Coupling Harbeth to the Stand

[Champion]

Hi all,

What do you use for coupling the Harbeth speaker to the stand? I have got my new Harbeth Compact 7ES-3 and have a pair of Lovan stands. However, the top frame is slightly uneven, higher on one corner and I found that one corner of the speakers are not sitting on the Herbie's fat dot (which I use for coupling the speakers to the stands at the moment).

Do you have any recommendation for a soft 'feet' (more compliance) to take care of uneven surface? Anyone using Brightstar Isonode for speakers?

Thanks.

[denjo]

Blutack should do the trick!

[Champion]

Do you mean blu tak between the stand and the fat dot or simply use blu tak between the speakers and the stands? I have heard that blu tak can damage the wood finish?

[keithwwk]

Hi Champion,
I had experienced blue tak damage the woodfinish. The blue tak tend to suck out water and dry the spot. After sometime, it is hard to remove or worst, peel off the veneer.

I will use thick cardboard or folded paper put underneat to balance it.

[Jmohd]

Hi Champion,

This wiil do the trick. It work for me or something similar :)

[Teuton]

Blutack should do the trick!

Do NOT use blutack.

I was trying to remove the base of a floorstanding speaker that was coupled by blutack, and it literally removed the entire bottom veneer---

[hifi_dave]

Do NOT use blutack.

I was trying to remove the base of a floorstanding speaker that was coupled by blutack, and it literally removed the entire bottom veneer---

I think it depends on the amount used. As a dealer, I have been using BluTak since it was first invented, which is probably thirty years or more. During that time we have placed and removed various speakers on stands hundreds of thousands of times and only once have we had a small section of veneer lifted.

We never use more than a pea sized blob on each corner and use the same pieces for years without changing. Much larger pieces might well be a problem.

[keithwwk]

I agree bluetack is good to use if not leave the speaker on it for long time. Leave the speakers on it over a yr, the tack will really dry up and stick hard on the veneer hardly remove.

I think champion is having uneven surface on this stand that causing 1 corner not touching bottom of his speaker. If using blue tack, he need to use big amount to even it..not practical.

[Champion]

Yes, that's right. Also, I have used blu tak on other speakers before but I don't feel blu tak give you a consistent/controlled gap between the speaker and the stand. It is possible to have the speaker touching the stand, which may affect the sound / results in scratches. That is why I am looking at more compliant feets like the brightstar.

Maybe I will stick with the fat dot and use some felt/tape to fill the gap as others have suggested. Thanks for your help.

I am still interested in experience from others on feets with more compliance/softer.

[hifi_dave]

Black Ravioli. Stunningly good.

Not feet but small pads.

[A.S.]

Please be very careful about using Blutak. Once we were presented with a customer's situation where he used four rather large blobs of Blutak to affix his speakers to his stand. The speakers sat there undisturbed for several years. When he did attempt to lift them off, the suction was so great between the Blutak and the cabinet that it ripped some veneer off.

General advice is here - see section 12.

[garmtz]

What if the speakers tend to 'rock'? The Skylan stands have 4 rubber pads that you can affix to the top of the stand. However, the glue tends to disintegrate and this causes the pads to loosen and come off. This makes the speakers rock on the stand. This can't be a good thing.

Also, having the speakers perfectly level must surely be an advantage?

[A.S.]

Personally it doesn't trouble me if the speakers are not perfectly level. During the entire design process I pay no attention whatever to the stand material, brand, construction method or interface between the speakers and the stand. All I focus on is the stand height. The speakers are just plonked onto the top of the stand and that's it. You of course are free to experiment, but this issue is not on my radar as a super-sensitive one.

That said, the REALLY important issue is 'are the stands safe' - safe from toppling over and safe from injuring a child or animal. All other issues are of much lesser importance.

[keithwwk]

I suggest using antislip mat in between your skyland and the speakers surely your speakers can not rock and very firm and stable too.

[Ned Mast]

Terrycloth towels work fine between my M40s and their stands.

[keithwwk]

Hi all,

Precaution, one of my friend told me he had very bad experience with the non-slip mats which will stain and cause a lattice pattern on the veneer over time.

Cheers~~

[musicquest]

Hi all,
I've been using Herbie's fat dots, 3 per skylan stand. It's a very inexpensive tweek that sounds
better than the furnished neoprene corner dots, and much better than blu tak.... plus, they are easy to experiment with, being taller than the furnished skylan dots.....

[musicquest]

Big news, I've been debunked by my listening panel!

Actually, they at first preferred small oak buttons between speaker and stand over the Herbies Big Dots. Then I tried the 3 magnets per stand that Noel and his friend Moray thought to be great, which when I first tried them I didn't think too much of them. Well, to debunk my debunkers, I placed them as Noel detailed, one on each rod and one in the back middle, with black electricians tape over them to snug them down. Instantly the clarity level went through the roof, and the bass much better, as Noel claimed. Thanks Noel!

If you have Skylan stands you definitely owe it to yourself to try it.

Take care
MQ

[P.C.]

These are the stands you need next.... I little expensive though!
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Iss...tic_revive.htm

[musicquest]

Would be lovely, I'm sure....
at least they solved Jeff Day's 40.1 dilemna.....if only I could have such a dilemna....