Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Best height stand for MT22ti

On the website they list the CSS2 which is 24" high as one of the stands for the M22ti, and also another stand which is 16" high.

In my setup I will have a V100 on top of the TV (which is 50" tall), and the M22ti's will be on stands on either side of the TV. Listening will be seated, with ear level around 38" when seated on the sofa.

I have seen people put them on 24" stands, and another comment somewhere that this was "too high". Since the speakers themselves are nearly 20", a 24" stand would put the top very near the top of the TV. Is this good?? Or would a 16" stand be a better choice?

Anyone have a recommendation for a stand then? I like the style of the CSS2.

Thanks!
Rick

I went throught the same dilemma a few weeks ago. I wanted the Axiom stand but the height was just not right. My main listening position height is about 39". 16" was too low and 24" too high. I bought a pair of Plateau's that are about 22 1/2" high. Still about an inch or two higher than my ideal, but I didn't like the 20 and 21" stands I saw. I'm pleased with the results of these.

Phil

Did you get the L series in wood? Looks like they are a nice match for the wood in black of the MT22i's.

Rick

Rick, when I first got my M22s I experimented extensively with a specially designed variable height stand of my own construction(stacks of old Stereo Review magazines). My findings were that on the tweeter axis and a little above the pattern was better than below axis. So, through stand height and/or tilting of the speakers(even if you put them directly on the floor)have the tweeters pointing no higher than your ears. The same might apply to the VP100 and make it advisable to tilt it slightly downward.

There again I debated with myself over the F and the L series. I don't recall my logic, but I ultimately went with the F-23 (metal) series. It was really a toss up.

phil

Not sure I exactly follow. What height did you settle upon? Or, better, if my listening height is around 38", would the 22.5" stand be better or would a 16"?

Rick

Okay, the top of the M22 tweeeter is at 19", my ideal listening height is about 39" (40" if I sit up right), therefore, so a perfect stand height for me should be 20" (20" + 19" = 39"). The F (or L) 23 is actually 22 1/2" high (22 1/2 + 19 = 41 1/2'), a little bit higher than my average ideal of 39". Before I made my decision to buy stands, I asked Joe at Axiom about speaker height. He suggested if it's a choice between a little bit higher or a little bit lower than the ideal, to go with the little bit higher. That's what I did.

Rick, my point was that it's a little better(doesn't make a huge difference)to have the tweeter axis below your ears rather than above. You can arrange this either through stand height, tilting the speaker, or a combination of the two. So, in your case the shorter stand should be fine.

I've baught materials to make 22" stands for my M22's and I'll be spending the day in the wood shop tomorrow. I'm planning on taking pictures of each step a long the way and I'll put up a list of materials and instructions if anyone is interested. Total cost of materials was $37 including tax. They'll actually look decent too If anyone wants some info, let me know.

Hi,

The point is to have the M22ti's at a height that creates the best illusion and a superior soundstage in your particular room. This will be dictated as much by the reflective characteristics of your room and the specific placement of your speakers within it (as well as your listening seat) as by the height of the speaker stands.

In my listening comparisons of the M22ti's on 16-inch and 24-inch stands, there were no significant advantages to either height, nor were there any degrading effects on the soundstage depth and imaging specificity of lowering or raising the speakers. All this applied to my rectangular living room of average dimensions. The results may be quite different for a different room and setup. Don't ever underestimate the huge contribution of the room, locations of the listening area, and the placement of the speakers relative to adjacent boundaries of all sorts.

Regards,