Optimal stand height for SAM HO

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peckjed

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Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« on: 25 Jan 2018, 03:01 am »
I’ve got some SAM HO being made and was curious what people find are the optimal stand heights. I’ve currently got some 18” Skylans but feel it may be a bit too high.

guf

Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #1 on: 25 Jan 2018, 08:34 am »
I have mine on 16in "stands". And I would angle them up a half inch until recently. I sit about 5 feet from mine and my chair is a low. I bet your 18 inch stands could be fine.

JLM

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #2 on: 25 Jan 2018, 11:17 am »
Driver should center on the primary listener's ear height, so dependent on your circumstances.

peckjed

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #3 on: 25 Jan 2018, 01:59 pm »
I have mine on 16in "stands". And I would angle them up a half inch until recently. I sit about 5 feet from mine and my chair is a low. I bet your 18 inch stands could be fine.

Thats good to hear. I am in a similar situation, roughly the same distance and in an eames style lounger. I'm just anxious I'll need to modify my Skylans to make them a bit lower.

peckjed

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #4 on: 25 Jan 2018, 02:02 pm »
Driver should center on the primary listener's ear height, so dependent on your circumstances.

That makes sense, since there are two drivers on the HO should my ear be center with the top driver? It might make sense (in my head at least) to be slightly below center, perhaps for an even balance between the two drivers? I very well may be off base with that thought. 

JLM

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #5 on: 25 Jan 2018, 03:27 pm »
The top driver is the full range driver, so yes center on that one.  The bottom driver only goes up to 200 Hz, so behaves pretty much like a subwoofer (which cannot be located by ear).

Also keep in mind that even big/heavy monitors on stands can get tipped over.  Years ago my 6 pound cat (completely out of character) came running in, took a leap off the front of the couch, and bounced off a 10" x 10" x 20" monitor that was on a 12" high stand, knocking it over and breaking one of the binding posts. 

peckjed

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #6 on: 25 Jan 2018, 03:34 pm »
The top driver is the full range driver, so yes center on that one.  The bottom driver only goes up to 200 Hz, so behaves pretty much like a subwoofer (which cannot be located by ear).

Also keep in mind that even big/heavy monitors on stands can get tipped over.  Years ago my 6 pound cat (completely out of character) came running in, took a leap off the front of the couch, and bounced off a 10" x 10" x 20" monitor that was on a 12" high stand, knocking it over and breaking one of the binding posts.

Thank you for the quick feedback! thankfully, my cats aren't allowed in the stereo room unsupervised.  :D

roscoe65

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #7 on: 18 Feb 2018, 02:17 pm »
I have a pair of SAM’s (single driver, 20” tall cabinet) and they work well with 20” stands, but I could as easily use 16-18” stands.  The 24”-tall SAM HO Monitor appears to work with anything from 6”-16”, depending on listening height and tilt.

One option I use is to “build up” a stand.  In one system I use 3” butcher block with 1.5” threaded spikes as a base to the carpet.  On that I use an Isoacoustics LR200 isolation stand that can be configured for 4” or 8” height with a fair amount of adjustability for tilt.  I use the same configuration (with an Oversized Isoacoustics stand) to support a pair of Altec 614 cabinets are perfect height.

I also use the Isoacoustics trick with other stands.  I used the 20” Skylab stands for my SAM’s.  When I want to swap in a pair of smaller monitors, I inset a 4” height Isoacoustics isolator to bring the speaker height up to ear level.

Because I play around with system configurations a bit flexibility is important to me.  If flexibility is not important, I would recommend a solid 12” stand with an ISO-LR200 (4”) isolating the speaker. 

peckjed

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Re: Optimal stand height for SAM HO
« Reply #8 on: 19 Feb 2018, 06:45 pm »
I have a pair of SAM’s (single driver, 20” tall cabinet) and they work well with 20” stands, but I could as easily use 16-18” stands.  The 24”-tall SAM HO Monitor appears to work with anything from 6”-16”, depending on listening height and tilt.

One option I use is to “build up” a stand.  In one system I use 3” butcher block with 1.5” threaded spikes as a base to the carpet.  On that I use an Isoacoustics LR200 isolation stand that can be configured for 4” or 8” height with a fair amount of adjustability for tilt.  I use the same configuration (with an Oversized Isoacoustics stand) to support a pair of Altec 614 cabinets are perfect height.

I also use the Isoacoustics trick with other stands.  I used the 20” Skylab stands for my SAM’s.  When I want to swap in a pair of smaller monitors, I inset a 4” height Isoacoustics isolator to bring the speaker height up to ear level.

Because I play around with system configurations a bit flexibility is important to me.  If flexibility is not important, I would recommend a solid 12” stand with an ISO-LR200 (4”) isolating the speaker.

That seems like an interesting method. Do you have any photos of what the final product looks like?