[chbla]

Hi there,
 
I've got a pair of fanstatic KEF x300a and am looking for Desktop stands.
To be on my ear level they need to be around 22-25cm in height.
Does anyone know good looking, not too bulky ones?
 
I also wondered: What's the difference in quality between such stands where
the speakers are at ear level hight but level. And such "foam pads" where the speakers
are at the desk but at an angle, pointing towards my head?
 
Like these: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTLhh1oanhrxsRPpUyxTUVD08MWXrZEsMIJmmVPI59eXy7PXz0
 
Thanks a lot,
Christoph

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
I also wondered: What's the difference in quality between such stands where
the speakers are at ear level hight but level. And such "foam pads" where the speakers
are at the desk but at an angle, pointing towards my head?

 
It will depend on the dispersion pattern and room acoustics. Some just work better with one type, or it depends on how far you are sitting from them. Some speakers might sound too "bright" or "too forward" with stands that put them at ear level if you're sitting too close, while the dispersion angle on others and the angle of the stands might not be great at your seating position.

The best option really is to order both then sell the one you don't like. Someone who prefers one over the other may be significantly shorter or taller than you for example and affect the sound of the angled pads for them.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Stands much better ime. You still risks reflections from the desk surface with cheap pads (which are better than nothing.
 
They don't have to be expensive, Use blocks of timber or house bricks.
 
If you do have spare money the very best method is to 'fly' your monitors. Stand the monitors slightly above head height and angle them down slightly.
 
http://www.neumann-kh-line.com/neumann-kh/home_en.nsf/HTMLProduct?ReadForm&path=prof-monitoring&accid=31D3946FD59BFD07C125778900573598

 

[chbla]

Thanks for the answers!
 
Yeah I think the ones linked above would be perfect, that's what I would like.
However - I'm not sure how or where to attach the x300a.
 
Why is it better to tilt them down instead of pointing straight at me?

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Less chance of reflections. Less chance of something getting in the way, such as bits of you. Better room effect.
 
Doesn't really make that much difference. Mainly just looks cool and pro.

.
 
I use a much, much cheaper pair of Gale variable height hi-fi stands myself but they have been discontinued so I couldn't add a direct link.

 

[chbla]

Do you have the x300a too? How do you fix them to the stands?

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Oh. O.K. I see your problem now.
 
Mine have a fitting on the back. Some have it on the bottom. I think it's a VESA standard or something. I thought they all did. You can get adapters to fix them to just about anything. Including microphone stands and girders.
 
Yours' don't. Not as far as I can see anyway. Nice speakers otherwise by the look of it btw.
 
So you are limited to mounting them on a flat surface or a tray with a lip. Strap 'em down if you are worried about knocking them off and don't care about looks.
 
It's not a problem. Hi Fi speakers aren't normally screwed down. Just find a regular pair of short stands.

 

[chbla]

Alright, I'll have a look and see
 
Thanks!

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Mmmh. Well chbla. You seem to have discovered a gap in the market here.
 
Considering the current popularity of active nearfield monitors you would have thought it would be easy to find suitable stands to mount them on the desktop. Not so.
 
You cannot really put those KEFs on a bookshelf because they are rear ported and need ventilation for the fins. Traditional hi-fi stands are too low off the floor and too high on the desk.
 
You could use a full size pair of pro speaker stands behind a desk but they are often unattractive and might be too far away for optimum listening.
 
So it looks like slim pickings unless someone else chimes in.    .............
 
I have an earlier model pair of these Gale ARC 120 but they are not well distributed atm.
 
http://www.gale.co.uk/120.html
 
This looks like a cheap and easy plan to make your own and save some space.
 
http://www.instructables.com/id/Space-saving-Studio-MonitorsSpeakers-Stand/
 
And finally this looks like a specialist supplier.
 
http://www.itemaudio.co.uk/speaker_stand.html

 

[chbla]

Thanks for the detailed answer!
Yeah I figured out there is really not much out there.. I asked KEF, they don't have any stands for those speakers and
there is also no way to mount/fix them (like VESA standard, screws, anything). This surprised me a bit.
 
I will ask this supplier you linked if they can provide some, and see what they cost, 24cm would be good.
 
Otherwise I will make my own, I have two options that are not too much effort:
 
Ideally it would be a 'U'-Shape rotatet to the left 90 degrees (side view).
That way you don't clutter your desk too much.
 
I can either make this from wood (painted black) or bend a ~6mm steel plate/sheet - which would look quite nice in
dark grey.

 

[rabor]

I've got Auralex MoPAD's under my X300A's & couldn't be happier.. They angle perfect from my desk upward with double pads, & the isolation/dampening is excellent, &.. they're cheap. Plus if you were to decide to buy stands later you can always use them between the speaker & stand as desks usually resonate quite a bit.

 

[coolguyalex]

  I've got Auralex MoPAD's under my X300A's & couldn't be happier.. They angle perfect from my desk upward with double pads, & the isolation/dampening is excellent, &.. they're cheap. Plus if you were to decide to buy stands later you can always use them between the speaker & stand as desks usually resonate quite a bit.

 
These ones? :
 
https://www.storedj.com.au/products/AUR-MOPADS

My KEFs arrived today and it seems like this is the best solution (2 under each correct?). 

 

[rabor]

Yep, those are the ones.. though that price seems a bit steep.. I paid just under 30 euros.
 
Had a quick look & found them for 20 aus bucks less.. http://www.videoguys.com.au/Shop/p/25886/auralex-mopad-monitor-isolators-set-isolates-2-speakers-mopad.html?cat=493
 
& they're selling even cheaper on Ebay
 
Anyway, they contain 4 basic pads - so 2 under each speaker side-by-side - plus 4 'adjustment' pads, so you can increase/decrease the angle. I've got my MoPads 'backwards' with the adjustment pads adding extra angle upwards, so with the sit-height & distance from the speakers (approx. 70-80 cm's) to my ears they're perfect. it's a pretty flexible set-up & I never had any isolation issues whatsoever.
 
Enjoy your KEF's, I know I do..

 

[Darthmullet]

I looked for nice looking ones for some time, to no avail.
 
I use these adjustable monitor (i.e. display) stands 
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006HVM5E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
They take up more room than I'd like, but they get the job done. They aren't quite high enough for me so I have a book on top of each too. It leaves space for cable management underneath the speakers though (if you have a pass through desk) so that is nice.
 
What drove me nuts was I couldn't find a good way to get them tilted down the way I wanted. Those Auralex pads look perfect.

 

[Wilson]

Seems like the bottom 4 mounting screws are VESA pattern 75x75. Therefore I am thinking of using or modifying monitor stands to mount them. Anyone has tried?

https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Monito...RM9PJX40R8M&psc=1&refRID=F655DXR9RRM9PJX40R8M