Speaker Stand Design Question

[chrisb]

I am interested in building some simple speaker stands. 

I am curious what I should use for the center post.  The center post is about 30 inches tall.  I was thinking four solid wood walls (hollow in the center).  However, I am concerned about wood movement and how to connect post wood to the top and bottom.  Instead, would this be a good time to use plywood?

 

Thanks,

Chris.

 

I had planned on solid wood for the top and bottom. 

[wtnhighlander]

Solid wood should be fine, as all the grain will run vertically and expand/contract in unison. Attach the upper and lower plates by cutting a smaller square that fits inside the hollow post, and glue it to the center of the plate. Fit the post over it an use glue, brad nails or screws to attach it to the center square. I doubt wood movement will cause any problem for a piece that size, even if you glue it solid.

[Mick S]

I agree that you probably don't need to worry about wood movement. I see that you're in ABQ - I'm outside of Santa Fe. It's so dry here year round that there's not much need to be overly concerned, assuming that the wood you use is dry to begin with.

[chrisb]

Albuquerque is pretty dry, but I use a swamp cooler in the summer.  So I can go from 20%RH in the winter to over 60%RH in the summer.

 

Chris.

[wdwerker]

Swamp cooler in the house ? Or are the speaker stands for the shop ?

You could rabbet the corners to make alignment easier. Long grain joints just need glue and clamps but the rabbets would help. Blocks glued in both ends will be fine to attach the top and bottom to.

[chrisb]

The speaker stands will be in the house with the swamp cooler.

I like the idea of rabbets and will probably go with those.

Chris.

[TerryMcK]

You could run the cables up the centre column for neatness and have them emerge from a small hole in the column under the upper platfom.

Also have a look at how commercial speaker stands use floor spikes to prevent vibrations from the speaker resonating the floor boards. I know you can buy these spikes.

[Chestnut]

I don't know if resonating for home use speakers is a huge deal. I'd still secure the top but I've never had a speaker move and I've never noticed vibration. I use my speakers for stands for other things as well, like screws.

When your done making stands make some speakers to go with them.

I never knew what a swamp cooler was until i was 22, they just don't work around here. I can see how they'd cause problems.

[chrisb]

Thanks for all of the help.

I've noticed a lot of people fill their speaker stands with sand, but I am not sure that I am going to go that far.  I'll look into the spikes.

 

Chris.

[wdwerker]

The extra weight in the stand plus the spikes  keep the stand from dancing across the floor if a powerful speaker is cranked up loud. I have a client who is majorly into high end audio. Speaker cables the diameter of my thumb , DC power supply for his amp and the list goes on. Even he admitted that at some point the obsession can lead to behaviors approaching voodoo.

Spikes and weight are unnecessary if you are just using normal equipment at reasonable volumes.

[ghost]

an idea and one observation.

the sand suggestion is dead on. use 1 gal. freezer bags. fill with playground sand from the orange or blue box stores. you want a heavy stand that won't resonate (as best you can). if you want a rectangular look do what is suggested previously

plywood is not required, you could use pine for example. a round look can be done with schedule 40 4" PVC pipe. scour the pipe and paint. and 2 pieces of wood for top/bottom 

either way, use a piece of all-thread from top to bottom, a large fender washer and nut on each end to connect the top/bottom. you would have to factor that into your build - (thickness of top/bottom). mass is your friend as regards to speaker stands. more is better.

[ghost]

as a as spikes go - they are beneficial (perhaps -  jury is kind of out on that) to de-couple the speaker from the floor. more important if you are on a floor that is the ceiling of what is below you. on a slab not so much.

 

 

[Tpt life]

Spikes through carpet. Silicone nubs on hard flats. Spikes will dance on a hard flat and dig in a soft flat. 

All thread is great to lock loose assemblies like lamps and trophies, but on a furniture box that is glued up? I am not sure what you'd gain. 

[chrisb]

I think the point of the all thread is to hold the top, column and bottom together without glue.  This would allow for weight to be added or removed as needed.

 

Chris.

[anodyne]

From a sound perspective Ghost nailed it.  Mass is definitely your friend.  It will definitely help with bass, and can help with imaging, depending on how revealing your speakers are.  If you have kids/animals in the house, it will also help to keep the stands from being inadvertently knocked over.  From a design perspective, I'd aim for making the stands so that you can change the amount of contents in them, using a removable piece on the bottom.  Sometimes you need to add/take away some mass to find the sweet spot sound wise.  Sand is a great cheap way to get mass, just make sure the sand is dry before adding it to the enclosure.  Lots of people will also fill mix lead shot in with the sand.

I use Herbie's Audio Labs Cone/Spike Decoupling Gliders under the spikes on my floor standers.  If you are going to spike the stands they maintain the sonic benefits of spiking the speakers, but allow for some ease of movement when you are trying to position the stands/speakers.  I use some of their isolation feet under my mono-blocks and other equipment to good end as well.  No affiliation with the company, just a happy customer.  

[Minnesota Steve]

From a more practical point of view, adding mass to the stand, and spiking it if sitting on a carpeted floor adds a great deal of stability.   On hard surfaces I've replaced the spikes with 1/4" carriage bolts with rubber tips glued on for leveling.   My floor standing speakers came with something similar in the box.

You'll want to keep that in mind, like where are they going to be located and if it's somewhere people consistently walk how easy they are to tip over.   So make the base wide enough, etc.

As far as how to connect wood at top and bottom.   Honestly you can just use screws because it's not going to be visible.

Oh and don't forget some sort of rubber on the top to keep speaker from shifting once placed.   Something thin like 1/8" thick is all you'd need but it's nice to have something a inch or so wide to give plenty of grip.