Thinking out of the box and saving money.

[Jasonovich]

I was looking to get for my Adam speakers a pair of Iso-Acoustics Isolation Stands, I think these would have cost me approx. £150.

I had in my mind to make a purchase but held off; some of the commenters on the vender site mentioned these wobble a lot, and I'm thinking if the cat jumps on them I'm screwed.
This was all on the back off my previous purchase, a pair of gorilla stands, again this failed the 'Cat Test' but all wasn't lost, I was able to make good use of them, these had found the perfect home with the Dali bookshelf speakers in the bedroom.

I was on Amazon ordering some stuff, when I came across these inexpensive foot stalls costing £25 for a pair. I immediately thought, these are made from recycled solid wood, they're not very high and look sturdy. I can use these for the Adams. The foot stools arrive today and I wasn't disappointed. I used professional wood adhesive to glue these on to the desktop. It set in and solid as a rock.






Happy to share.
I was wondering if any of you managed to tweak your music setup using non hifi related product that had a purpose for something else?

 

[Gray]

Good that they suit the Adams, as they look pretty useless as footstalls.
(Might just as well put your feet on the floor).

When necessary, I'm the improv king.
'Borrowed' a large table from a cabaret venue where I worked - cut all the steel legs and bolted them together into a pair of speaker stands.

(Used them for years before opting for the no less ugly, Atacama SE24).

Equipment cab was MFI larder unit, currently a heavily modified Ikea Pax double wardrobe 🤨

 

[Revolutions]

Great work, Jason ‘Blue Peter’ Ovich

Seriously though, who is browsing amazon & thinks “yes! If only I had 1” extra reach to get that top shelf in the cupboard.” 😂

 

[Jasonovich]

Good that they suit the Adams, as they look pretty useless as footstalls.
(Might just as well put your feet on the floor).

When necessary, I'm the improv king.
'Borrowed' a large table from a cabaret venue where I worked - cut all the steel legs and bolted them together into a pair of speaker stands.

(Used them for years before opting for the no less ugly, Atacama SE24).

Equipment cab was MFI larder unit, currently a heavily modified Ikea Pax double wardrobe 🤨

I like your style, you're ahead of the curve Gray

 

[Jasonovich]

Great work, Jason ‘Blue Peter’ Ovich

Seriously though, who is browsing amazon & thinks “yes! If only I had 1” extra reach to get that top shelf in the cupboard.” 😂

Blue Peter ' Ovich.....hahahaha

 

[nopiano]

A few items in my system are ‘repurposed’ you could say.

1. For many years, under my ATC SCM40 floorstanders I used some rubber mesh, cut to roughly to the footprint of the speaker. It is sold to line drawers to stop cutlery sliding around, or to put in tea trays so your meal doesn’t end up in your lap. I used it to avoid scratching the bases when manoeuvring the speakers onto marble plinths - themselves left over from a previous brand speaker.

2. Empty cardboard egg boxes I use under cables behind the system, to help route signal cables away from mains.

3. Dense foam packaging in squares about 3” x 3” from Next curtain poles (used in our new house in 2016) seemed too good to bin. I now use them under various items like mains blocks, internet switches and modems, so as to raise them slightly above floor level, and to enable other cables to pass underneath to improve routing.

4. Argos black marble worktop savers fit ideally under my old Foundation speaker stands.

 

[Jasonovich]

A few items in my system are ‘repurposed’ you could say.

1. For many years, under my ATC SCM40 floorstanders I used some rubber mesh, cut to roughly to the footprint of the speaker. It is sold to line drawers to stop cutlery sliding around, or to put in tea trays so your meal doesn’t end up in your lap. I used it to avoid scratching the bases when manoeuvring the speakers onto marble plinths - themselves left over from a previous brand speaker.

2. Empty cardboard egg boxes I use under cables behind the system, to help route signal cables away from mains.

3. Dense foam packaging in squares about 3” x 3” from Next curtain poles (used in our new house in 2016) seemed too good to bin. I now use them under various items like mains blocks, internet switches and modems, so as to raise them slightly above floor level, and to enable other cables to pass underneath to improve routing.

4. Argos black marble worktop savers fit ideally under my old Foundation speaker stands.

You don't have to spend crazy money on making simple and effective tweaks that work.

I buy cut wood or Chopping board and use rubber pads to make isolation platforms for DAC and Amp, I occasionally soldier my own interconnects but you and Gray make things from discarded products, that's pretty awesome.

 

[Revolutions]

About 10 years back I threw my guitar across a stage in Hamburg. It didn’t end well.

At 3am I gaffer-taped the guitar back together.

The next night was the final show in Berlin. It didn’t end well.

That was the beginning & end of my diy music career.

 

[Gray]

Some speakers include this sort of thing.
But these are the perfect hardness to go between speakers and stand (sticky side down on stand)
Cheaper? and probably no worse than Blutak:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adhesive-Bumpers-Dampening-Furniture-Diameter/dp/B076NCQPB4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3IHGKAOLSLS22&keywords=door%2Bbuffers&qid=1700177283&sprefix=door%2Bbuffers%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-5&th=1

 

[Jasonovich]

About 10 years back I threw my guitar across a stage in Hamburg. It didn’t end well.

At 3am I gaffer-taped the guitar back together.

The next night was the final show in Berlin. It didn’t end well.

That was the beginning & end of my diy music career.

Oh that's tough man, real shame about the guitar.

 

[Stuart83]

Great work, Jason ‘Blue Peter’ Ovich

Seriously though, who is browsing amazon & thinks “yes! If only I had 1” extra reach to get that top shelf in the cupboard.” 😂

🤣

 

[matthewpianist]

My kit, including speakers, is now all placed on the same surface, and it initially caused some vibration issues with my turntable (though far less with the Pioneer than with other ones I've used in this configuration).

I bought some cork coasters from M&S and I've got two underneath each foot of the turntable. No issues at all now, and it cost me about £10.

 

[Jasonovich]

If these were priced sensibly, I would have purchased but why something that has HiFi label give them the licence to charge the customer disproportionately.
They do look nice though.

The Kite Hardwood Desktop Speaker Stands (Pair)

Imagine your Desktop speakers Reference Point positioned perfectly for your optimum listening position, Sit back, Relax and Enjoy.An Elegant Functional Enhancement for your speakers and a Chic complement to your home decor. Enhanced Audio. Elegant and Iconic. Strong, Stable Design. Suitable for...

audiochic.co.uk

 

[Jasonovich]

My kit, including speakers, is now all placed on the same surface, and it initially caused some vibration issues with my turntable (though far less with the Pioneer than with other ones I've used in this configuration).

I bought some cork coasters from M&S and I've got two underneath each foot of the turntable. No issues at all now, and it cost me about £10.

Ah you can't beat M&S

 

[matthewpianist]

Ah you can't beat M&S

It's amazing how hard cork coasters were to find on the high street. Thankfully they were in the sale - I couldn't normally afford such a high-end audiophile retailer

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Off topic - so I apologise in advance - but following on from cork coasters ... had some tiles spare from renovation and got sticky cork mat to stick on the underside. Make good trivets / heat protection for the dining table!

Back on topic - have done the marble chopping board (with rubber feet stuck on) under subwoofer and seemed to work well.

 

[twinkletoes]

If these were priced sensibly, I would have purchased but why something that has HiFi label give them the licence to charge the customer disproportionately.
They do look nice though.

The Kite Hardwood Desktop Speaker Stands (Pair)

Imagine your Desktop speakers Reference Point positioned perfectly for your optimum listening position, Sit back, Relax and Enjoy.An Elegant Functional Enhancement for your speakers and a Chic complement to your home decor. Enhanced Audio. Elegant and Iconic. Strong, Stable Design. Suitable for...

audiochic.co.uk

Look like they do the job and look great in situ!

If you haven't, I'd be inclined to drill from the underneath and insert some dawls and some more glue, wood glue is strong but is somewhat brittle and doesn't penetrate the wood that far if at all it shouldn't be relied upon solely, it will fail eventually, especially if you haven't keyed the surfaces.


But in answer to your statement,

why something that has HiFi label give them the licence to charge the customer disproportionately

Im sorry your stands are nice but no near quality and fit finish of the "luxury"goods above. Im not defending the price as it steep for what they are but there is certainly a difference and you'd be a fool to say otherwise BUT as always the same question arises in business "what do I charge for my service/goods" and in hifi circles us boys and girls spend a lot on the hobby.

Yes its doesn't have to cost the earth and you can go the DIY if your so inclined, or you can buy the "Ikea" equivalent but are they over charging? maybe but I hazard guess not by much if they're small tings tend be expensive for them to run/buy. And let's face it most hi fi brands are tiny outfits.

They're many things at play that make them the cost what they do and we've beaten this drum to death.

Wages, utilities, tools, photography, studio rental for photography, website SEO copy and keywording, advertising, Facebook adds social media tools, graphic design, workshop rates/rent. Heck the packing probably costs more than the goods themselves, standard boxes with one colour print and moulded foam core could cost 10-20k if they slightly deviate from the off the shelf box with a minimum order of 1,000 units. then you have to buy the wood, probably Oak and thats not cheap at the moment and is in short supply, again you have to buy bulk and is normally bought raw to make it cheaper. Then you have shipping, that can be a killer. Then you have the inevitable right off stock of customer returns which you either have to repack, refurbish, or throw away, which turns in to completely lost money and there is so much more.

But the most important thing to remember is the little guys just dont have the buying power of the bigger players and by virtue have to charge more. It's like going to greengrocers to buy fruit and veg or going to the supper market. Who is normally cheaper? The super markets are killing the farming industry I might add.

Let me put this way.

Im a graphic designer/ illustrator by trade and now starting to move into photography and I get this all the time and I have to compete with places like fiver, and our over sea friends that work for pounds rather than 100s or even thousands.

But your type of thinking is why as a whole, creatives and traditional crafts struggle here in the uk. No one places value on these crafts, I get you need to be competitive but in some cases it's ridiculous.

People will say "it's just a logo you can do it for 50 quid", "its just a cartoon here's 20 quid" or even worst you take some pictures ill give you a free hair cut. That logo might be a 45hr week to come up with and the client to be happy with, that photorealistic dog portrait might take me a 150hrs to complete. Thats a months worth of work taking up my whole time, could you live off a 20quid a month? I certainly cant eat hair.

my little rant over.

 

[Jasonovich]

Off topic - so I apologise in advance - but following on from cork coasters ... had some tiles spare from renovation and got sticky cork mat to stick on the underside. Make good trivets / heat protection for the dining table!

Back on topic - have done the marble chopping board (with rubber feet stuck on) under subwoofer and seemed to work well.

I mean honestly, why are we spending stupid money for HiFi extras that probably cost very little to produce, when all is needed is some imagination and some creativity and I think a lot of us here are like minded.

 

[Jasonovich]

Look like they do the job and look great in situ!

If you haven't, I'd be inclined to drill from the underneath and insert some dawls and some more glue, wood glue is strong but is somewhat brittle and doesn't penetrate the wood that far if at all it shouldn't be relied upon solely, it will fail eventually, especially if you haven't keyed the surfaces.


But in answer to your statement,


Im sorry your stands are nice but no near quality and fit finish of the "luxury"goods above. Im not defending the price as it steep for what they are but there is certainly a difference and you'd be a fool to say otherwise BUT as always the same question arises in business "what do I charge for my service/goods" and in hifi circles us boys and girls spend a lot on the hobby.

Yes its doesn't have to cost the earth and you can go the DIY if your so inclined, or you can buy the "Ikea" equivalent but are they over charging? maybe but I hazard guess not by much if they're small tings tend be expensive for them to run/buy. And let's face it most hi fi brands are tiny outfits.

They're many things at play that make them the cost what they do and we've beaten this drum to death.

Wages, utilities, tools, photography, studio rental for photography, website SEO copy and keywording, advertising, Facebook adds social media tools, graphic design, workshop rates/rent. Heck the packing probably costs more than the goods themselves, standard boxes with one colour print and moulded foam core could cost 10-20k if they slightly deviate from the off the shelf box with a minimum order of 1,000 units. then you have to buy the wood, probably Oak and thats not cheap at the moment and is in short supply, again you have to buy bulk and is normally bought raw to make it cheaper. Then you have shipping, that can be a killer. Then you have the inevitable right off stock of customer returns which you either have to repack, refurbish, or throw away, which turns in to completely lost money and there is so much more.

But the most important thing to remember is the little guys just dont have the buying power of the bigger players and by virtue have to charge more. It's like going to greengrocers to buy fruit and veg or going to the supper market. Who is normally cheaper? The super markets are killing the farming industry I might add.

Let me put this way.

Im a graphic designer/ illustrator by trade and now starting to move into photography and I get this all the time and I have to compete with places like fiver, and our over sea friends that work for pounds rather than 100s or even thousands.

But your type of thinking is why as a whole, creatives and traditional crafts struggle here in the uk. No one places value on these crafts, I get you need to be competitive but in some cases it's ridiculous.

People will say "it's just a logo you can do it for 50 quid", "its just a cartoon here's 20 quid" or even worst you take some pictures ill give you a free hair cut. That logo might be a 45hr week to come up with and the client to be happy with, that photorealistic dog portrait might take me a 150hrs to complete. Thats a months worth of work taking up my whole time, could you live off a 20quid a month? I certainly cant eat hair.

my little rant over.

Hahaha your rant is very welcomed, it's a forum after all and here to exchange ideas. I can't tell you how much I've picked up chatting with you guys .

I get what you say, small cottage industries need to run a business. Your point about supermarkets homes in on the challenges the farming industry faces. I live in the necks, the weekends I always visit the farm shops, really you can't beat the quality of produce that have derived directly from the land. Though, I'll be hypocritical to deny the benefit and convenience of supermarkets.
There needs to be a balance, instead paying 5 or 10p for a carrier bag, it would be nice when you pay up on the till that there is a small surcharge the same price as a plastic carrier bag and this is directly contributed towards the farming community.

Great tip on drilling a hole from the bottom. It is a pain drilling through solid oak but you know, no pain no gain The glue was intermediate solution, just to stop it from sliding but yes agree, it will wear off eventually.

 

[Gray]

It's amazing how hard cork coasters were to find on the high street.

I bought the thickest cork tiles I could find and put them on 2 walls.

Those and the (fire hazard) ceiling tiles improved the sound more than any equipment upgrade ever could:

 

[Jasonovich]

About 10 years back I threw my guitar across a stage in Hamburg. It didn’t end well.

At 3am I gaffer-taped the guitar back together.

The next night was the final show in Berlin. It didn’t end well.

That was the beginning & end of my diy music career.

Hey Rev in case you're interested

 

[Revolutions]

Hey Rev in case you're interested

View attachment 5565

That guitar is backwards though 🙃

And no, we don’t need to talk about how many Les Paul’s one person should own,,,

 

[Geoff P.]

Whilst I admire J's ingenuity in repurposing 'stools' into speaker stands, I'm left feeling it's being done for aesthetic or practical purposes, and not to realise any sonic improvements.
If I'm reading this right, the 2"thick stands are stuck to the 2" thick tabletop and the speakers stuck to the stands. Given the similarities of the mounting surfaces, why not stick the speakers direct to the worktop ? !!!
( If you think I am sceptical about proper speaker stands improving performance, I'm sorry to disappoint you but my Mission 750LEs have been blu-tacked to sand-filled Atacama N70s from new in 1999, and sound just fine ).

 

[Geoff P.]

Whilst I admire J's ingenuity in repurposing 'stools' into speaker stands, I'm left feeling it's being done for aesthetic or practical purposes, and not to realise any sonic improvements.
If I'm reading this right, the 2"thick stands are stuck to the 2" thick tabletop and the speakers stuck to the stands. Given the similarities of the mounting surfaces, why not stick the speakers direct to the worktop ? !!!
( If you think I am sceptical about proper speaker stands improving performance, I'm sorry to disappoint you but my Mission 750LEs have been blu-tacked to sand-filled Atacama N70s from new in 1999, and sound just fine ).

I've just realised there is almost nothing online about Atacama N70s, so for those of you wondering " what the hell is he talking about ? "-
The N Series were almost identical to the SE Series apart from a narrower but deeper topplate, to suit the'new' monitor-style speakers of the time. ( I'm not Memory Man by the way - I keep everything, including receipts and Atacama brochure ! ).

Thinking about it, there's so little available about them perhaps I've got the only pair in the UK ! ( Unless someone out there knows different ).

I still love them for their restrained monolithic stance.

 

[Gray]

...for those of you wondering " what the hell is he talking about ? "-
The N Series were almost identical to the SE Series

So they were ugly too then?
Is that what you mean by their 'restrained monolithic stance'?😆

I own the SE24 and as my speakers are 240mm deep, I could probably do with your N70s.