nemesis1218 Buy a cheap "stair trolley" https://www.reasonsto.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/stair-climber-trolley-1200x900.jpg https://www.walmart.com/ip/Zimtown-440LB-Heavy-Duty-Stair-Climbing-Climber-Folding-Hand-Truck-Dolly-... Cheers George |
I have B&W 803 D speakers, purchased 15 years ago. The dealer had two men deliver them to my upstairs listening room. At the time I was in my mid 40s and in great physical shape. I want to replace the speakers but since the I have had heart and back surgery and no way am I shlepping these downstairs for a dealer to demo in trade in. I bought a 90 pound amp a few years ago and that will reside in my system as well until I move |
Sorry for the slow response, but although I've been a reader of the Audiogon forums for several years, I've never felt qualified to advance a discussion until now. My bona fides: I was a contractor in a major metro area moving (High Value) special products for 31 years and recently retired. From multiple truckloads to items you could carry with one hand, as we say in the business "I've handled some things". First, no matter which method you use, your amp should be pad wrapped in a movers blanket, placed diagonally on the pad with the corners folded over on top and taped around in two directions with cheap brown plastic moving tape. Think wrapping a box with paper and tying with string. At this point you may just be able to pick it up with a helper and carry it. If not, then here are three mechanical options for this or any heavy pieces. (The fourth way is to call somebody like me, but that was already mentioned.) 1. Shoulder Dolly moving straps. They will take a bit of coordination between you and your helper, but they only cost around $40, and you don't have to worry about dirt and grit embedded dolly wheels scuffing up the stairs and scratching the floor. Practice with something else before you grab your (pad wrapped!!) $$$ amp. And make sure you throw the loose end of the center strap over your shoulder. Since this tool is meant for desks and refrigerators the strap is pretty long. Definitely doable.2. Yeats aluminum appliance dolly, or similar. A lightweight manual option. Rent-able in some places, but be sure to clean the wheels and stair runners before you drag it up your steps and across your floors. No telling where it was. If the amp is to short to catch the strap on the dolly, use a ratchet strap from Home Depot around the amp and hook the S hooks together in back. Your helper can wrap a strap around the axle of the dolly and help lift with that.3. Escalera StairCAT® Stair Climbing Hand Truck. I've used one for the last 20 years and, this isn't an ad, but if they asked me I would do it in a heartbeat. The model I have is the MLA-HC Stair Climbing Forklift, and it's battery powered for climbing stairs. I kept it when I sold out and still use it to get things upstairs. Escalera sells a metal plate to go over the fork blades, but as was mentioned in a previous post, you could use a piece of plywood. This is commercial quality equipment with a price to match. Good luck finding one available for rental, but lots of copier companies have them, and a smaller company might be willing to do your job for you. Again, make sure to clean the wheels and stair runners before use for inside stairs. Good luck, be safe, and happy listening. |
There's something called a "laddervator". I've seen roofers use them, and the Dutch use them when moving. I've never seen them used inside one's home, but perhaps their are smaller ones one can rent: https://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equipment/detail/1207/0440215/ladder-platform-shingle-hoist/ |
Get your wife to move it! Seriously though; I'm lucky as I'm still able to move up to 200 lbs. by myself. I just carried two Pioneer speakers up a long flight of stairs. I was huffing and puffing a bit, I admit. I can't see hiring two young people to do the job. I can picture it already. BANG, BUMP! DROP! I have a scar on my arm from where my Pass 250.8 heat sinks dug in when I picked it up.Oh the dangers of being an audiophile/ |
LOL You can cut the weight in half by just STARTING. That’s half the job.. I’m just glad it’s not heavy, really. Folks have talk you into it being heavy, it’s not. It’s 100 pounds... OK... You got your skinny butt, or your FAT butt, or (if one butt cheek is bigger than the other) off the couch, chair, or bucket, to go relieve yourself, now go the extra 15 feet and move towards the AMP... MOVE towards the amp... OP..... NOW put your hands on the amp.... Push the amp... IT moves 2" INCHES good , your halfway there! YUP your halfway there. NOW if you want the other HALF, that’s gonna cost ya, this is a UNION job, there is a slow down, at the negotiation table... COVID, guidelines clearly state........................LOL ;-) Enjoy the new stuff.. I just got a bunch of new GSR Planar Neo3, and 10s. Play time for me... 10 @ 111.00 for neo 10 planar drivers.. Oh yea.. Even a price break... New monitors coming up... Regards |
When we get older, install one of those to transport our-self and equipment. https://www.bruno.com/stair-lifts |
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If you can't lift 100 lbs by yourself - then you need another person besides wifey/gf/daughter who is strong enough and won't drop it. I once tried to take a Proceed 5 ch amp (~100 lbs) up a floor. The problem with the amp was that all the weight was in the front and it almost took my toe off, luckily I was able to slowly lower the amp to the floor without damaging it. Amps that weigh ~ 100 lbs are meant to be stationary. Handcarts etc can be handy, but if it rolls own the stairs and knocks your granny over, its pretty much over. |
Seriously, in an arena where $5k components are considered just "good", why skimp when it comes to moving components? Hire professional piano movers for heavy amplifiers and loudspeakers. They know how to move large, awkwardly shaped and heavy objects carefully. It will cost in the $200-500 range. You could also look at it from a different perspective. In motorcycling if your bike tips over the rider should be able to get it upright without anyone else's help. If you can't, then maybe you should get a smaller motorcycle. Same goes for audio equipment. There's plenty of great sounding equipment out there that will still break your bank account, but not your back. |
@onhwy61, "Carry one amp with your left hand and the other with your right. It's super important that you maintain your balance and not get your spine out of alignment. Also bound up the stair steps two at a time to cut the total number of steps in half." Yes. This is ridiculous. Injuries are difficult to get over once you're over 40. After 50 they can threaten to become permanently debilitating. Even months and sometimes years of rehab can't fully erase the damage a moment's carelessness can do. Please be careful. You'd be far better off practising stretching, improving blood and oxygen circulation and getting enough sleep to heal damage as best you can. No one tells you, so I'm telling you. |
You never said how many stairs. If a straight shot (as we used to say in Chicago), You could buy 2-3 sheets of 3/8 plywood and lay them on the stairs (connected with "menders"). Just tie some cloths line around the box and sprinkle some talc on the chute to lessen friction. Just drag the sucker up the stairs (amp in box of course, two people better than one). |
https://www.amazon.com/BestEquip-Capacity-Climbing-Three-Wheel-Portable/dp/B06X157K4T/ref=sxin_9?asc... Used this to move 200lb+ Wilsons and Egglestonworks up 3 flights of stairs (27 steps). You’d still need 2 people (one to pull, one to make sure it wouldn’t go backward) and some ties. The base of this cart is pretty wide. IMHO way better than hiring 2 kids + $20 and have their backs injured, and/or drop your stuff. |
Hah, I watched those videos imhififan. There was another video that came up just after it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUbm1e1PdwI The Northern tool 3-wheel type can help climb stairs, but it appears that it's harder to turn/rotate this type of hand truck. A hand truck with big tires and sliders appears to work better overall. An example: https://www.amazon.com/Tyke-Supply-Aluminum-Climber-Handle/dp/B01ATY2HI4 |
Just ask your wife or girlfriend to do it ;-D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXxdZoUzL6c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rycfK_8o0lk With the right tool, a piece of cake! |
Just don’t. The risk of physical injury to either yourself or the amplifier by far outweighs any imaginary sonic benefits you might be hoping for. As Clint Eastwood might say, ’A man’s gotta know his limitations.’ If you insist on being hardheaded, and as a fellow audiophile I would understand if in your search for audio nirvana you did, you could always follow in the alleged footsteps of Prince and his piano and employ the services of a giant crane. There’s an example of someone doing just that here. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3504617/amp/That-s-expensive-way-deliv... |
Longer this thread goes, with all good suggestions, more correct geoffkait seems to have been. (Sell the amp, buy a Discman.) https://www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com/labor/ (no matter what they charge, it is worth it) |
I agree with those that suggest a hand cart that's made to climb stairs. As suggested one or two additional straps are necessary to keep the item being transported in place. My hand cart has an additional extension that folds down increases the size of the platform from 18" wide x 6" long to 22" long. I've used this to move heavy amps and very large, heavy speakers up and down long flights of steps. No problem. It's surprising how you will use it for moving many other items at home etc. |
In five weeks I'll be moving our stuff from storage to a new house. My audio room is the "bonus room" above the garage, about 15 steps up from the main level. My amp weighs 110# out of the box, speakers are 122# and subwoofers are 133# each. I've hired movers and walked thru the move with the owner, so he'd understand what's involved. After the boxes are hoofed up the steps, getting my son & son-in-law to help me unbox the components and get them up on the stand. I guess the next step is an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon? |
imhififan actually posted a link to a very unique hand-truck. I actually have not seen one like this. The problem with most hand-trucks, even if they have large pneumatic tires, is that you still have to have an enormous amount of lift to get the hand-truck up each step. This hand-truck from northerntool has a 3-wheel rotating assembly. Watch the video in that page. It's worth $100. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200737655_200737655?cm_mmc=Google-LIA&utm_source... It actually looks like it's back-ordered on Northern Tool. It's also available on ebay for $99 + $22 shipping. Just search for "Strongway Stair Climber Hand Truck". There are other places on the web that sell similar 3-wheel hand-trucks. |
A keg is a lot bigger and heavier than an amp, and we were able to carry one cross-country with two people just about any distance over just about any terrain. We took an empty 50 lb onion or potato sack and stuck a dowel (broom stick) through each side. You could make one out of an old pillow case, or a large bath towel or two. Mine we called the beer stretcher. You have permission to call yours the amp ambulator. |
