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Are speaker stands really mandatory for bookshelves?

flaviowolff

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As per the title: are proper stands really benefitial for bookshelf speakers when compared to placing them on a firm entertainment center, like on the example below (considering that the speakersare close to the edge and at proper height)?

x59az412hqh31.jpg
https://www.htforum.com/forum/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fx59az412hqh31.jpg&hash=a3425848da709704d6ba6329667958e5

If so, what are the benefits?

I'm thinking about getting rid of my ent. center so I can get a narrower one and two stands, but IDK if its worth the effort.


Thanks!
 

restorer-john

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I'd keep what you have- they look fine. Some people will tell you stands make a huge audible difference, but they don't. Stands are also easy to knock over if you have small animals (cats), small people (babies) or clumsy house guests.

I have stands, many pairs, but that's because I'm a HiFi nut. I like your ent centre as there's plenty of room in it for more gear. :)
 
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flaviowolff

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I'd keep what you have- they look fine. Some people will tell you stands make a huge audible difference, but they don't. Stands are also easy to knock over if you have small animals (cats), small people (babies) or clumsy house guests.

I have stands, many pairs, but that's because I'm a HiFi nut. I like your ent centre as there's plenty of room in it for more gear. :)

Thanks.
I'm 167cm tall, so I would fit in the small people risk factor :p
 

Doodski

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Having your speakers on a very solid immovable surface is actually better than some stands that can wobble slightly when the speaker woofer is really moving a bunch.
 
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flaviowolff

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I've read some things about ressonance and such affecting big furnitures. Dunno if true or just some justification for audiophilia nervosa
 

DonH56

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The only problems I recall are the speakers causing the cabinet to shake, mainly with cheaper/lighter cabinets, causing rattles and sometimes (rarely) a strange resonant booming sound; and, placing the speakers too far back so you get a reflection from the surface in front. Lots of cheap ways to isolate the speakers to fix the former, and moving them to the front takes care of the latter. There is also the issue of not being at the right height, again many ways to raise or tilt the speakers to resolve that.

Your ET looks pretty sturdy. The main problem I see in your picture, based upon many years of marriage, is that you left the toilet seat up again... :)
 

napilopez

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Your setup looks pretty fine!

I'd say the stand and positioning on a surface contributes a small amount to the sound, and you might want to take a little care with some types of speakers, but you should definitely be fine with those klipsches as setup.
 

Doodski

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Is that a lone sub woofer you have in the right corner? That's not the best location.
 

Dialectic

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I've read some things about ressonance and such affecting big furnitures. Dunno if true or just some justification for audiophilia nervosa
I do suspect that the speakers, unless they are somehow isolated, are making that cabinet resonate. I've noticed this effect in using my KEF LS50s on a couple of desktops and then moving them to stands.
 

Blumlein 88

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My guess would be they are better further from the wall behind them as Wes said. Which would mean stands or move the whole EC away from the wall. Maybe we need an audiophile EC which curves on the edges to put the speakers away from the wall. :)
 

adc

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BTW, I bet they'd sound better if further from the back wall...

+1. My setup is similar to yours (*), though I've dispensed with 5.1 and am back to 2.1 for good. Nothing I've ever done or spent or replaced or tuned has ever made such a dramatic difference in realism as has the hardest thing to do in a small house: put more distance between those speakers and the wall behind them. Pull 'em to the front edge of the cabinet, and pull that cabinet as far forward as you can possibly manage.

(*) Except my toilet seat is down.
 

napilopez

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Can't speak to those specific klipches, but my preference is always closer to the wall and then EQing down the excess bass. Per Genelec's advice.


You get the most bass and clarity this way, imo. Given how directive klipch's are, seems particularly useful. That said, I'd still have the speakers towards the front of the cabinet to avoid reflections. Alternatively, you could get short desktop stands like isoacoustics ones.
 
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flaviowolff

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Thank you all for your considerations.

That is an old picture. I'm not on that apartment anymore, nor am I using klipsches, 5.1 or even a subwoofer.

With that setup, that sub location was the only possibility. I also wasn't able to put the speakers any further from the wall. The reason for that is on that photograph in the red frame.

At the moment, I'm using a pair of Totem Rainmakers and no sub. Simple stereo. But i'm still placing them besides the TV, hence the post and the example picture.
 

Mnyb

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Re cabinets , it's sturdy and open shelves . I had had cabinet/furniture rattling with furniture with closed doors on them and also resonances , but with open shelves not so much .

.. and books are good difractors and dampers in bookshelves and good for you so stuff with books :)
 

Mnyb

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Me too I use cheap stands then fill the tubes with sand , instead of byuing very expensive stands . So a good stand does not have to cost a fortune
 

mhardy6647

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Me too I use cheap stands then fill the tubes with sand , instead of buying very expensive stands . So a good stand does not have to cost a fortune
which ones (e.g.)?
I ask because -- well, I'm shoppin'.
(and contemplating DIY, too)
 

Dialectic

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I'm a stand believer as long as its filled with sand or some other non resonating material. BUT, your setup is clean and nice looking. Maybe the isoaccoustics stands may be an option for you. IsoAcoustics-Aperta-Speaker-Stands-Black.html
If you want your speakers to wobble around on the front-to-back axis, isoAcoustics stands are perfect. But I and several other ASR users have tried them, and the consensus seems to be that the wobbling doesn't help the sound.
 
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