advertisement


Sliding floorstanders over carpet

Scampy4 said:
I have a relatively small living room (55 cubic metres) which is used as my listening room. To make the best use of the floorspace (22 cubic metres), I keep my speakers against the wall until I want to listen to music. I then pull them out away from the wall to position I like best.

However, I’m getting older, and although the speakers are relatively light they are getting more difficult for me to to lift. The speakers are ProAc Response D25s and weigh about 25Kg each.

Does anybody have a simple (and safe) solution that they deploy for regularly moving speakers across a metre or so of carpet?

I would prefer to keep the speakers rather than change them for something else.
Click to expand...

Probably not a suggestion you want to hear ... but could you change speakers to some that can remain against the wall?
 
Neil P said:
Probably not a suggestion you want to hear ... but could you change speakers to some that can remain against the wall?
Click to expand...
I have been toying with idea of buying something like Harbeth P3 ESRs with a subwoofer as an alternative, but the cost is a bit of a downer. I know that there are a lot of other speakers I could consider, but the small footprint of an LS3/5A type speaker is quite appealing.

The sensible option is to retain what I have. The ProAcs are good speakers, I think.
 
I use a sack trolley sometimes, or slide a shiny board (cut offs from wardrobes or kitchen cupboards) underneath. I also use a couple of these to lift the speaker enough to get something under them. In fact, I moved the QUADs and the Tannoys like that yesterday.
I'm 72, the Tannoys weigh more than me, and my wrists are knackered. But it's still do-able.
68Z5066-winbag-air-wedge-each-u-01-r.jpg
 
awkwardbydesign said:
I use a sack trolley sometimes, or slide a shiny board (cut offs from wardrobes or kitchen cupboards) underneath. I also use a couple of these to lift the speaker enough to get something under them. In fact, I moved the QUADs and the Tannoys like that yesterday.
I'm 72, the Tannoys weigh more than me, and my wrists are knackered. But it's still do-able.
68Z5066-winbag-air-wedge-each-u-01-r.jpg
Click to expand...
They’re nifty little airbags, aren’t they? Do you just tilt the speaker and slide them under?
 
So I’m on Karndean vinyl flooring but in a similar situation where I slide them out of the way of kids! My Dynaudio Evoke 50s sit on walnut chopping boards, 50mm sorbothane hemispheres and magiglide furniture sliders. Works a treat for isolation and they slide really easily
 
cayorob said:
So I’m on Karndean vinyl flooring but in a similar situation where I slide them out of the way of kids! My Dynaudio Evoke 50s sit on walnut chopping boards, 50mm sorbothane hemispheres and magiglide furniture sliders. Works a treat for isolation and they slide really easily
Click to expand...
This is really inventive. I should have stayed on longer in the school of practicality. This solution might work the best of them all for me. I’m going to try a few of the suggestions to see which I prefer. Thank you very much for sharing it with me.
 
Scampy4 said:
I have been toying with idea of buying something like Harbeth P3 ESRs with a subwoofer as an alternative, but the cost is a bit of a downer. I know that there are a lot of other speakers I could consider, but the small footprint of an LS3/5A type speaker is quite appealing.

The sensible option is to retain what I have. The ProAcs are good speakers, I think.
Click to expand...

It's tricky ... trying to balance sound quality, convenience, acceptability for those you share the house with. I'm having similar conundrums about home cinema projector and whether i want a monstrosity on the wall, or one i bring out every time (with associated faff, and thus avoidance of use!).

Do the speakers need to be moved out for better sound quality? (sorry I am not familiar with them). Could that need be replaced by some subtle looking room treatments for instance? Apologies, I know that is a whole separate worm hole!
 
Neil P said:
It's tricky ... trying to balance sound quality, convenience, acceptability for those you share the house with. I'm having similar conundrums about home cinema projector and whether i want a monstrosity on the wall, or one i bring out every time (with associated faff, and thus avoidance of use!).

Do the speakers need to be moved out for better sound quality? (sorry I am not familiar with them). Could that need be replaced by some subtle looking room treatments for instance? Apologies, I know that is a whole separate worm hole!
Click to expand...
I've found that for these speakers, in my room, bringing them out into the open, away from boundaries, gives me a much more involving experience.

I agree with you, the whole balancing act between domestic harmony and perceived sound quality is one of compromise. My wife tolerates my desire for better sounding audio, and for that I am very grateful, but I also have to consider her preferences for our shared living space too.

I have thought about discreet room correction panels, but that is probably a rabbit hole from which I might never emerge!

I have been trying DSP room correction through Lyngdorf's Room Perfect software. I have their smallest amplifier, the TDAI 1120, which is surprisingly good. I pushed the speakers back against the wall, as Lyngdorf recommend. The RP software is good at suppressing room modes at the listening position, but can do nothing about the nulls. It also affected the soundstage and imaging that I had been used to, so it isn't the optimal solution for me.

I think primarily I am more interested in the soundstage and imaging rather than eliminating over-emphasised bass. I think I want the best of both worlds. Get the soundstage right first, then deal with the distorted frequency response.

Sorry to ramble on. Too much coffee this morning!
 
Herbie's Audio Gliders are worth the money for sound quality and make moving floor-standers pretty easy. I used them when I had Ruarks.
 
Taff63 said:
Herbie's Audio Gliders are worth the money for sound quality and make moving floor-standers pretty easy. I used them when I had Ruarks.
Click to expand...
That's interesting. I saw them mentioned on another thread here but was deterred about the uncertainty about how much they would cost after I added on VAT, shipping, possible customs duties (?), and admin expenses charged by the carrier to get them here from the States.

They do look the bee's knees, though...
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
What about digital room correction, either with software or a miniDSP as an alternative to moving the speakers back and forth?

My speakers were plonked pretty much where it was possible and EQ'ing the room-induced peaks has made the resulting sound/balance pretty decent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top