In addition to making your speakers produce better sound, speaker stands can add greatly to the appearance of your speakers. Since you have to look at your speakers while you listen you might as well enjoy what you see.
The Right Size
To obtain the best sound, your main speaker's tweeter should be at ear level in
your seated position. This measurement doesn't need to be dead on, but the closer
you get the better.
To measure, simply have someone measure the distance from the ground to the level of your ears while you sit. You can also mark your chair with tape or estimate how many inches above the back of your chair that your ear level is.
After that, with your speaker on the floor, measure the distance from the floor to the center of the tweeter. Subtract the speaker measurement from the ear position measurement and that's the size of the stands you need.
(ear height) - (tweeter height) = (stand height)
While you most likely won't get an exact match the idea is to get as close as possible. If you need to decide between a stand the puts the tweeter slightly lower versus slightly higher, opt for the lower configuration. Speakers sound best with their tweeters at or below ear level. Besides, you'll also be able to save money buying the smaller stand.
Solid and Heavy Duty
Your stands should should be sonically invisible to the sound waves your speakers
produce. To achieve "invisibility" you'll need stands that are extremely solid
and heavy. This will make the room's sound waves incapable of vibrating the stand
which, in turn, would vibrate the speaker.
Some of the best stands that meet this criteria are made of metal and use hollow tubes for the pillar section of the stand. You can then fill the pillar with sand or fine gravel which adds tremendous weight and solidity to your stands. Your stands will be as solid as a rock, thus creating a very solid and "invisible" stand.
Tower Speakers
Most tower speakers are made with the idea that they'll be resting on the floor.
But not all tower speakers attain ear level tweeter height, and can use a boost
up a couple of inches.
With towers you simply cannot use regular stands. You'll need to find a cement block that will fit the dimensions of your speaker, and raise the tower a couple inches. You can find these at most any home improvement center that sells patio blocks, or you can make your own from cement.
It's a better fit when the stands actually stick out a couple of inches around the normal dimensions of the speaker. It allows for easier placement of the tower and actually looks better too.
The sound stage of your towers should open up a bit more with the stands. It's not a night and day difference, but it's definitely a cheap upgrade for towers after you've lived with them for awhile.
The biggest surprise you'll find is how much better your towers will look. The cement block stands really add a presence to speaker. With a cement foundation you no longer have to worry about people accidentally hitting your speakers with their feet or crashing into them with a vacuum. The only complaint you might get is from people with stubbed toes.
The Price of Perfection
You should be able to find great stands in the $140-$200 range. While this my
seem costly think of a stand as an extension of speaker. You will find some manufacturers'
bookshelf models actually cost just as much as their tower models after you include
the price of quality stands.
Practicality
You could get cheap wood stands that work just fine and upgrade later, but you'll
just end up spending more money after everything's said and done.
Cement Blocks
You can find patio blocks for $5 each at a home improvement center. Chisel out
the side to the desired look then place them under your speakers.
Only use the blocks if you're certain that's where you want you speakers for a long time. They leave a indent in carpeting that takes forever to work its way back up.
If you plan on using the blocks on anything but carpet you may want to line the bottom of the blocks with felt. That should prevent any major scratching of your floor.