Rubber Mulch!

[MAB]

Sonically, I've never heard a difference filling stands with various materials. Out of curiosity, I measured the performance of a speaker on a stand with and without sand filling.

Springs Under My Speakers: What's Happening?

LOL, let's keep going, prove that you have a window. I want proof Purite Audio even made that post before it's worth answering. Could have been hacked. Or his wife posted while he wasn't looking.

www.audiosciencereview.com

If the sand changed anything, the effect is smaller than my ability to return the speaker to exactly the same position after filling the stand with sand.

The sand wasn't really hard or messy to fill.
Perhaps it helps prevent the speaker from getting knocked over. Or maybe if the stand is really resonant, or was wobbling around introducing Doppler distortion. Seems more like a stand issue in those cases, rather then a need to add sand issue.

 

[AM88]

Cat litter is an alternative. Cheap stuff can be a bit dusty but it only goes in once and once in, shouldn’t cause any problems.

 

[Cogito]

 

[sam_adams]

So I am seriously considering rubber mulch.

Steel Blasting Shot Media, SAE S-110 size, 50 Lbs. Density is 7 g/cc. Approximately 3.5 million pellets/Lb.

Cat litter is an alternative.

Not dense enough:

Most cheap cat litter is Kaolin (clay) and will absorb moisture.

 

[kyuu]

Most cheap cat litter is Kaolin (clay) and will absorb moisture.

Well yes that's kind of its purpose. For this application, maybe adding some moisture to increase the density might work?

 

[sam_adams]

Well yes that's kind of its purpose. For this application, maybe adding some moisture to increase the density might work?

Do you want to put wet cat litter into your expensive steel speaker stands?

 

[Laserjock]

I used steel pellets from a boating ballast weight. (Waterski//wakebaord)

50lb weight split between the two stands.

Mostly to keep it from tipping, 32” stands for non standard height speakers. (Bar stool bar area and high bed/bedroom application)

 

[kyuu]

Do you want to put wet cat litter into your expensive steel speaker stands?

Better or worse than smelly rubber?

 

[ObscuredByClouds]

The only reason I would fill the stands is for resonances. But if the closed columns don’t resonate then I won’t fill them at all.

So, if you do not need added weight, get a can of spray foam.

If you want added weight, and don't want to deal with drying sand, unscented cat litter.

 

[Mort]

I used nylon mesh enclosed lead shot scuba weights. Was the right solution for my case as I do not like loose particles. (sand, cat litter, shot).

 

[mhardy6647]

So, if you do not need added weight, get a can of spray foam.

I just imagined dropping, e.g., a handful of shot into expanding spray foam.

 

[JayGilb]

Concrete is cheap and would fill all voids

 

[scrubb]

Lead is dangerous?! Ha, ha, ha, I played with lead miniatures when I was a kid in the late '70s and early '80s (military tanks, D&D characters, etc.) and theirs nnuthin wring wiht me ,,now.

EDIT: to be fair, I was aware even then that it wasn't entirely safe and so didn't chew on it and *usually* washed my hands after extensive handling.

 

[Ropeburn]

Do you want to put wet cat litter into your expensive steel speaker stands?

You see, my naturally inquisitive mind now can but wonder about the corrosive qualities of pissy and poopy cat litter (which would be the most dense version of cat litter, beneficial for this purpose). I'm also a fan of filling the hollow part of a stand and then welding it shut - for un-messy purposes, if you will.

Questions remain...

 

[Haflermichi]

The only reason I would fill stands is to add as much mass as possible to make the stands more stable.

To that end...lead is the most dense, and cheap. In terms of toxicity...what ever you obtain and use will be effectively taken out of the general environment and
"sequestered" as it were and likely to never again present it self within our lifetime.
Sand is too messy? You're only going to do it once then seal the opening right? I don't see the problem there.
I would not use cat litter specifically because it's not very dense and DESIGNED to absorb moisture. If you don't seal the stand it will absorb moisture eventually which can foster rust. I don't see the value in that.

 

[BlackTalon]

Concrete is cheap and would fill all voids

It will if you use a concrete repair mortar, which does not have coarse aggregate. Can use a mortar or grout mix as well. They'll likely take at least a few days to 'dry out', so may be best to do this outside or in a garage and leave the stands there when done. They could be a bear to haul to their final resting place, though.

 

[sam_adams]

Lead is dangerous?! Ha, ha, ha,

"There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects."

 

[sam_adams]

Concrete is cheap and would fill all voids

It will if you use a concrete repair mortar,

Concrete has an average density of 2.4 g/cc, one-third that of SAE S-110 steel shot.

 

[Roy_D]

I have vintage Target stands under Kef Q100's. They are quite hefty; the vertical is filled with sand, the horizontal isn't.
Had my speakers on rubber feet on the stand and thought job done. But adding some acoustic foam pads underneath the speakers made a night and day difference in the bass and low midrange. Also the weird noises at higher levels that @amirm also notes with these little kefs - around 85db and up - are pretty much gone.
I usually play below 75db but even then it is much much cleaner.


I saw how the Kippel machine works and noticed most just put speakers on stands and measure - makes me think perhaps the interplay between specific speakers and the surface they sit on is being measured right along with and attributed to the speaker.

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005007217876425.htm the pads used. Also on Amazon at 7x the price ^^
( it says 2pcs but this refers to the two wedge shapes - must order 2 sets of these.. )

 

[JayGilb]

Concrete has an average density of 2.4 g/cc, one-third that of SAE S-110 steel shot.

I used silica sand and wood plugs when I made a pair of monitor stands a decade back. Some measurements would be needed to see the effectiveness of various materials.