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My version of DIY speaker stands

Orbison

Well-Known Member
I recently had a chance to buy a pair of used Paradigm Studio 40v.3 speakers for a good price, and since I had the urge to try something different, I picked them up. I decided to make my own stands, using a design I’d had in mind for a while. I wasn’t interested in getting the matching Paradigm stands partly due to the cost, but also because I prefer the appearance of floor standing speakers. So I made what’s basically just a simple box out of MDF the same width & depth as the bottom of the speaker.

The Studio 40’s have the Black Ash finish, so I had to decide what to do as far as the finish on the stands. Although Parts Express sells rolls of adhesive-backed laminate in Black Ash for refurbishing speakers, I chose black cloth because it matches the 40’s grilles and also the Def Tech towers I’m using for my surrounds. Went to a fabric store and got some black material with a little stretch to it.

I don’t have a table saw, so I used my circular saw to cut the MDF and put the stands together with some finish nails & glue. Then I sanded & painted the stands black so the MDF color wouldn’t show thru the material. My wife cut the cloth to size and sewed what I would describe as sleeves - open on the top and bottom to fit over the stands. The “sleeves” were slightly smaller around than the boxes so the material stretched a bit when put on to eliminate wrinkles. Drawstrings on the top & bottom pull the material tight & hold it in place. This is the same method Def Tech uses for their speakers, which is where I got the idea.

The speakers come from the factory with ¼”-20 mounting holes in the bottom, so I drilled a couple of corresponding holes in the top panel of each stand & used bolts to attach the stands to the speakers. Due to the weight of the stands and because of their position in the room, there is little risk of them being bumped & tipping over, so I didn’t bother to put any stabilizers on the bottom.

The color variation between the stand & the speaker grille isn’t as pronounced as it appears. The light is coming thru a window to the left. The grille is curved and the front of the stand is not.

A very simple DIY project but I’m pleased with the way they turned out.
 

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Very nice, love the "sleeve" covering idea!
 
That's incredible, Orb! Nicely done! I can't tell you how impressed I am. Plus, you even spelled grille correctly. I love it! :handgestures-thumbup:

:bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue:
 
They look GREAT!!! :text-bravo:

How do those 40's sound?

What amp do you drive them with?
 
Even a small DIY can be fun, and it couldn't have happened without Audiogon. Building something with your hands is a welcome, if somewhat temporary distraction from the everyday BS we all deal with.

I like the sound of the 40's, Heeman. Compared to the DefTech BP10's they replaced as my L/R mains, my impression is that they have a slightly more dynamic & natural sounding overall response with a smoother midrange.

I'm driving them with an Onkyo TX-SR876 receiver that I got for half price when they discontinued the model. No outboard amp. SVS PB12-NSD sub. The DefTech BP10's have been moved to surround duty for now.
 
That idea is brilliant, yet even after owning Boston VR's and Def Techs it never occurred to me. Good thinking!

I'm curious if they should be treated as a cabinet and braced or filled with something or both.
 
Orbison said:
Even a small DIY can be fun, and it couldn't have happened without Audiogon. Building something with your hands is a welcome, if somewhat temporary distraction from the everyday BS we all deal with.

I like the sound of the 40's, Heeman. Compared to the DefTech BP10's they replaced as my L/R mains, my impression is that they have a slightly more dynamic & natural sounding overall response with a smoother midrange.

I'm driving them with an Onkyo TX-SR876 receiver that I got for half price when they discontinued the model. No outboard amp. SVS PB12-NSD sub. The DefTech BP10's have been moved to surround duty for now.


Good Stuff!! I may get jumped on for saying this again, however a nice power amp would really set those 40's free!!!

Enjoy your new toys and great job again on the stands!
 
-B- said:
I'm curious if they should be treated as a cabinet and braced or filled with something or both.

Good point, B. I thought about that, but my impression is that the construction of the 40's enclosures is so heavy that little if any energy or vibration exists to be transferred to the stands, especially when crossed at 80Hz to my sub. The 3/4" MDF stands are also pretty dead and they are sitting on carpet with a carpet pad underneath. I'd have to defer to one of our more knowledgeable members to suggest whether that would be worth doing. I don't have the technical expertise or equipment to provide an informed opinion on that. Plus, my untrained ears probably wouldn't notice the difference anyway.

Heeman, no problem with the power amp suggestion - maybe I'll get one later on, but my receiver is no slouch for the time being.
 
What I like about your stands is you can really load them with sand or similar to keep them weighted down. I might have to look at that route as I get my living room system going.
 
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