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Alternative stands for SMGa's?

174.17.51.64
Posted on August 25, 2020 at 18:12:19
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Hi,

I just got an old pair of SMGa's and they came without stands. I stumbled across Wye's stands but they're a little pricey for me. Anyone know of a less expensive alternative? DIY options that don't involve welding are welcome.

Thanks!

 

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RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 25, 2020 at 18:43:46
grantv
Manufacturer

Posts: 7727
Location: B.C.
Joined: January 15, 2002
 Have you contacted Magnepan to see if they can supply factory stands? Is that sufficient for you?

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 25, 2020 at 21:35:09
BDP24
Audiophile

Posts: 1070
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Joined: September 12, 2013
 You can make some out of Baltic Birch plywood. Glue and bolt the uprights to the bases, and finish the ply with polyurethane. They'll look handsome on the SMG's!

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 29, 2020 at 06:05:14
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: June 17, 2003
 super-duper cheap: with a drill and a good bit I'm sure a trip to HD for one of these would work.

If you search the archives you'll find the bolt screw size.









 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 29, 2020 at 15:59:34
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Thanks! That hadn't occurred to me. I was thinking wood because everything I've seen is wood, except the factory stands.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 29, 2020 at 16:02:29
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 That's close to what I ended up doing, but now I want something that lifts them off the floor and/or tilts them back a bit. They're REALLY directional in the vertical axis.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 29, 2020 at 16:04:40
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Thanks for the thought. The factory stands might have been sufficient but, now that I've listened to them for awhile, I want something that lifts and/or tilts them, so that they don't sound like someone threw a blanket over them when I stand up.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 31, 2020 at 21:16:37
Kurtle
Audiophile

Posts: 364
Location: Salem Oregon
Joined: December 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since: April 6, 2011



A pic from 2003, these raised the MMG's 7" from the floor. We bought two large shelf brackets a 3 foot length of flat metal bar that matched the width of the shelf bracket, drilled holes in the bracket to match the mounting holes for the original stands. Cut and attached the flat bar to extend the feet out front for stability. Hit with some flat black spray paint. Total cost was about $20 as I remember, and total time invested was about an hour and a half. This completely changed the character of the speakers, in a good way. The low end was supplemented with a sub.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on August 31, 2020 at 21:17:38
Kurtle
Audiophile

Posts: 364
Location: Salem Oregon
Joined: December 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since: April 6, 2011



a pic from the front.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 1, 2020 at 10:05:53
LineSource
Audiophile

Posts: 145
Location: Iowa
Joined: July 29, 2014
 You could use the side rails as a template to duplicate them from the bottom of the speaker up, but have the wood flare out and down a foot or so to stand them up. Think free standing dressing mirrors but without the central pivot.
LineSource

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 1, 2020 at 18:32:20
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 You know, I was thinking along those lines, too, only I was thinking of including the swivel mount like on a cheval mirror. Then I remembered that I basically suck at woodworking and went with something simpler.

Basically, they're just two sticks in an uneven T formation, a little longer in the back. I made them 19" long, to add stability, and I glued and screwed them together with a bracing block on the back of the joint.

A little paint and some stick-on felt pads, and I've got a set of skis for my maggies. Now comes the hard part... figuring out the placement and what to use to drive them for the best sound.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 2, 2020 at 09:25:50
LineSource
Audiophile

Posts: 145
Location: Iowa
Joined: July 29, 2014
 Some of the best value stuff out there to drive them, in my opinion, is made by Emotiva. If you're on a tight budget this little amp I think would do quite nicely. https://emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/a-300
LineSource

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 5, 2020 at 08:58:27
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Clever. Thanks. How did you attach the flat bar? Screws? Glue?

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 5, 2020 at 09:12:01
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Thanks. I've had my eye on that very amp, but I'm not having much luck finding "trustworthy" (as in, not written by owners that are in love with their new toys) reviews of it. I like the power numbers, but I keep reading how different amps change the sound of speakers, especially planars.

I don't know if I should believe that, either. Back in day, when Julian Hirsch was a lone voice of reason in a sea of marketing BS, and his main argument made sense to me. If two amps are both working properly and producing similar levels of output, they should sound identical when driving the same speakers. After all, it's not the amp's job to change the character of the sound, only the volume.

On the other hand, I'm personally experiencing the substantial change to the speakers' sound that moving them one inch left or right produces. So, I suppose it's possible that an amp could color the sound, too.

 

No bi-amping or bi-wiring on the Magnepan 1.7i., posted on September 5, 2020 at 10:27:46
LineSource
Audiophile

Posts: 145
Location: Iowa
Joined: July 29, 2014
 My first experience with hearing the difference in the sound of amps was when I went from an Adcom GFA 535 to an Adcom GFA 5500. Now there was a substantial jump in power between the two amps but in the room I was listening in they both should have been putting out the same amount of power at the same volume level. Adding the GFA 5500 was literally like adding a sub woofer to the system and it was measurable. Something Julian Hirsch I'm sure would have claimed impossible. Another major difference was in the width of the sound stage. I never really heard instruments appearing from outside the left and right boundaries of the speakers before but now with the right recordings they were appearing well outside the left and right speakers. That's not something that is subjective, it can be heard by anyone. In my opinion Julian Hirsch was far from a voice of reason. Maybe he couldn't hear the differences but I assure you they existed in the gear he reviewed. Otherwise we could all just go to Best Buy and buy a Sony and be done with it.

Now, when I bought the Vincent I had three different amps in the house. The Emotiva which it replaced and the previously mentioned GFA 5500. To be blunt you'd have to have very compromised hearing to not be able to hear the difference and the Vincent to my ears was superior to the other two in every way and the other two are fine amplifiers I could easily listen to if not for my obsession to always have more.

Until recently I thought all the hype about different speaker cables was delusional BS, but I decided to go from a generic pair of Mogami cable to Audioquest Type 8s. I was shocked! The difference wasn't subtle in any way. Even so I wanted to be sure so I swapped the Mogamis back in and there was no doubt, the Audioquests have a stronger and more detailed top end with a deeper, stronger bottom. Audiophiles are a different breed that cares about these things. Oddly even a lot of musicians could care less other than for the equipment they use to amplify their music.

I don't know what your present amp is, but unless it's already a very fine piece of equipment, rest assured, you'll hear a difference. Just don't give up on it in the first half hour of listening. It will come alive and hearing that will convince you that yes, there can be major difference is in sound between similarly specified pieces of audio gear.
LineSource

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 5, 2020 at 11:45:06
Kurtle
Audiophile

Posts: 364
Location: Salem Oregon
Joined: December 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since: April 6, 2011



We bolted them on, and put a stick on plastic foot on the front of the bar to level them out. The nuts were on the back part of the stand so didn't show from the front. These were used on carpet so they worked fine, on a bare floor maybe not so much...

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 5, 2020 at 16:01:40
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 "on a bare floor maybe not so much..."

Exsctly why I asked. I appreciate you including photos. That's going beyond what I expected.

And the idea may still work for me. I could attach the shelf brackets to my ski's. They're wood, so I could countersink the screw heads, and I've already got the felt pads on the bottoms.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 5, 2020 at 16:02:56
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Thanks, man!

 

RE: No bi-amping or bi-wiring on the Magnepan 1.7i., posted on September 5, 2020 at 16:45:57
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 "Julian Hirsch I'm sure would have claimed impossible"

Nope. If it was measurable, he'd accept it and then look for the reason behind it. But your scenario doesn't fit the premise.

Still, I'm not doubting what you hear. I just want to understand it.

I think there must be some people who understand it at some level, even if they can't completely explain it. People like Nelson Pass, John Curl, and Mark Levinson must understand the nature of it to some extent in order to achieve the measurable results they get.

My current amp is the one built into my HH Scott 350R receiver, which I wasn't sure was going to be able to handle the maggies. It does, and produces more volume than I expected, but I don't have any illusions about it's capabilities. I've seen it described online as "crap", which is a little harsh. It actually sounds good, though I'm sure it's not getting the best out of these speakers.

I just scored a Rotel RS-913 on eBay. That has much better reviews AND it has pre-outs. It also has two phono inputs. I'm hoping they can both handle MM cartridges, but I also need to get my Rega P1 fixed before it will really matter. It did not like being kept in the garage while the house was renovated. I packed and moved it out there myself, using the original box and styrofoam, so I assume the heat got to it. It was fine before that.

Anyway, I've been researching and debating various budget options, including older Adcom and Rotel amps as well as new ones like the Emotiva BasX A-300. There is also the Martin Logan Forte, which I assume would be good for maggies if it's designed for their speakers.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 5, 2020 at 17:49:01
FX35
Audiophile

Posts: 151
Joined: March 6, 2020
 "don't know if I should believe that, either. Back in day, when Julian Hirsch was a lone voice of reason in a sea of marketing BS, and his main argument made sense to me. If two amps are both working properly and producing similar levels of output, they should sound identical when driving the same speakers. After all, it's not the amp's job to change the character of the sound, only the volume."

What a joke! did this guy actually ever listen to any equipment? that has to be one of the most stupid audio related statements I've ever heard, and I've heard a few.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 19, 2020 at 09:33:34
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 He did. Did you ever learn anything about how electronics work? You obviously don't know anything about it now, if you ever did.

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 19, 2020 at 18:18:01
FX35
Audiophile

Posts: 151
Joined: March 6, 2020
 "He did" So he listened to amps with the same output figures and concluded that they all sounded the same? well, doesn't that make things easy! just buy the cheapest amp that has the output you need and you're done!!! they all sound the same anyway........ what a joke! and you actually believe that crap?

"Did you ever learn anything about how electronics work?" This may shock you, but you don't have to study for years to find out how a amp sounds, they have a little switch, switch it to "ON", sit back and listen...... its that easy.

FWIW, I've heard dozens of amps, SS, tubes, hybrids, Class A, AB, B, D, monos, stereos......... and guess what? no 2 sound the same! But you must be the expert on amps, with a "crap" HH Scott 350R and a Rotel RS 913........ very impressive

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 20, 2020 at 08:49:21
dmad986
Audiophile

Posts: 13
Joined: August 25, 2020
 Riiiight. Cuz it's majik.

Back to your cave, Troll

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 20, 2020 at 10:58:51
Norman M
 "Did you ever learn anything about how electronics work? You obviously don't know anything about it now, if you ever did."

It's easy to toss insults around. What might not be easy is to identify an amp if you didn't know which one is being used.
"Everything else is just noise".

 

RE: Alternative stands for SMGa's?, posted on September 20, 2020 at 17:48:25
FX35
Audiophile

Posts: 151
Joined: March 6, 2020
 Well, it's actually NOT magic, you just can't measure or explain every aspect of how the brain processes sound waves through the human hearing system. This debate has been going on for years, the tech/spec camp says "If everything measures the same, it must sound the same", but experienced audiophiles all agree that despite identical specs and measurements, audio electronics and cables from various manufacturers all have their own sonic signature. Why do you think most High-End manufacturers choose critical components by ear in the final production stages?.........because machines can not measure the complexity of human reactions to sound waves.

So........ if you consider the fact that hearing is inconsistent between humans (just like taste and recognition of colors)and that critical component selection is made by designers on personal preferences, you might begin to understand why all amps and cables vary in audio reproduction.

You're not the first one to react like this, but that's OK, I've met plenty like you, little to no experience in High-End, listening to practically the same low-fi system their whole life, read a few books, maybe even studied electronics for a while, and then they know it all!
If anyone has been in a cave, it's you.

 

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