Speaker stand advice, CBM-170s

[Gregisme]

I'll concentrate on the aesthetic considerations for the front main speakers, as I'm sure others would be better able to answer the other questions.

For the fronts, I think the StudioTech SS would be best. That, or the ones available on the Ascend site, just not the Atlantic ones. The reason being has to do with scale. The 170s are fairly small speakers, at least in relation to the bookshelf speakers pictured in the stock photos for those stands. The Atlantic stands have one more vertical tube than the StudioTechs and the tubes look spread out a little more too. The Ascend 170 would look overwhelmed by the dimensions of that stand, IMHO.

Kinda like using a brick as a paperweight. Overkill.

[mudshark]

Hi David,

I have the 170's mounted on the VTI stands for the rear surrounds. The VTI's easily support the 170, are adjustable, and are hollow so you can run speaker wire up through the post. I used some stuff called 'QuakeHold' (I think that's the name anyway) to mount the 170's to the stands. Seems pretty sturdy.

Keith

[Dave G]

David,

Ascend recommends a 30" or 31" stand for the 170, so you would probably want to go with the tallest version of either the StudioTech SS or Atlantis Signature stands. Some other possiblities are these Wood Technology stands: http://www.hififorless.com/categorie...categoryid=696 I have my rear surround 170s on the MU-30 and really like them -- they are fillable and have cable management. The TMT-30 also looks nice. Good luck.

Dave

[pestosound]

Thanks for your replies. Maybe I'll go with those tall VTI stands.

Gregisme, I think you have a point. Maybe not so much that it would overwhelm the speakers but that I'd eventually get sick of looking at overly elaborate stands. With that in mind I came across this relatively more modest Target FS70. It only comes in 28" as opposed to 30" but the price is right. Sanus "Steel Foundations" looks nice but is more expensive.


--David

[Gregisme]

I think that the folks at Ascend have said that 28-31" is the ideal range for stands with the 170, so either of those next two would work ok. Especially if you are a little on the shorter torso size of things or have a tendency to slouch on the couch, so to speak. As long as the tweeter portion of the speaker roughly lines up with your ears from you favorite seating postion, you should be ok.

Of course, if most of your listening is done walking around and such, then this whole question of stand height becomes moot.

Of those last two, I could live with either but I prefer the overall look of the Targets myself.

but that's just me. YMMV.