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High-mass stands for Tannoys?

Don't hesitate Jules. They sound bloody great now - just immensely open and really swinging!

I have taken some pics but to upload them I'd have to unplug the DAC :)
 
The top plate is sized to fit exactly inside the three 'rails' that constitute the speakers' base.

Here shown without spikes which I thought sounded a lot better on this very solid floor.
 
eastone said:
This has been an interesting experiment. I'm amazed just how sensitive the Tannoys are to the material inside the central column.

Unfilled was clear, fresh and open, but the bass was loose on heavier tracks.

I then filled with sharp sand (pretty coarse stuff). Hugely solid sound, but very thick and too heavy in the bass.

I then tried cat litter which was some chalk/mineral compound. The bass overhang disappeared, but the overall sound was washed out and vague.

Today I've filled with rice and added some gobs of blu-tac between speaker and stand. I expected it to be overdamped to be honest, but in fact it's great. Just listened to some Massive Attack and now some Lou Reed. The bass, so far, is smooth and controlled, with real weight, but the overall sound is big and open, without over damping the upper frequencies. This is the best sound I've had out of the Chatsworths, by miles.
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to how a stand can directly affect upper frequencies given that such frequencies become increasingly directional? Isn't it more likely that in absolute terms, the upper frequencies remain unchanged, and that only the mid and lower frequencies are being changed by the stands?
 
eastone said:
The top plate is sized to fit exactly inside the three 'rails' that constitute the speakers' base.

Here shown without spikes which I thought sounded a lot better on this very solid floor.
Click to expand...

Yes I do like the look of these, thanks for the pic ...
Look more solid than my metal frame stands on castors for sure.

Would you by any chance have kept a note of dimensions?
I'd like to compare mine if poss ...

I presume you have the driver firing roughly at ear height ...
 
Yes the centre of the driver is at ear height without using the spikes. My sofa is fairly low at 40ish cm so you may want to adjust these dimensions for your own listening position:

H365mm excluding spikes
Top plate W325xD215mm
Base plate W400xD265mm
 
Having made lots of different metal stands in the past I find all this very interesting, it quite amazing how filling, design and material can make such a difference, I tried loads of heavy stands with my speakers but found Linn Sara stands worked best.
Years ago I built set of speaker cabs to use whilst mine were being repaired, I used very thick MDF with loads of bracing all screwed and glued lined with High Density stick on foam and was shocked at how good they sounded.
I feel the key is to take your time and experiment
 
eastone said:
This has been an interesting experiment. I'm amazed just how sensitive the Tannoys are to the material inside the central column.

Unfilled was clear, fresh and open, but the bass was loose on heavier tracks.

I then filled with sharp sand (pretty coarse stuff). Hugely solid sound, but very thick and too heavy in the bass.

I then tried cat litter which was some chalk/mineral compound. The bass overhang disappeared, but the overall sound was washed out and vague.

Today I've filled with rice and added some gobs of blu-tac between speaker and stand. I expected it to be overdamped to be honest, but in fact it's great. Just listened to some Massive Attack and now some Lou Reed. The bass, so far, is smooth and controlled, with real weight, but the overall sound is big and open, without over damping the upper frequencies. This is the best sound I've had out of the Chatsworths, by miles.
Click to expand...
Could I suggest one last filler, it may be the best of both worlds for you, it's how I have found it over the years, low mass, but enough to tighten up low frequencies without compromising midrange expression.

That is...wood pellet cat littler from Tesco, it's 100% natural wood, one bag would fill both.
I use this in my metal stands in my other room, seems sensible to use it in the oak stands.
two thirds in each stand should be enough.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-...VQjPTCh37bQcbEAQYASABEgIR4_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
Aah cheers for the link Ragaman. I've been in half the shops in SE London looking for wooden cat litter - my local Tescos just had the chalk/mineral amalgam stuff which sounded crap and was dusty as hell.

I'll have to get some delivered. Will report back!
 
ToTo Man said:
I'm curious as to how a stand can directly affect upper frequencies given that such frequencies become increasingly directional? Isn't it more likely that in absolute terms, the upper frequencies remain unchanged, and that only the mid and lower frequencies are being changed by the stands?
Click to expand...

Quite right. That was poorly phrased. I simply meant the system sounding properly balanced so that the lower frequencies weren't dominating.
 
eastone said:
Aah cheers for the link Ragaman. I've been in half the shops in SE London looking for wooden cat litter - my local Tescos just had the chalk/mineral amalgam stuff which sounded crap and was dusty as hell.

I'll have to get some delivered. Will report back!
Click to expand...

I think someones pulling your plonker, you need to use talcum powder.
 
Yes but I came out in a dreadful rash.

I think I shall try brown rice next. Much more organic tone, I've heard...
 
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