Filling my speaker stands to weigh it down?

I bought 100 lbs of #7.5 and #8 lead shots for $15/25lbs. My buddy bought some too and we filled our speaker stands. They certainly feel more solid and are heavier.

Thanks to everybody for their great suggestions!

The stand comes with spikes, and I'm using them on carpet.

All the best,
Mike

I would not recommend play sand. It can hold moisture and rust your stands. Go with silica sand. I've got 50 lbs of it that I'm no longer using if anyone wants it for free.

The silica sand works well. Use a mask to avoid inhaling the the very fine (nasty to the lungs) dust.

I use Home Depot sand -- costs only a few bucks. Otherwise, the stands resonate like gongs.

Yep, empty cavities have a tendency to resonate. So while you're at Home Depot checking out the kiddie sand, which typically contains pebbles and is stored outside in the damp, for a coupla dollars more splurge for the contractor's grade silica sand, which is dry, uniform and stored inside. In December 1999 Home Depot asked $3.90 for a 50lb bag.

Btw a plastic funnel works wonders for carefully sifting the material of your choice into the stands. Of course, if your stand isn't a sealed, all welded design, as noted earlier the fine sand may leak out without a liner.

if u put the lead in the fridge before u fill into the stand, the lead will be tight in the satnd when it warms up.

I invested in about $200 in lead shot to keep for a long time! IF I ever sell stands, i just empty the shot into the next pair of stands. It's worth the investment to me.

you can buy a 50lb. bag of play sand at Home Depot for about $3.00

Filling stands with sand or lead shot will improve the sound. I use playbox sand as suggested above. My stands (not B&Ws) came with plastic bags to fill with the sand so you don't get sand all over the place and so they don't leak. You can probably use a large trash bag for the same purpose.

a mix of lead shot(about 12$ for 20#,local gun smith) mixed with sand should do the trick per stand.....

Yes, it will make a difference. A common result is tighter bass and better focus. I bought a bag of playbox sand from Home Depot. There are other materials that are recommended, but this is inexpensive. If you use sand, you should probably fill them outside, as there will be quite a bit of dust created.

How are the stands coupled to the floor? Spikes?

jd