I wouldn't have believed it, but...

[Joe Schmoe]

...I actually hear a difference between two pairs of speaker stands.

I own nice stands by Plateau and cheaper ones by Omnimount for my S30s (long story.) The Plateaus are quite obviously heavier and more stable. The speakers also sound better on them (especially the bass.) If I hadn't experienced it first hand, I definitely would not have imagined such a difference was possible.

 

[trnqk7]

perhaps they aren't losing energy from shaking the stands now with the bass frequencies-I think a more accurate statement would be that you have heard the difference in quality workmanship rather than el-cheapo stuff. Nothing magical about it.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You really NEED to get a girlfriend

...I actually hear a difference between two pairs of speaker stands.

I own nice stands by Plateau and cheaper ones by Omnimount for my S30s (long story.) The Plateaus are quite obviously heavier and more stable. The speakers also sound better on them (especially the bass.) If I hadn't experienced it first hand, I definitely would not have imagined such a difference was possible.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

You really NEED to get a girlfriend

If so, I will have to avoid mentioning this sort of thing to her, or she will flee in terror!

 

[ParkerAudio]

Well is your receiver happy with it's stand?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Well is your receiver happy with it's stand?

Not sure where this question came from (I was discussing speaker stands.) My CD player and integrated amp are stacked on the floor, with no rack.

 

[trnqk7]

I would assume that it was sarcasm Joe....

 

[ParkerAudio]

yep, couldn't resist

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I would assume that it was sarcasm Joe....

Then I am clearly missing something. I tried and failed to find some sort of sarcastic interpretation.

 

[trnqk7]

A lot of people might look at hearing a difference between speaker stands as akin to hearing a difference between speaker cables...I assume that Parker takes this view. I believe that a lot of people would also generally hold this view as well. They don't believe it should make a big difference...hence the sarcasm in asking if your amp liked it's stand...it obviously would make no difference at all what you placed it on, as long as it wasn't overheating, correct? Therefore, sarcasm.

 

[ParkerAudio]

Here is how it works, your speakers sound better on a better stand, what else is responsible for making your sound system better than speakers?
Your receiver, ergo, put your receiver on a better stand it should also sound better.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...I actually hear a difference between two pairs of speaker stands.

I own nice stands by Plateau and cheaper ones by Omnimount for my S30s (long story.) The Plateaus are quite obviously heavier and more stable. The speakers also sound better on them (especially the bass.) If I hadn't experienced it first hand, I definitely would not have imagined such a difference was possible.

Interestingly, Tom Nousaine did a stand comparison once, milk crates and regular stand, same height of course, is a must. No audible differences.

Are the speakers on your two stands exactly the same height? Do you see either stand move when playing? I just don't see a valid reason for the bass to sound different.
But then, perceptions can be off in sighted comparisons.

 

[ParkerAudio]

but whatever does it for you. If it works out great!!!

 

[Exit]

Did you disconnect and reconnect the speaker wires during changeover? If so maybe they were out of phase before and now they are in phase. That would account for a change in sound with the new stands.

 

[jaxvon]

If the 'better' stands happened to be far better at de-coulping the speaker from the floor, you could've reduced the sympathetic structural resonances in your house. I suspect this would yield subjectively "cleaner bass". If this is the case, then this is a real phenomenon. But just how are these stands built?

 

[sparky77]

I do have to side with joe on this one, I've heard significant differences in the sound of speakers between placement on shelves, and different speaker stands even when the speakers where at the same level. I'm guessing that the new stands are actually more effectively coupling the speaker to the floor which is reinforcing the bass response. Sometimes coupling the speaker to the floor yeilds a positive influence rather than a negative one. It all depends on the listening environment and the speaker itself.

My current speakers actually sound better sitting directly on the floor below the listening level than they did on light stands that decoupled them. Even rta analysis showed flatter response at the listening position. This likely won't happen with every speaker in every environment, it takes a little experimentation to find what works in every situation.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

A lot of people might look at hearing a difference between speaker stands as akin to hearing a difference between speaker cables...I assume that Parker takes this view. I believe that a lot of people would also generally hold this view as well. They don't believe it should make a big difference...hence the sarcasm in asking if your amp liked it's stand...it obviously would make no difference at all what you placed it on, as long as it wasn't overheating, correct? Therefore, sarcasm.

Ah, OK. The obvious difference is that, because speakers vibrate, there is a reason that speaker stands could (at least in theory) make a difference. By contrast, there is no mechanism whatsoever that could allow a reciever stand to make a difference.

 

[trnqk7]

You would be correct sir, at least as far as I am concerned.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Did you disconnect and reconnect the speaker wires during changeover? If so maybe they were out of phase before and now they are in phase. That would account for a change in sound with the new stands.

Under no circumstances could any speakers wired by me be out of phase. That is a noobie mistake, and stereo has been my hobby for decades.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Are the speakers on your two stands exactly the same height? Do you see either stand move when playing? I just don't see a valid reason for the bass to sound different.
But then, perceptions can be off in sighted comparisons.

The Plateaus (the better sounding ones) are about an inch shorter. This places the tweeters slightly below ear level, while the Omnimounts place them exacly at ear level.
Both the risers and the bases are about 4 or 5 times heavier on the Plateaus.