Don't forget the sand...

Yes, it's quite profound how cleaning-up the bass confers coherence to the remainder of the frequency range!

joerand posted:

Yes, it's quite profound how cleaning-up the bass confers coherence to the remainder of the frequency range!

Increased coherence is the perfect term for the improvement.

put up pics please..of your system.

My speaker stands have 2 nos 3 inch dia pipes filled with sand - right from the start. The speaker stands with the sand weighs about 35 kg each.

I guess i filled more than 90% ( if i remember correctly ).

regards

mpw

The other factor is that the heavier the speakers, the better the assurance of coupling the spikes to the floor. Heavier speakers are simply much easier to get consistently levelled IME, especially on carpet.

I'm slightly surprised that sand isn't used more with speakers.  My father had a Wharfdale corner speaker many years ago that was sand-filled.  AIUI the cabinet was essentially two cabinets, one inside the other, with sand between the inner and outer cabinet.  The speaker sounded absolutely fantastic (this was back in the early 60s - I think he had it made, while we were in Singapore, according to a design, possibly from Wireless World or some such.  It had a large (12" or mayb e 15") bass driver and a number of other drivers (mid and tweeter) - I can't remember how many but there seemed to be quite a few, in the top section.  Looked good, too.

Beachcomber posted:

I'm slightly surprised that sand isn't used more with speakers.  My father had a Wharfdale corner speaker many years ago that was sand-filled.  AIUI the cabinet was essentially two cabinets, one inside the other, with sand between the inner and outer cabinet.  The speaker sounded absolutely fantastic (this was back in the early 60s - I think he had it made, while we were in Singapore, according to a design, possibly from Wireless World or some such.  It had a large (12" or mayb e 15") bass driver and a number of other drivers (mid and tweeter) - I can't remember how many but there seemed to be quite a few, in the top section.  Looked good, too.

Yes, I remember designs for sand-fiiled cabinets - IIRC realtively thin sheets of plywood about an inch apart, large areas voids. Filled with sand I understand they were completely ‘dead’, achieving in a simple manner what manufacturers go to great lengths to achieve with all sorts of laminations etc. Very heavy of coursebut I suppose could be emptied for transit - but complicated and therefore costly to manufacture - but maybe not that expensive in the context of upmarket speakers.

This has reminded me, and I may have a go some time - what I have been trying in a speaker project is MDF laminated with lead sheeting using a resilient mastic, but that is very heavy and not removeable for transit, also more expensive than sand, so for anyone constructing their own, and not constrained by time, is may be an idea worth resurrecting.

It's been kiln dried sand from B&Q for me for a number of years 

Spent a few hours tuning in the hight / amount in my linn stands ( with Russell K speakers) and found about 2/3 full sounded best 

Stands sprayed silver to match my silver fraim ...from linns horrible gray colour.

Beachcomber posted:

I'm slightly surprised that sand isn't used more with speakers.  My father had a Wharfdale corner speaker many years ago that was sand-filled.  AIUI the cabinet was essentially two cabinets, one inside the other, with sand between the inner and outer cabinet.  The speaker sounded absolutely fantastic (this was back in the early 60s - I think he had it made, while we were in Singapore, according to a design, possibly from Wireless World or some such.  It had a large (12" or mayb e 15") bass driver and a number of other drivers (mid and tweeter) - I can't remember how many but there seemed to be quite a few, in the top section.  Looked good, too.

Those were the days, designs by Gilbert Briggs from leaflets sold by Wharfedale. My recollection is a corner enclosure, an extra box on top for mid and treble. Or as my father had, concrete drainpipes, a spun aluminium cone to direct the treble above a vertically firing speaker. I still have the speaker units, possibly Goodmans Axiettes safely stored.

Mafeic sand (black volcanic sand) works best, it's 15-20% denser than felsic sand (normal yellow or white sand).  You can get black sand for use in aquariums (hence it's already washed), but make sure it's real volcanic sand not a synthetic substitute (e.g. black glass); you can tell the difference as soon as you pick up the bag.

It works even better when combined with about 40-60% small basalt chippings; this increases the density 30% greater than felsic sand.

^^^^^^ great tip!! Thanks !!

For some time i've wondered if adding some weight inside the base SBL cabinet would bring about improvements. Perhaps a 5 kilo poly-bag of sand in each, so the volume is only a few inches up from the very bottom, and below the wooly fibre fill.

Suppose there's only one way to find out, although i bet someone has already tried it.

Tallan what stands do you have? I use Dynaudio stand 6 (with contour 1.3) and never thought much about adding the sand - my next upgrade could well be a bargain then.

They are the standard  number 6 Dynaudio stands in black.  I think you'll be pleased with the results.