A speaker stand with room for an amp?

I just finished building a couple of prototype speaker stands back in the middle of June, where the speakers sit on the top shelf and the amplifier on a lower shelf. The amps are not hidden (not a requirement for me) nor is the angle of the speaker shelf adjustable, but it wouldn’t be too difficult to incorporate either option into a stand.

Hi everyone!

Do you think this request by erik_squires is relevant to many people? Is there a desire among audiophiles to shorten speaker cables? How often have you met such people?
I'm asking because I'm looking to produce a variety of stereo stands, so I might be able to include similar models in my lineup, but only if there's a demand for them. And the shelf for the amplifier can be made vibration-decoupled from the rack body.

Unfortunately (for some of the replies) this is not an experiment in amplifier matching. While horizontal bi-amping may be a fun thing to do, simplifying and minimizing cables, devices and speaker distances is high on the list.

In an ideal world I would find a single stereo amp with built in DSP crossover and EQ capabilities to drive each speaker.

I can find small enough stereo enclosures for the amp modules I already have but I can’t find them with a built in crossover. Hypex and miniDSP and Dayton offer plate amps with all these features and miniDSP’s just happens to fit the back panel.

The alternative, a single stereo amp under each speaker is still do-able but leaves me with an external crossover and 2 XLR cables going to each amplifier.

@erik_squires wrote:

I’m not running a broad based research project here.

Some would simply refer to it as going down the rabbit hole, actively in this context and within the confinements of time, energy, capabilities and budget. Budget is typically the lesser issue, whereas one’s overall commitment and keeping an open mind through the process is the real determinant of the outcome.

We’re seeing left and right the investment, one way and the other, audiophiles put into their setups with passively configured speakers, but every now and then the occasion presents itself with an active system, albeit mostly via bundled, preconfigured solutions. So, when the rarer occasion arises with an outboard active approach, DIY at that, it’s where I’m thinking that it has to be explored more broadly, like one would with a passively configured setup, but that’s just me (and others as well, it seems).

That is to say: active is more than mere plug-and-play and convenience from a more or less bundled package; it offers all you can throw at it, more than you could passively even, and the permutations and sheer potential here from a better amp-to-driver interface is intriguing to say the least. It’s what you make of it.

I have specific needs I want to accomplish. I will use a stereo amplifier for each speaker and I will put each amplifier underneath a speaker.

Yes, that’s obvious by now, and fair enough. Hope it turns out to your liking.

@erik_squires,

In my opinion, amps inside speakers is not a good idea because the amps are subject to all the vibrations and air pressure inside the speaker cabinet. Also the speaker drivers emitting EMF's and interfering with the amplifiers power supply. I am a proponent of horizontally bi-amping speakers with an active crossover. Good luck with your project! 😎

Mike

Nailed it, plus room for future expansion...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81CRWVvXu-L._AC_SL1500_.jpg

DeKay

A speaker stand with room for an amp?

Nevermind - YouTube

Hi everyone,

So I've been doing some measurements and it looks like I can replace the existing speaker terminals and insert a plate amplifier that will fit my speakers.  I didn't think this was possible because the Hypex plate amps are all too long, but miniDSP offers an ICEpower version that is perfect.  My woodworking skills/tools are not up for the task though.  I'm going to have to ask for help.

This will solve all my connectivity problems!

Thanks for your help,

Erik

@kennyc I’m going to have to live with that, but at the end of the day the amps have to go somewhere. I’d like to have as short a speaker cable as possible.

@phusis I’m not running a broad based research project here. I have specific needs I want to accomplish. I will use a stereo amplifier for each speaker and I will put each amplifier underneath a speaker.

By an "ideal world" I mean it would be nice to have a stereo amplifier with built-in crossover and DSP in a shelf-ready form factor. All I can find in this regard are plate amps from Hypex or miniDSP which are meant for cabinets. I already have much of the ICEpower amplifiers I need. With some new cases I can build the stereo amps, but will still have to acquire a new miniDSP with balanced outputs.

Wondering if the vibrations of the speaker would affect the performance of the amp.

@erik_squires wrote:

Since this project is to convert my two way speakers from using passive crossovers to active ...

Good initiative. It’ll give you a bearing for sure what’s in store sonically with active config. of your mains compared to them being passively configured, but will it be more of an initial experiment only or (being open-minded about) a potential attempt at an all-out approach eventually? I’m asking because like any endeavor in home audio reproduction, if you want a true assessment of a given configuration/design direction you have to give it a bloody good shot to know where it stands compared to other approaches you’re already familiar with.

For one it appears you just started out on this active endeavor with the mains, and as such it is of course an experiment that can’t be decided upon in the blink of an eye whether to continue with ahead even more seriously. I know it was an experiment for me when I bought an extra pair of speakers + extra power amp (I had the Xilica DSP already) and started fiddling with active config., but it didn’t take long to realize it was the way to go. It will be interesting to see what your findings will be here, but as you no doubt know assessing that potential also reflects on the amp and DSP choice of yours, apart of course from the overall implementation of the filter settings, but I take it you have a pretty good grasp on these aspects.

My "warning" here would be not to base your findings to heavily and/or quickly in light of the class D amps and DSP chosen (not knowing what they are, sorry), but it should give you a bearing nonetheless.

... I would like to have 1 stereo amplifier under each speaker and use one channel for the tweeter and another for the woofer.

That’s another place to experiment: vertical (like in your case here) or horizontal active bi-amping. Vertical offers shorter cable lengths, but I wouldn’t let the desire to minimize cable length dictate that choice. It’s obviously system dependent and a matter of preference. I opted for horizontal active tri-amping (incl. subs) as that which sounded the more natural to my ears.

One of the benefits of vertical bi-amping, as I see it, is that it naturally makes you use the same amps for the two driver sections, in both channels of course, whereas horizontal bi-amping sees many using different amps to the respective driver sections. Not saying that can’t lead to good results, but personally I find it’s paramount to use similar topology/brand/series amps top to bottom - even with the subs - to aid overall coherency and tonality. Just saying that using similar amps with horizontal bi, tri or whatever-amping is an equally intuitive option compared to the one that is naturally given with vertical ditto.

In an ideal world, the DSP crossover and stereo amp would be one unit, but I will probably end up with a crossover under the processor, and run a pair of balanced cables to each amplifier.

When you say that (i.e.: "In an ideal world"), do you mean to keep komponent/chassis count to a minimum?

@ditusa 

Since this project is to convert my two way speakers from using passive crossovers to active I would like to have 1 stereo amplifier under each speaker and use one channel for the tweeter and another for the woofer.

In an ideal world, the DSP crossover and stereo amp would be one unit, but I will probably end up with a crossover under the processor, and run a pair of balanced cables to each amplifier.

@erik_squires 

If you have mono amps, I would put each mono amp under each speaker, it also saves space and it allows you to keep your speakers cables very short.

Mike

@yogiboy  - Excellent recommendation, but about 5-8" too short I'm afraid.  The general form factor is perfect though. 

I think I should have gone looking at Butcher Block first, they have what I need with their speaker stands, even better if I can have them put a third shelf in below the top shelf.

It's all good, @mrdecibel I'm having some of those thoughts myself.  I am going down the route of very small Class D amps, with very short speaker cables.

Here ya go!

I don’t belong on this thread, as my mileage varies. Best of luck, MrD.

@tvad I'm rather fond of Butcher Block products, so I'm thinking if I go custom I will ask them.  They have a number of speaker stands that are probably 90% of what I need. :)

@nonoise Oh those are very nice! They certainly look as if they'd have enough space for my amps! Thank you.

If you don't mind the amps sitting out in the open and still be part of the stand, something like this from Dynaudio can be a starting point for ideas,

All the best,
Nonoise