2/6     I am putting my speakers on speaker stands finally.  The IKEA stands
        I get require holes to be drilled on the speaker's bottom to bolt it
        to the surface of the stand.  Is this a good idea?  I am reluctant to
        modify my speaker (NHT 1.5, if it matters) in some permanent way.
        \_ I would be very cautious drilling holes on the speaker.
           Attaching something like velcro or something like that is okay,
           but drilling holes?  Be careful.
        \_ stay the hell away from Ikea.
        \_ I heard that speaker stands need to be VERY rigid so that the
           speaker on the stand won't recoil when the electromagnet pushes the
           membrane forward.  That way the acoustic characteristics of the
           speaker is preserved.  I don't think anything Ikea sells is up to
           that standard.  Drilling holes to mount the speakers probably
           has the advantage of making the speaker and the stand one more-rigid
           body, but the benefit won't pay for the drawback that the acoustic
           characteristics of the speaker box is destroyed.  If your speaker
           is a low-end one you probably don't care as much about the
           acoustics, but then in that case why bother drilling holes?  -- yuen
           \- dont get a stand for a decent speaker at ikea. for big speakers
           there are stands that stand on spikes for more isolationand ones
           that have hollow tubes that can be filled with lead shot ... some
           such stands are actually not that expensive, compared to the
           speakers. go to a real stereo store for suggestions ... once again
           BAA gives good advice. --psb
           \_ where is BAA? What about The Sound Well? - ! orig poster
              \- BAA is roughly at Sunnyvale-Saratoga and Hwy 85. I believe
              the now have a WEEB site. I am not familar with the sound well.
              The good things about BAA: 1. they know their stuff 2. they are
              reasonable people interested in building a relationship with
              the customer (this include stuff like they may lend you stuff to
              try at home, they wont nickle and dime you ... in at least one
              case they gave be a sale price on some stuff that would have gone
              on sale in a few weeks instead of making me come back) 3. they
              treat you reasonably even if you arent looking to drop 5 figures
              on a stereo. --psb
        \__ IKEA sucks.
              \_ Sounds good... sounds alot like the Sound Well... maybe you
                 would be interested to check it out... about half-way down
                 University, on the south-side of the street.   - rory
        \_ I once built my own subwoofer for my car about two years ago
           with all the research etc that goes on with that, using design
           programs to measure everything, down to coeffiecients of different
           woods, everything. Anyways, I've never heard of a speaker stand where
        \_ I've never heard of a speaker stand where
           using a BOSE speaker then you will be fine. (bose has significantly
           more internalized designs and pathways... its not a good imaging
           company, only makes an expansive, 'bose' sound out of every song..)
           you must drill INTO the speaker box, but as long as you are not
           using a BOSE speaker then you will be fine. (You dont want to
           drill into a bose. it has alot more sound redirecting tubes on
           the inside all crammed usually... than any other company..)
           Acoustically it will not change anything otherwise, but its
           wierd and I'd feel uncomfortable about doing it even though
           it will not change anything.