Speaker Stands for Adam A7X Monitors

[Sonnie]

Trying to find some respectable speakers stands for these monitors so we can evaluate them in July. The speakers will be here soon, but not in a super rush for stands, although probably better to go ahead and find some now.

About 30-32" should be the right height.

I checked with Sound Anchor, but I can't see paying $700-1000 for stands when I most likely won't keep them, and those may be hard to sell.

The Argosy Spire 420i at about $439 for the pair, but I need spikes since they sit on a 2" shag rug (could move the rug, but don't want to), and the Spires come with half-round rubber feet, would screw, not machined. Spike would likely have to be adhesive type.

There are other options, but I don't really know much about stands when it comes to critical listening like we'll be doing. I'm assuming I need better that cheap stands... or perhaps in blind tests we can't tell a difference?

 

[Sonnie]

Remember that I have to get to at least 40-42" high. I'd like the Pangea units, but their max height is 32" I believe.

I don't think the Maple Shade Store models get past 24" or so.

 

[highstream]

Did you do a search for “42” speaker stands”? There are a few. It’s a tall stand, so spikes may help if stabilization is needed or they may pick up return vibration upward, which defeats their purpose (users assume spikes provide good isolation, but that’s often not the case; there are discussions on the ‘net about that). You may also want to consider putting one of Herbie’s isolation product’s directly underneath the speakers. I think it was four of the small Tenderfoot I used under Quad 12L’s on stands and they helped.

 

[Sonnie]

Yeah... the spikes are needed stabilize the stand on the 2" shag carpet. Probably need some thin pointy spikes.

Been searching for 40" and 42" high stands.

 

[highstream]

Here’s what I found: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=42”+speaker+stands&t=ipad&ia=web If the base is large enough, or if the stands allow filling (e.g., sand), or you biuld your own bases, then spikes might not be necessary. I’ve never had good luck with them sonically.

 

[JStewart]

Not “audiophile”, but will get the job done.

BLE101 Surround Sound Speaker Stand - VTI Manufacturing

Beautifully textured powder coated cast iron base with heavy gauge steel pillar. Adjustable height and top plate to accommodate different surround sound and mini speakers needs. Carpet spikes and footplate discs included for hard or soft floors. Available color: Black or Gray silver.

www.vtimanufacturing.com

 

[Sonnie]

Not “audiophile”, but will get the job done.

BLE101 Surround Sound Speaker Stand - VTI Manufacturing

Beautifully textured powder coated cast iron base with heavy gauge steel pillar. Adjustable height and top plate to accommodate different surround sound and mini speakers needs. Carpet spikes and footplate discs included for hard or soft floors. Available color: Black or Gray silver.

www.vtimanufacturing.com

Hmmm.... adjustable... 33-3/4“–59" ... which would be perfect to determine the right height. I can't see if the spikes are very pointy or not though.

The RF series do look pretty pointy, so if they are the same, those would work.

 

[highstream]

The Adams are large and hefty for a nearfield speaker, very similar in stature and a few pounds heavier than the Quads I mentioned and used on 24” Sanus stands. I would imagine that at 42” a very solid stand would be best, probably something with at least dual legs.

 

[Sonnie]

The Adams are large and hefty for a nearfield speaker, very similar in stature and a few pounds heavier than the Quads I mentioned and used on 24” Sanus stands. I would imagine that at 42” a very solid stand would be best, probably something with at least dual legs.

Good point... something with a larger base might be best.

 

[highstream]

Sonnie, you haven’t said where you’re planning to use them. I had the Quads in my not large living room, seated about 8’ away. They sounded very good, but didn’t have the oomph to satisfy. I wasn’t using subs though. I now have them on my desk, where they are wonderful (on Heincke wood blocks and Isoacoustics stands).

 

[Sonnie]

Sonnie, you haven’t said where you’re planning to use them. I had the Quads in my not large living room, seated about 8’ away. They sounded very good, but didn’t have the oomph to satisfy. I wasn’t using subs though. I now have them on my desk, where they are wonderful (on Heincke wood blocks and Isoacoustics stands).

First sentence of first post... to evaluate when we do our evaluation event first of July. To elaborate a bit more... we want to see how a nearfield setup will compare to my normal setup of larger speakers. There are several that use a nearfield setup for their normal music listening and movie watching, so we figured why not see how it compares. We'll try them with and without subs, but I don't even listen to my rather large 15A's without subs.

 

[Sonnie]

I decided to go sit in the main listening position and actually measure the height... and I'm now coming up with 30-32" as being the right height. I'm not sure how I came up with 42". Initially I measured from another chair to my speakers, and my ear was a lot higher than in my MLP in my listening room. So... that opens the doors up to several I had passed over. The Pangea come to mind as reasonable and robust... carpet piercing spikes and can be filled with sand.

 

[DanDan]

The Audibility of Stands is very questionable. ADAM products tend to be sturdy. I doubt if there is significant radiation from the cabinet. And whatever little there is, would it be audible? They are heavy enough that I doubt very much if the cabinet has any recoil action against the small woofer. So I wouldn't sweat the rug. My speakers are on Towersonic stands. Rounded steel feet on carpet. Isolate It, mainly to prevent scratching. No vibration whatsoever can be felt either in the cab, or the stand, or the floor.

To avoid stand waffle, I reckon that everyone would find a stack of bricks acceptable. Borrow them, and use Towel or whatever on top to protect the speakers.

 

[JStewart]

I decided to go sit in the main listening position and actually measure the height... and I'm now coming up with 30-32" as being the right height. I'm not sure how I came up with 42". Initially I measured from another chair to my speakers, and my ear was a lot higher than in my MLP in my listening room. So... that opens the doors up to several I had passed over. The Pangea come to mind as reasonable and robust... carpet piercing spikes and can be filled with sand.

Pangea makes the Monoprice Monolith stands where they are sold for less. Monoprice doesn’t carry all the Pangea models though.

Search -MONOLITH STANDS - HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!

Monoprice, Inc. (DBA. MonoPrice.com) specializes in the wholesale distribution of world class cable assemblies for home theater, PC, and high technology industries. MonoPrice.com offers a wide range of products from standard PC products, network cables, and HDMI cables to custom cable assemblies...

www.monoprice.com

 

[highstream]

A search that includes the height will turn up a lot of possibilities, as I’m sure you’ve found. Since this is for a test, one question will be how expensive or what degree of quality you want to go for. Someone mentioned Pangea. It’s been several years since I tried their then $29 and $99 power cords with a nearfield system, but I did not find them to be a sonic bargain. I wonder to what degree their products’ quality has improved over the years or how it might apply to their stands.

 

[Sonnie]

Pangea makes the Monoprice Monolith stands where they are sold for less. Monoprice doesn’t carry all the Pangea models though.

Search -MONOLITH STANDS - HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!

Monoprice, Inc. (DBA. MonoPrice.com) specializes in the wholesale distribution of world class cable assemblies for home theater, PC, and high technology industries. MonoPrice.com offers a wide range of products from standard PC products, network cables, and HDMI cables to custom cable assemblies...

www.monoprice.com

Wow... $126/pr vs $230/pr for the same exact stands. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24794

A search that includes the height will turn up a lot of possibilities, as I’m sure you’ve found. Since this is for a test, one question will be how expensive or what degree of quality you want to go for. Someone mentioned Pangea. It’s been several years since I tried their then $29 and $99 power cords with a nearfield system, but I did not find them to be a sonic bargain. I wonder to what degree their products’ quality has improved over the years or how it might apply to their stands.

Yeah... I have some of their power cables... not for sound quality, but for quality and the way they grip into the components very tightly (electrical tape can solve that issue for most others)... and they look nice too.

I'm not sure I'd expect to notice any differences in stands, but I do want something that has the sharp spikes to get thru my shag carpet and not be wobbly, well built, heavy (with sand) and sturdy, at a reasonable price. $126 seems very reasonable for these stands that fit the need perfectly.

 

[DanDan]

I hear you! IMO makers of such products could play some reference music on a rig with and without. Record impeccably in binaural. Every one os us could then share the listening difference using high resolution headphones.

 

[pratul]

I am cheap I built my own stands using 3/4" MDF. Same cross-section as the speakers, with spikes to reach down to the concrete floor and filled with a bag of sand each. I covered them with black velvet.

 

[Sonnie]

I am cheap I built my own stands using 3/4" MDF. Same cross-section as the speakers, with spikes to reach down to the concrete floor and filled with a bag of sand each. I covered them with black velvet.

I'm getting too lazy for sure.