Speakers on stands or not on stands

[The_Blue_Dragon]

Hi People,
In the next couple of days I will be planning on bying my own speakers. My question is, is there much difference in sound if you have speakers on stands? or will I be ok with them on the floor?

Its for in a school hall

[Vectis]

A massive difference, unless they're subs. You should "throw" the sound as far as possible by mounting full-range or HF speakers up high otherwise all the energy gets sapped by the bodies up front and those at the back hear only part of the signal / volume so to them it sounds :pants:

[A1DL]

If you are using full range speakers, they will be best on stands. If you are using subs, they really should go on the floor, with the mid-tops either sitting on top of the subs, or raised using a 32mm or 35mm pole.

HTH

Tony

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Hi People,
In the next couple of days I will be planning on bying my own speakers. My question is, is there much difference in sound if you have speakers on stands? or will I be ok with them on the floor?

Its for in a school hall

They will be much better on stands as you will get more 'throw' with them and the sound will travel further and not get lost in a mass of bodies.

Try and position the HF unit at around 'ear height' if possible.

You'll get less bass by putting them on stands though.

Don't buy cheap stands though - if you look at what happened to a couple of ours last week and they weren't cheap. If you have enough room, make sure the foot print of the stand (legs) is as big as possible to make them more stable.

[Excalibur]

Hi People,
In the next couple of days I will be planning on bying my own speakers. My question is, is there much difference in sound if you have speakers on stands? or will I be ok with them on the floor?

Its for in a school hall

Stands are not expensive, but beware the cheapest of the cheap, as they are not as stable as dearer ones. If you have a stage in this hall, you can have the best of both worlds. Place the speakers on the stage, which will hopefully place the HF at ear height, yet not diminish the Bass too much.

It has been very difficult to refrain from making a really facile comment about Darren's recent mishaps with these items. :( :p

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

It has been very difficult to refrain from making a really facile comment about Darren's recent mishaps with these items. :( :p

*Goes off to look up facile* ;)

[spin mobile disco]

As the others said on stands are the best. The main driver should be on ear level with the horn above peoples heads. This means that the treble will go over peoples heads and will be heard by whole room and as bass is omni directional anyway the bass should still get through ok.
Also the fact is most floor standing speakers really do not look good. Different if they are full hight units like some of the forum users use. But a standard top placed on the floor just looks like you forgot your stands. Plus of course floor standing means they get kicked.

[mb3]

It might be cheapest to get someone to put up a couple of solid shelves in the youth club to put the speakers on... just make sure that the speakers are properly secured so they can't vibrate off the shelf.

Alternatively CPC part ST01266 (£6.95) is a wall bracket that fits the "top hat" hole in the bottom of the speakers.

For stands, try CPC part ST01306 (£18.95) which is a kit of 2 stands, 2 leads and a bag. The leads are jack to jack, so if you did buy the Class D speakers you asked me about, you will need adaptors...2x CPC part CN07176 (£3.72 ea).

see www.cpc.co.uk

[Penfold42]

I use two full range.....one set on speakers stands D-Class and one set on the floor 18'' Warriors........they do give a nice bass sound.....and the D-Class are better on the higher end.........

This works for me...........:sofa:

[Excalibur]

As the others said on stands are the best. The main driver should be on ear level with the horn above peoples heads. This means that the treble will go over peoples heads and will be heard by whole room and as bass is omni directional anyway the bass should still get through ok.
Also the fact is most floor standing speakers really do not look good. Different if they are full hight units like some of the forum users use. But a standard top placed on the floor just looks like you forgot your stands. Plus of course floor standing means they get kicked.

In the old days, when we had our Column speakers ( five 8" or so speakers in one cab) they were tall enough for most gigs. Sadly they were very unstable! :D

[mb3]

In the old days, when we had our Column speakers ( five 8" or so speakers in one cab) they were tall enough for most gigs. Sadly they were very unstable! :D

...... awaits comment about Bose L1 ........

[Excalibur]

...... awaits comment about Bose L1 ........

Nothing even half that posh!!!!! RSC cheap and cheerful! ( 16 Ohms a cab too, if I remember right!)

[DJWilson]

you should put speakers on stands (unless subs) because if they on the floor the noise gets to the first lot of people and the back lot of people stuggle to hear.
(reverse happens when on stands)

[PropellerHeadCase]

Try and position the HF unit at around 'ear height' if possible.

In theory the HF unit (or the horn on a full-range cab) should be 15 degrees above head height as measured from the middle of the dancefloor.

[Excalibur]

In theory the HF unit (or the horn on a full-range cab) should be 15 degrees above head height as measured from the middle of the dancefloor.

And of course, we all set up a theodolite to check this before doing anything else. don't we? :p :D :D

[Corabar Entertainment]

...But 'head height' is close enough - seeing as there will be people of varying heights at most gigs :rolleyes:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

And I did say 'around' anyway.

[mldiscos]

I've sworn by sticking cabs on stands from day one, also stops drunk people sticking drinks on your cabs or worst of all pouring a pint over ya cabs and fubaring your cones, 'not good in the slightest'

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s277/mldiscos/tLgX700.jpg

[theoloyla]

I am very different to most of you and I do not use stands. My theory is that the bass travels through the floor (particularly if it is wooden) and that I want my sound concentrated on the dance floor. I frequently receive praise and comments about the fact that my sound is not assaulting peoples ears and that they can have a conversation off the dancefloor. If you are setting up a pa system where you want everyone in the venue to hear you then I agree entirely that speakers should be on stands or flown above peoples heads. Working from a stage will frequently have this effect anyway. As for my speakers getting kicked and damaged they are reverse mounted folding horns so that doesnt affect me.

[Danno13]

I hate using stands, I just worry that someone will trip over them, and its not like lighting stands where you can stick them behind you.

I like to use Subs for every gig anyway, so I just use a connecting pole, so its a lot harder for anyone to knock anything over!

[theoloyla]

Connecting poles are a very good idea.

[Excalibur]

I hate using stands, I just worry that someone will trip over them, and its not like lighting stands where you can stick them behind you.

I like to use Subs for every gig anyway, so I just use a connecting pole, so its a lot harder for anyone to knock anything over!

In the main I agree with you. I hate tripods, unless they are a long way from the punters. My new speakers may be a tad large to use a pole from my
( small) subs, so shall try a spigot ( very very short pole ) simply to locate them safely.

[yourdj]

I got some stands from Maplin for about £30 to house my passive 12 inch tannoys. i wasn't to confident then but three years on they are still as solid as ever and have never been pushed over by drunk idiots. any heavier speakers will need something a bit more solid probably.

[Andy Westcott]

I'd suggest stands as well, but there is a health & safety issue - both the stability and the trip hazard.

I sit my mid/tops on the subs which puts them about 5 feet or so high - enough for most gigs. Stages help too:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/hosting/newtonpophall.jpg