Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOne

What if the resonant frequency range of a vibrating speaker stand is above or below that of the human ear? Would that leave a cleaner or more open space in the environment for our ears to hear more sound from the loudspeaker?

Once a stand is integrated with any compact monitor or floor standing loudspeaker the sound characteristics of the speaker automatically change based on the speaker relationships from the added mass of the stand, combined frequencies between the stand and speaker and the speed transformation of energy related to the acoustic and mechanical grounding applications.

Having auditioned multiple types of monitors and stands in recording studio suites we have found that that the supporting framework is extremely critical to any loudspeaker presentation. Speakers will sound good, better or just different based on the medium that they are placed on.

Add to that, if you have never experienced a speaker stand that truly and measurably increases performance then you may never know or understand what differences exist.

Since the speaker support provides such a defining influence to the end result, would anyone ever think that the importance of the stand design rivals that of the speaker?

Our choice of products now in place consist of a single technical approach to coupling and employ materials that when vibrating is beyond the audible range of the human ear so in essence we are not hearing the stand but are getting much more quality in sound out of the speaker.

Compact monitor enthusiasts should experiment and evaluate various stands for the results attained could easily redefine listening pleasure.

Disclaimer: My father works with a commercial company that employs various forms of vibration management so I am biased, have had greater access to knowledge from experience and have applied various techniques and multiple grounding principles in recording studio settings.

Prdprez, what if you listened to two isolation cones, one of steel and one of brass and the brass ones sounded better? You are right that steel stores much of the energy of its resonance but wrong in saying that a steel stand is like a "rock" when filled with sand, etc. Many rocks, such as granite ring also. I think you are assuming that we understand all that is going on in a proper speaker stand.

The best isolation devices I have ever heard are made of stainless steel and ceramic balls. Ceramics can ring as can stainless steel. The StillPoints Ultra Fives will not ring.

But alas, this is not the concern of this thread.

new system is in the break-in period, but I'm absolutely floored. don't know where this is going to end, but I'm absolutely floored. must be around 30 hours now and the system still is kind of 'shouty' with higher volumes, but I know that break-in is critical. had a tough time with my late KEF Reference 201.2 regarding break-in time, which was only complete around 500 hours so will be patient.
Will update around the 100 hour mark, where at the least the Resolution Audio Cantata will probably be fully broken in.
Best regards
André

You are right that steel stores much of the energy of its resonance but wrong in saying that a steel stand is like a "rock" when filled with sand, etc. Many rocks, such as granite ring also.

Actually, I am right. At least as far as the stands I used goes. Granite does ring, as does other solid stones of that nature. But loose sand is not granite and behaves very differently from granite depending on the type of sand, it's density, and any sort of filler mixed in with it.
My particular stands behaved like a very non resonant stone.
And, yes, this is very possible. If you look up Stereophile's review of the Rockport Antare and look at it's cumulative spectral decay plot you can see that it is possible to for something to be so inert that it is quiet to beyond the ability to measure it. This is how my particular stands were. Granted, I have working knowledge of physics and knew how to make them this way using cheap materials. (Ie. the right type of sand, filler, and density) But they were absolutely non resonant. At least to the same level as the Rockports.

I think you are assuming that we understand all that is going on in a proper speaker stand.

There are many things yet to learn in how we hear and a stereo's performance. But I would argue that stands are not one of them. The function is really not all that complicated. It serves a simple function. And we know enough about material science to accurately predict outcomes in performance.

Yesterday I stopped by my local stereo store and took a look at all of the speaker stands they had on hand. There were quite a bit, actually. And a very wide range in prices. From $200 to $2,000. Stands from Focal, Dynaudio, Sanus, Audio Physic, LSA, pARTicular, and more. And, just by looking at them I can tell you that I would not personally purchase any of them. They all had an obvious (at least to my eye) flaw. One may have been non resonant(ish) but be flimsy. Another was rigid, but rang like a bell. I left with a much clearer understanding of why people find such clear differences in performance of stands! I was actually astounded at how even the $2,000 stand had simple flaws that I would think any mechanical engineer or physicist would immediately identify. So, again, no wonder there is such a difference in people's experiences.

So I understand where people are coming from better. But I stand (no pun intended) by my assertion that 1) Speaker stands are not THAT complicated. And 2) they don't have to be all that expensive in order to be extremely high in performance.

Maybe I should just go into the speaker stand business. heh heh

Prdprez, I'm sorry but stands do sound different. On one hand you say that "...stands are not one of them (stereo performance)." Then you say many have "simple flaws." I agree that some don't use proper materials or to dampen the ringing or to isolate the speaker from the floor or drain the energy from the speaker or coming to it from the floor or air.

It has only been the last several years that I have cared about speaker stands as I have the LSA1 Statements in a small room. However, floorstanding speakers have the same problems. There is an interface between the speakers and the floor. John Dunlavy always said the his speakers needed no feet under them. He was wrong. Others have soft cushions, some have points of different materials, usually steel or stainless steel; and some have multiple material feet with multiple resonances. Which is better? Obviously, there is little agreement as science provides no answer.

My advice is don't go into the speaker stand or isolation devices. Some will say that they sound great and others that the suck.