My passive AE1 adventure

[paulfromcamden]

I'd search for local listings on Ebay etc. Speaker stands are big and heavy to ship so lots of folk offer them as 'collect only'. Means they can sometimes be had for buttons.

 

[mandryka]

I don’t think you can go far wrong with some decent Target stands:

Target Heavy Duty Stands In Black | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Target Heavy Duty Stands In Black at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Yes and he's friendly and will deliver to me for £25. However it's only 53cm high - the height of my current stands - I want 60cm. I made a mistake about the heights in the earlier post I made today.

 

[mandryka]

I'd search for local listings on Ebay etc. Speaker stands are big and heavy to ship so lots of folk offer them as 'collect only'. Means they can sometimes be had for buttons.

This is perfect, and he's friendly and lives round the corner - but it's too expensive I feel.

Target Audio 4 pillar speaker stands H 560 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Target Audio 4 pillar speaker stands H 560 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

I'm wondering about this

Atacama SE24 24"(60cm) Speaker Stands | eBay

Atacama SE24 speaker stands. H: 24" (60cm). Base Plate - 22 x 24.5 cm. Top Plate - 17 x 19.5 cm. Also available in 20"(50cm) & 12"(30cm) in black.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[paulfromcamden]

Would these be any good?

Pair of Black Mission Stancette Speaker Stands (23") (mint condition) | eBay

Currently sold for c. £90 online A bit dusty from the top only, otherwise perfect. In impeccable condition. Available for pick up from London Kennington SE11.

www.ebay.co.uk

Or you could see if the seller will take £20 for this scruffy pair of Atacamas (possibly too scruffy...)

Atacama speaker stands ideal for Rogers JR149 | eBay

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Atacama speaker stands ideal for Rogers JR149. Please have a look my another items. Thanks very much. Person collection only. </p>

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Pete Green]

This is perfect, and he's friendly and lives round the corner - but it's too expensive I feel.

Target Audio 4 pillar speaker stands H 560 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Target Audio 4 pillar speaker stands H 560 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

I'm wondering about this

Atacama SE24 24"(60cm) Speaker Stands | eBay

Atacama SE24 speaker stands. H: 24" (60cm). Base Plate - 22 x 24.5 cm. Top Plate - 17 x 19.5 cm. Also available in 20"(50cm) & 12"(30cm) in black.

www.ebay.co.uk

Get some heavy ones - my ae1 stands are 63 cm high and very heavy

 

[mandryka]

@paulfromcamden The scruffy Atcamas aren't allowed in the house.

I like the Mission stand very much aesthetically, I use them for JR149s. However Acoustic Energy recommend heavy stands -- very heavy stands.

 

[mandryka]

Get some heavy ones - my ae1 stands are 63 cm high and very heavy

The annoying thing is that there was a guy on ebay who was prepared to sell me some original beautiful AE1 stands -- and then he decided to pull out because he wants to keep them.

 

[Copperjacket]

How about these B&W stands:

Bowers & Wilkins FS-600 S3 Speaker Stands (Pair), Black | eBay

<p>In perfect condition. Work w B&W speakers but not just (have tried q m20s and they fit perfectly. </p><br /><p>Very sturdy, very high quality material and finish. No chips, discolorations. </p><br /><p>16kg hence the collection in person (London SE10). If u want to arrange your own courier...

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[dreamer69]

I was using Custom design sq404 with these speakers. They worked really well and I have heard the original AE stands

 

[Dowser]

Make me an offer?

But I think postage from Switzerland will be the killer, they're really heavy!

Richard

 

[mandryka]

Well @Dowser 's kind offer to sell me AE1 stands didn't work out, really becauss of the tax and duty importing to the UK. So we now have a pair of Atcama 60cm stands each one filled with 5L of Morrisons Super Absorbant Cat Litter. It has certainly made a difference to the stability and depth of the image.

Do I need spikes?

Any experimented with AE1s and distance from front wall?

 

[Dowser]

On a wooden floor I would say a definite yes to spikes, but you have to try for yourself…same with distance from back wall…and apart. Depends on room I find

 

[Rug Doc]

Wooden floor - no to spikes.. you need Gaias or something DIY a lot cheaper - you need to isolate from rather than connect to the floor. Try some cheap flat feet with a sorbothane pad beneath each one. I have plenty of such things if you’re nearby. (GU10)

 

[mandryka]

I didn't realise I was asking such a divisive question?!! There's a little project for me in the summer - explore spikes/ Gaias/nothing. Thanks for your offer @Rug Doc .

The original AE 1 stand had spikes on the base plate and on the top plate - and my Atcamas allow me to do the same. Any thoughts about spiking the top?

 

[peterm]

The original AE1 stands had very sharp spikes on the bottom but those on the top were much more blunt- a bit like a Linn's radiused "point" bearing.
An allen key could be used to level them up so that all 4 were in contact with the bottom of the speaker, no need for sharp points that pierce the wood.

 

[Bogart]

This little adventure started with a comment made more than 3 years ago





And then this discussion about LS3/5As from about three months ago





Also, at the back of my mind, there's the thought that I appreciate a modern speaker sound more than the sound of JR149 Mk1s and LS3/5As. I certainly enjoy my JR149 Mk2s more at the moment.

They arrived today, they work, and they have been hooked up to a Conrad Johnson CJ 80. I may try Tony's suggestion of a Krell later. They seem to be more sensitive than the JR149 Mk1s they were replaced with - or at least, louder, more sound pressure. And a totally different timbre. Granados's Goyescas playing right now - solo piano -- it sounds great! They are very lively -- fast. But all new speakers sound great at first to me, so time will tell.

​

One immediate question. There are two annoying chips in the paint of one of them. What's the best way to deal with it -- a sharpie?

Oh -- anyone got a nice original AE1 stand they want to sell me?

Forget the speakers, nice fireplace.

 

[rontoolsie]

I’ve always wanted to hear the AE2s - my studio friends said it wasn’t as good as AE1s for work, something to do with timing I think, but still…. I’ve got 2 pairs of AE1s, an old pair and a classic pair they reintroduced 10 years (?) or so ago. Sadly with blown drivers from studio work But the AE1 mk2 signatures I have at home are just magical, they manage to give everything a ‘ live ‘ coherence that is completely convincing. I’ve got them with the original stands - weigh a ton

Two pairs, eh?

I wonder if a stacked pair of AE1s' would be the same as an AE2?

 

[Pete Green]

Two pairs, eh?

I wonder if a stacked pair of AE1s' would be the same as an AE2?

Ha! Just picked up a beautiful pair of AE1s for a smaller room and they are singing - that old adage about the room being the third instrument with your system/ music, so true. They were used a lot in studios in the early 90s, and I think that’s why the AE2s didn’t work there - the timing coherence between the two drivers. But the AE1s have a charm to them that made working on them so much easier than the NS 10s

 

[mandryka]

Well after about a month the AE1s are still my favourite speaker.

Acoustic Energy are friendly and helpful - at least as soon as you tell them you have a pair of original AE1s. They still have some replacement grilles and badges for sale (one orientation only for the badges though.) Unfortnately they don't have any stands though - they said they have just one battered old pair which they use "for testing."

 

[FN19]

Ae1 are a fabulous speaker, I’d have another pair tomorrow.