Skylan stand tweeks


A few questions, if you please:

- post loading has been with sand, kitty litter, and now Noel is recommending users to try rice, which I'm using.
Anyone try more than one of these for comparison?

- Noel gave me ceramic magnets to try on each top plate, 2 in front on the metal rods, and 1 in back in the middle.
Anyone try this or other devices to lift speaker off the 4 neoprene corners? I didn't like the magnets, I'm using 3 wooden oak buttons per plate.

- I have wood floors, so using the rounded threaded inserts instead of the spikes.
Anyone try anything else?

Thanks
Chas
chashas1
Chashas1
The info I was given from Noel was concerning Sand..which is heavier and more dense than Rice..You should listen to Noel,he knows his business very well........Because rice is lighter and less dense than sand,me guess is thats why Noel told you to fill them with Rice,,,,,
Did Noel fill you in on the amount? He told me to fill em up if using rice.
There's a thread on Speaker Asylum with he and his friend Moray experimenting with different fill levels and mixtures.
Sometime when I'm energetic I may try kitty litter.
For me the trick with the Skylans were not only the Dots between stand and monitor but also the amount of ( sand for me ) fill you apply into the stands..This can vary quite a bit . I noticed a bit of difference also in the type of cabinet construction..I found the thinner the speaker cabinet the less Fill I could use ( 1/3 fill for Klipsch KG 4 cabinet ) ( 60% fill Vintage KLH 5 Thicker caninet )
Too much sand in the either would have Dulling or Boomy effect....
Thanks,Chayro! Yes, maybe a tad muddy...good,though, or decent. Could it be the rice? I'd hate to dump it all out and start over with kitty litter.

I did have some all metal stands to use for a while, which is what I've always been used to for a standmount, and they sounded a little grittier(?), steelier, than the skylans.

I have a feeling the spikes will be better than the rounded head inserts. I might give it a try, I have small brass cone pucks to use.

Don't worry, I've been playing lots of music. I love the Harbeths. I keep trying to find fault, but I find myself just playing and humming along, they really carry a tune. I've had speakers that gave a more "realistic, live" approach, which I like, but these guys just sing and I forget all about presentation.

Thanks very much for your input. I appreciate it.
Your posts appear to assume you are somewhat unsatisfied with the sound of the speakers placed directly on the stands. You don't state what the issue is, but usually, people try to isolate speakers from the stands because they're sounding a bit "muddy".

I too found that Herbies BBDs were very good on the Skylans, and it seems so for others as well. But, keep in mind, IMO, an MDF stand sounds different than a metal one. This is not a knock in any way against the company, as I think Noel is amongst the finest people I have dealt with in this hobby.

I am a great fan of standmount speakers and have found that a good deal of trial and error is necessary to find the proper speaker-stand interface for one's room and taste. I also think the spikes into a good spike base will clean things up as well. I tried those rubber feet and they were convenient, but just didn't work for me.
While you're shopping at Herbies, you might try fitting your speaker bases with 3 ebony domes instead of spikes. They're convenient and they really worked for me. Good luck and keep at it. (But don't forget to listen to some good music along the way)
Great. I'm ordering today....I like the idea of using 3 vs 4, makes it easier to keep level.
Chashas1
I am using 2 in the front and one in the middle in the back..Works fine.......
I also use Herbies Big Fat Dots (4) between speaker and stand. Very positive effect. Generally I find it best to get some air between a speaker and stand, rather than have speaker flush on a stand.

I also put felt on the round threaded inserts to avoid scratching floor.
Thanks.
So then Thorman, are you using 4 per plate or 3? I've heard good things about Herbies, plus his prices are very reasonable.
You can also try the Herbies Big Fat Dots on top of the stands...I am using similar and found they work better the little corner nibs installed on the stands..I actually got them from Noel at Skylan..They are about 3/4" Diameter 1/4" thick ( or high ) round hard rubber ( looks like anyway ) and they helped me in eliminating a touch of bass boom.... ( concrete floor )..The herbies Big Fat Dots are very popular for your type of application.......
I don't have Skylan stands, but my favorite fill was a 50:50 mix of dry sand and small steel blasting shot. Very lively sounding, but without the coloration or overdamping that I heard from other materials.