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Will filling my speaker stands really improve sound?

rhz

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Just bought a pair of monoprice monolinth stands for my Triangle Borea BR03 speakers. The stands are heavy and well-built. Am I likely to get noticeably improved sound quality if I fill the stands? If so, I think sand would be too messy. If heard about people using steel shot or aquarium gravel. Would these be acceptable? Also, kind of concerned that with the extra weight, I'll wind up with some pretty serious gouges in the carpet from the spikes. Would appreciate comments from those who have faced this issue. Thanks.
 

Steve Dallas

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Rap one of the columns with your knuckles and listen to the ring. Every frequency that resonates will ring like that when excited by the speaker sitting atop the stand. Filling the stands makes a pretty significant difference in clarity as a result. Filled stands sound totally dead upon knuckle rap.

I like baking soda as a filler. You can buy it in 12 Lbs bags in the pool supplies department of most big box stores. You need 2.5 bags to fill a pair of Monolith stands. Be sure to compact it by whacking the columns with something like a rubber mallet as you fill each one. The extra weight will not affect the carpet, as long as you set the stands straight down.
 

bunkbail

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I like baking soda as a filler.
Interesting. It's the first time someone suggested baking soda as filler. I personally use rice as they are cheap to buy bulk and not messy to handle.
 
OP
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rhz

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Rap one of the columns with your knuckles and listen to the ring. Every frequency that resonates will ring like that when excited by the speaker sitting atop the stand. Filling the stands makes a pretty significant difference in clarity as a result. Filled stands sound totally dead upon knuckle rap.

I like baking soda as a filler. You can buy it in 12 Lbs bags in the pool supplies department of most big box stores. You need 2.5 bags to fill a pair of Monolith stands. Be sure to compact it by whacking the columns with something like a rubber mallet as you fill each one. The extra weight will not affect the carpet, as long as you set the stands straight down.

Yes, my knuckle produced quite a chime. Baking soda would be too messy and I'd wonder if rice would attract bugs. Would something like steel shot or gravel be OK?
 

Silly Valley

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Don't know the exact design of that stand, but if you are worrying about leakage with the sand, you can fill plastic or cloth bags and put one or several in the stand. Don't necessarily have to fill every square centimeter of the stand
 

Steve Dallas

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Interesting. It's the first time someone suggested baking soda as filler. I personally use rice as they are cheap to buy bulk and not messy to handle.

I have it around for my pool and decided to try it, as it is very inexpensive, clean, dry, non-toxic etc. It works as well as anything else I have tried over the past 30 years. I used rice once. It was fine too.


Yes, my knuckle produced quite a chime. Baking soda would be too messy and I'd wonder if rice would attract bugs. Would something like steel shot or gravel be OK?

My Monolith stands sealed tightly once assembled. I can't imagine anything could get in or out. The baking soda does not leak out, if you are worried about dusting. Aquarium gravel is also commonly used, as is dry hobby sand. Shot is useful for making the stands more bottom-heavy, and you do not need to use more than a few inches of it.

Don't know the exact design of that stand, but if you are worrying about leakage with the sand, you can fill plastic or cloth bags and put one or several in the stand. Don't necessarily have to fill every square centimeter of the stand

Yep.
 

oldsysop

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diamante-misecelaneas-600x380.jpg


Filling with diamonds gives a hi-end sound.
 

bunkbail

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If you want the music to sound more airy just add some vinegar.
Good tips! If you don't want any graininess in the music, avoid using rice at all (I love mine some grain:p).
 

30 Ounce

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Adding mass usually helps raise resonances to a higher frequency if not eliminate them. It won’t hurt anything. I used lead shot in mine.
 

Senior NEET Engineer

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I have those stands. Doubt sand filling will help with sound quality. There is barely any vibration. Also quite heavy and stable as well.
 

Ron Texas

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I've heard of people using kitty litter. Mine have reclaimed lead shot in the base. It helps hold them in place on carpet. Sand is cheap at any rate.
 

Steve Dallas

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thewas

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Adding mass usually helps raise resonances to a higher frequency if not eliminate them.
Actually increased mass m brings the resonance frequencies down ω = sqrt (k / m ) which is usually a good thing in audio as our hearing is not as sensitive in the low frequency region. The problem though is that when we add mass we often also increase even more the stiffness k so actually we increase the eigenfrequencies, something which the good old BBC loudspeaker avoided by using thin flexible board but heavy damping.
 
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