Small floorstanders vs standmounts on small stands

[matt49]

OK, this is a bit of an odd one.

For my TV room, where the TV sound goes via a DAC into a stereo system, I need speakers no more than 850mm in height. (This is because the TV, which is wall mounted at 950mm above the floor, needs to be visible over the left-hand speaker.) I watch quite a lot of opera on DVD, so audio is a priority. The audio kit is all going to be second hand. So far I have a Sugden A21a, which I picked up for £500. Very nice.

The dilemma is this: I could go for a pair of small floorstanders (e.g. Neat Motive SX or PMC GB1i or Spendor A5: all less than 850mm high) or some standmounts on 400mm stands (e.g. Proac D2 or PMC twenty.22). Leaving aside the question of which speakers will work best with the Sugden, is there any good reason why I shouldn't mount standmounts on fairly short stands?

Disclosure: the room is 4m x 8m but the area used for TV is one half of the room (i.e. 4m x 4m).

:santa:

Matt

 

[plastic penguin]

Okay, Standmounts need to be roghly the same height as a floorstander (treble needs to be around chest/chin height.

 

[CnoEvil]

I have LS50s on Soundstyle Z2 stands, which are about that height........One thing to consider is, if the tweeter is below ear height when seated, it needs good off-axis performance (eg. Kef / Tannoy).

 

[matt49]

Thanks for the responses.

Okay, Standmounts need to be roghly the same height as a floorstander (treble needs to be around chest/chin height.

Yeah, got that. For instance, Proac D2s on a 400mm stand would be the same height as Spendor A5s. So in theory there's no reason why standmounts on a 400mm stand shouldn't be OK, unless ...

One thing to consider is, if the tweeter is below ear height when seated, it needs good off-axis performance (eg. Kef / Tannoy).

But e.g. Spendor A5s (or PMC GB1is or Neat Motive SXs) are presumably designed to work with the tweeter below ear height.

Maybe this is a non-issue. Relax and go with whatever sounds good. I s'pose part of my worry was that the standmounts might just look a bit daft on shortish stands. But who cares so long as it works?

:santa:

Matt

 

[DocG]

If necessary, you could always slightly tilt your standmounts on their stands, with an extra tad of blu-tack, or by adjusting the stand's spikes.

 

[Singslinger]

The ProAc website states that the D2 should be used on stands of at least 18 inches, which when you consider the speaker is 17 inches high, means it could well look stunted (or daft).

However, I've found the D2s look (and IMO sound) best on 24 inch stands.

(And they work very well with Sugden amplification!) :cheers:

 

[d_a_n1979]

Personally I'd look at Neat Motive 2's

Stunning speakers; better than the Spendors and give the PMC GB1i's a real run for their money

Would be ideal for your situation; have the angled finish so the tweeter range is easier to manage etc...

 

[matt49]

If necessary, you could always slightly tilt your standmounts on their stands, with an extra tad of blu-tack, or by adjusting the stand's spikes.

Indeed, as I type this I'm looking at my little desktop actives which are tilted up (probably not quite enough). The challenge is to find a material that's more aesthetically pleasing than blu-tak.

The ProAc website states that the D2 should be used on stands of at least 18 inches, which when you consider the speaker is 17 inches high, means it could well look stunted (or daft). However, I've found the D2s look (and IMO sound) best on 24 inch stands. (And they work very well with Sugden amplification!) :cheers:

18" is a fraction less than the 400mm I'd envisaged (stands tend to come in metric these days ...). Have you tried the D2s on 18" stands? The Sugden synergy is what was nudging me in this direction. OTOH D2s are relatively rare on the s/h market.

Personally I'd look at Neat Motive 2's

Stunning speakers; better than the Spendors and give the PMC GB1i's a real run for their money

Would be ideal for your situation; have the angled finish so the tweeter range is easier to manage etc...

Thanks. There seem to be quite a lot of Motives on the s/h market.

:santa:

Matt

 

[BigH]

The Neat Motive 2s are OK at moderate voulumes but there are reports that with music like double bass the drivers can bottom out, drivers are also cheap around $20 and incorrect for the cabinet size.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

BigH, do you have evidence to back this up? $20 drivers, really? Link, please!

 

[d_a_n1979]

The Neat Motive 2s are OK at moderate voulumes but there are reports that with music like double bass the drivers can bottom out, drivers are also cheap around $20 and incorrect for the cabinet size.

Really?!?!

I'd love to see the write ups re this!

I had Neat Motive 2's and hammered out everything from Metallica/Iron Maiden to Mount Kimbie/Fischerspooner to NKC/Dean Martin and drove them VERY loud with my Arcam Alpha 10 & 10P set-up and they never ONCE faltered or failed to work.

In fact they lapped up the music and spat it out with avengence!!!

Stunning speakers; more so if you can get them for sensible 2nd hand prices and I havent heard anyone yet complain about them...

 

[CarlDW]

I agree, the Neat Motive 2's seem to be a very good option for you to consider and there are plenty around to choose from.

Nice amplifier by the way! £500 is a bargain.

 

[BigH]

I don't think I can post links from other forums is there not a rule against it but if you google "neat motive 2" you should find it under Neat Motive 2 can't play very loud on the Naim forum.

 

[matt49]

The Neat Motive 2s are OK at moderate volumes but there are reports that with music like double bass the drivers can bottom out, drivers are also cheap around $20 and incorrect for the cabinet size.

Really?!?!

I'd love to see the write ups re this!

I had Neat Motive 2's and hammered out everything from Metallica/Iron Maiden to Mount Kimbie/Fischerspooner to NKC/Dean Martin and drove them VERY loud with my Arcam Alpha 10 & 10P set-up and they never ONCE faltered or failed to work.

BigH, do you have evidence to back this up? $20 drivers, really? Link, please!

... if you google "neat motive 2" you should find it under Neat Motive 2 can't play very loud on the Naim forum.

I've found the thread BigH is referring to, and there are some comments about the Neat Motive 2s "bottoming out". (Glad to have added a new word to my hifi vocabulary.) There's also a reference to the bass driver costing "28.00" (doesn't state which currency.)

Nice amplifier by the way! £500 is a bargain.

Cheers! I'm very happy with it so far, and keen to hear what it can do with decent speakers.

:santa:

Matt

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Seems flimsy evidence to me, based on one thread only. Be interested to hear what Neat thought about the comments.

 

[BigH]

I've found the thread BigH is referring to, and there are some comments about the Neat Motive 2s "bottoming out". (Glad to have added a new word to my hifi vocabulary.) There's also a reference to the bass driver costing "28.00" (doesn't state which currency.)

I believe that was Can$ but further down there is a US$20 feference, OK that was in 2008 so things may have changed but Totem drivers were $175, these are each. It surprises me that some manufacturers use cheap drivers in quite expensive speakers. Later Neats may have different drivers but something to beware if you are buying used ones.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Funny, I built some totem clones a while ago using the same drivers. Cost? £25 each!

 

[BigH]

Seems flimsy evidence to me, based on one thread only. Be interested to hear what Neat thought about the comments.

Well 3 or 4 people on there had the same issue, Neat response " I contacted Bob at Neat and told me this was likely because speakers had reached their limit. Bottoming-out can damage the drivers so it is better to avoid it."

 

[Macspur]

A friend of mine had a small floor stander on a low platform, to bring the tweeter in line with ears, afraid the make escapes me, but had no problems.

Great price for the Sugden btw.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[Singslinger]

Hi Matt, no I haven't heard the D2s on 18inch stands but I have heard them on 24 inch stands and they sounded (and looked) great.

But you're right - they aren't readily available second hand.

 

[EvPa]

If you didn't already have an amp on hand I would have suggested ADAM ARTist 6s, they are exactly 850mm high.

Unfortunately I am not familiar with you Sugden so I can't really recommend speakers that will suit it.

 

[matt49]

Thanks for all your contributions.

I've decided against the Neats, partly because of the size of the room. I've also decided I can push the height of the speakers to about 930mm, which brings a few other floorstanders into the frame.

My local dealer has Proac D18s and PMC twenty 23s available ex-demo. Very different speakers, I know. The Proac-Sugden synergy is said to be good, so I'm tending that way. On the other hand, I have a hunch that the combination of PMCs with Class A amplification might be rather successful.

:santa:

Matt