Speaker Stands and Mounts

To ensure that a good speaker system provides the best quality sound possible, it is important to have the right speaker stands and mounts. Whereas a good speaker minimizes transmission of sound through to the stand, a good speaker stand or mount minimizes the sound that travels through it to the floor or surface it is sitting on. A good speaker stand also enhances the sound of the speaker itself through use of mass, resonance, etc. Unfortunately, while there is no one set solution when it comes to getting best value for money from your speaker stands, there are a few essential elements to look for, whatever price range and style you are considering:

Sturdy Design

Speaker stands are tall and slender and they serve as a base to support your speakers; therefore, if you dont want a stand that is easily tipped over, then you need to pay attention to how sturdily it is designed. Also note the weight your speaker stands can handle.

Getting the Right Height

Another key factor when selecting best value for money speaker stands and mounts is to pay attention to the height adjustability. For instance, your tweeter should be at ear level to provide the best performance.

The Purpose of Spikes

Most speaker stands come with spikes and many people are of two minds as to their usefulness. One is that the use of spikes helps to keep the enclosure still which, in turn, enhances the delivery of your woofers. For instance, if your enclosure wobbles by a quarter of a millimeter, it can impact the output of your woofer sonically. Reduce the wobble, eliminate the impact. Another thought is that spikes increase the amount of vibration transferred between the floor and the speaker, increasing static friction and preventing lateral movement. Rubber bumpers are recommended for decoupling the stand from the floor or surface.

Cable Management

You can have the most-expensive, well-made, uniquely-designed speaker stands and mounts on the market, but if there are visible cables, then it just looks tacky; so one of the first things to look for is a good cable management system.

Bookshelf Speakers

Despite the name, it is generally unwise to place bookshelf speakers in a bookshelf. Therefore, if you do not have an alternative, open surface to place bookshelf speakers on, it may be wise to consider floor speaker stands instead.

Taking Your Speakers into Account

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, there is simply no out-of-the-box solution when it comes to best value for money speaker stands or mounts. Different speakers work better with different stands and mounts. Some speakers, for instance, benefit from huge amounts of mass while others require practically none. For those with no idea of what they are looking for, it is generally best to choose from a range of products specifically designed to work with your brand and style of speaker. However, if you are still determined to branch out, try beginning with something light of weight and mass and build it up, comparing the results along the way.