Speaker Stands - Sand or Cement Fill? (1 Viewer)

[Todd McF]

Hi,
I've been building 15 inch speaker stands with square oach risers (measuring 3x3 inches internally). I bought cement for fill, but I wanted to check to make sure that was the way to go.
Should I just use the cement unmixed or go ahead and mix? Should I use sand instead? Any reasons? Sound dampening properties etc?
I appreciate any advice. Thanks,
- Todd

 

[DonnyD]

IMHO, I would not use cement. Sand or shot is the preferred method with shot being tops. If you mix the cement, it will be hard to remove or change. Leave your options open. Sand is cheap and shot will be higher but better.
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[Todd McF]

Thanks for the reply. In your opinion, how is unmixed cement inferior to sand?

 

[JerryIII]

Where is a good place to buy shot? I have also heard that kitty litter works well.
Thanks,
Jerry

 

[Todd McF]

It seems to me that density is the key, so mortor or cement (unmixed) is better than sand or kitty litter. By that token, lead shot is better than mortor or cement.
Can anyone confirm or give a differing opinion? I'm sealing up these babies tonight so please let me know!!!

 

[Mike E W]

I can say from personal experiance that if you have a cat that uses a litter box you do not want kitty litter in your speaker stands. Having learned that lesson I used aquarium gravel. Dont know how it rates as far as being an optimal material but its cheap its heavy its clean and its easy to use.

 

[DonnyD]

Being a remodeling contractor, I try to stay away from concrete/cement work if at all possible !!!! LOL
Actually, cement will have a "dustiness" that may be hard to keep in the enclosure and out of electronics. Also, the chemicals in cement may be something to consider around your enclosure.
Shot can be found at some firearms stores. Sand is actually recommended (along with shot) by some speaker manufacturers to "load" speakers, providing more mass and anchoring.
IMHO, sand will do almost as well as shot. When I loaded my speakers, I put sand in ziplock bags first, then into the enclosure.
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[Chip E]

" In your opinion, how is unmixed cement inferior to sand?"
Donny's right, cement will be dusty but also, unmixed, it'll harden harden anyway (eventually) due to humidity in the air. I'm a Union Cement Mason..
- Chip
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[Phil A]

You can get fine lead shot at a gun shop. Be very careful handling it, do it outside or in a well ventilated area, wear gloves and wash up afterwards. Don't handle it and then eat or smoke.

 

[JerryE]

Phil,
Since you're in Sterling and I'm in Fairfax (until next month at which time I'll be in Ashburn), can you recommend a shop locally to pick up some lead shot and a particular density to get?
I'm not exactly the type who frequents gun shops so I'm a little out of the loop
Thanks,
Jerry
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[Matt Heebner]

I filled my stands with aquarium gravel as well. The stands are definitly heavy enough, and the gravel is not dusty at all. The gravel is cheap and even comes in varying sizes from bigger to fine.
Matt
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[Phil A]

Jerry don't know much about guns either. Looked in the yellow pages and went to a shop in Leesburg. I have 2 Target audio racks, one sitting waiting for me to get to the basement. I filled one with Target's heavy metal stuff that was about $80/bag and used mostly lead shot and some sand to fill the other. I believe it was no. 8 or no. 9 lead shot and was like big sand grains and came in 25lb. bags that were $19.99 each. The bag was around the size of an 8.5x11 inch piece of paper.

 

[JerryE]

Thanks, Phil. I had a feeling you were going to say Leesburg That's exactly what I was hoping to find out (size, price, etc).
[Edited last by JerryE on July 17, 2001 at 09:17 PM]

 

[Vince Bray]

I filled my 6" cardboard tube speaker stands with sand and while shot may be better, IMHO the cost is probably out of proportion to the improvement. The stands are very heavy, very dead to the knock, and the sand cost.... um, $3.00.
I baked the sand in a large turkey pan for a while before filling.
Also, they are very kid-proof. When they are that heavy, it just is impossible for a small child to pull/knock them over. Very high SAF.
You could always upgrade to shot...

 

[Chip E]

" I baked the sand in a large turkey pan for a while before filling."
LMAOOOOOOOOO......... Did ya baste it and stuff it too?
- Chip
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[Phil A]

Jerry - all you need to do is borrow an old pick-up truck and fill it with empty beer cans and not shave for a couple of days and wear some kind of animal skin and you don't have to worry about looking out of place.

 

[Bob_M]

Hi Guys,
I used sand in my speakers stands and it worked fine. I did consider shot but the expense and safety shied me away. One item I never did consider was Stone Dust. I wonder if that is heavier than sand?
Bob