. While the stands can be tuned by ear, it’s a pain and I’d ask Custom Design how much filler they recommend.
Many years ago i had a pair of B&W CDM1 SE’s on a pair of Atacama speaker stands. I tried the stands with no filling and they sounded a bit flat with no warmth to the music. Then i 3/4 filled them with kiln dried silver sand. The difference was obvious and for the better, depth and soundstage was there by the bucket load and bass was tight with the warmth that i liked. Defo fill the stands is my recommendation.
Custom Design FS104 Signature here, supporting my Neats. Each of the central columns is filled with half a tub of Atabites (which I happened to have lying around, like you do). Bit of a palaver weighing it out on the kitchen scales though!
Very happy with the result. Didn’t try the stands without the Atabites.
£35 a tub. Given users have probably spent thousands on their HiFi, £70 to improve speaker stands using a product made for the job is small beer really. Atabites are clean, easy to use, easy to remove etc. We’re all different of course but we were never having sand in our living room. Just feels wrong? Other fillers are of course widely available.
