Bookshelf speakers on your desktop: we really need desktop clamp speaker stands

[myren]

So, one thing I've continually had drilled into my head is that most stereo speakers are not meant to sit on top of a "ground" surface, eg your desktop. Computer speakers tend to have some sort of elevation or support to bring them off the surface of your desktop, but I myself use a regular stereo pair (Energy RC10) and I think many others do to: we're suffering injustice to our sound by letting our speakers sit on our desktop.

What I'd like is some kind of speaker stand designed to work with a desktop. I already have a dual VESA mount arm for my monitors, and I'd love to follow a similar practice for my speakers. Ideally, I'm thinking of a two foot tall speaker stand with desktop clamps. I could put my speakers above my monitor range, and prevent them from taking up any desktop space at the same time.

Obviously its a fancy idea, but I'm interested to see what and how others have handled using bookshelf speakers on their desktop. I suspect most people do what I'm doing now and just put them on the desktop, but this is non-optimal, in terms of sound, in terms of real estate, and if anyone has any creative solutions, please chime in.

The one thought I'd given was to purchase a 4x monitor desktop clamp mount, and to re-purpose the top two mounts to holding speakers. VESA mounts I've seen can articulate and rotate up and down, so I could place my speakers well above my monitors and also rotate them down at a slight angle at the same time.

Myren

[myren]

Head-fi has a thread about simple desktop stands (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f21/desktop-speaker-stands-307185/), I'd like a real-estate friendly perhaps slightly taller version.

[myren]

this (http://www.google.com/base/a/4695475/D7085087785926316601) quad monitor stand looks exactly like the 4x monitor version of the 2x stand i have now (and am reasonably happy with). At $100, I'll probably just purchase this, and mount a piece of plywood on the top two arms, turn it into a mostly horizontal platform, and lay the speakers on that. Plywood will be a bit wider than the monitors, aimed slightly down. I'll probably have to add a little lip to the front of the plywood to keep the speakers from falling on to me.

[Alai]

this (http://www.google.com/base/a/4695475/D7085087785926316601) quad monitor stand looks exactly like the 4x monitor version of the 2x stand i have now (and am reasonably happy with). At $100, I'll probably just purchase this, and mount a piece of plywood on the top two arms, turn it into a mostly horizontal platform, and lay the speakers on that. Plywood will be a bit wider than the monitors, aimed slightly down. I'll probably have to add a little lip to the front of the plywood to keep the speakers from falling on to me.

That looks like the best idea I have ever seen. Please post pics when you have it all ready to go.

[80sRule]

I keep thinking about doing something like that with my Energy C-100s. I can't go with a setup like that because of the width of my combined displays(2209WA Vertical <- Samsung LN40A500 -> 2209WA Vertical) is too wide and the weight of the TV is too much for a stand like that.

I like the monoprice mounts, specifically THIS (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082802&p_id=5402&seq=1&format=2), and I could get 2 of those for my speakers. The C-100 speakers have a thread in the back so I could easily create a Vesa to Bolt adapter plate.

Post how this works out for you, as I am curious about these custom setups.

[myren]

I keep thinking about doing something like that with my Energy C-100s. I can't go with a setup like that because of the width of my combined displays(2209WA Vertical <- Samsung LN40A500 -> 2209WA Vertical) is too wide and the weight of the TV is too much for a stand like that.

I like the monoprice mounts, specifically THIS (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082802&p_id=5402&seq=1&format=2), and I could get 2 of those for my speakers. The C-100 speakers have a thread in the back so I could easily create a Vesa to Bolt adapter plate.

Post how this works out for you, as I am curious about these custom setups.

Oh hell, thats brilliant. $24 for a desktop clamp for one monitor; that would be great for mounting speakers with.

The quad display play I have is resignedly ghetto as all hell. The one advantage it still holds is that it easily and hopefully clearly mounts over top of my displays, which ought to address the width issue you mentioned. As overpoweringly tempting as a pair of those one-monitor arms would be, the speakers would still be side to side with my monitors; just not taking up desktop space: the arm doesnt have enough vertical to prop the speakers overtop. The quad monitor arm would use the upper level arms to create a second level raised platform above the displays.

These RC-10's also have threaded mounts on the back, but the VESA plate to bolt adapter would require more work than I have tools for here.

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edit: i think i've convinced myself to try the quad arms. i just need to break down and do it this week. i'm slow to build resolve at purchasing, but hopefully tuesday?

[80sRule]

Is your desk up against a wall or have a credenza or side rails(ala Ikea Jerker)?

You could spend even less money and get THIS (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082802&p_id=3323&seq=1&format=2). That would be great if you didn't mind modifying the wall behind your desk and above your monitors.

A real simple solution for the adapter most people have the stuff for would be a piece of wood modified to fit the thread of the speaker and the screws from the Vesa Mount. Here's some drawings:

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e262/triumphgt6/random/2dSpeakerAdapter.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e262/triumphgt6/random/3dSpeakerAdapter.jpg

Past Energy Products have had 3/8-16 Female Thread; it appears this one does(I'm at work and can't check though.); If I were you, I would run a piece of stainless thread in that size and get it the right length and then get a nice stainless nut and use that to secure the speaker to the adapter plate, then use the 4mm screws to secure the adapter plate to the vesa plate. The 4mm screw is part of the standard, so it should fit through the holes in the vesa plate. They are usually 6mm long, and the 3/8" that the plate is means that there is room to spare as far as depth. And because they say a 6mm long bolt is good enough to hold a 44lb monitor in this case, a 10lb speaker should be safe.

The 3/8" hole for the thread may need to move based upon where the speaker wire terminals intrude. I can check that at home later.

[Lodrin]

I use two of these

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/336530/Rolodex-Wood-Desk-Cube-With-Drawers/?Froogle-_-Shopping%20Comp-_-Datafeed-_-Office%20Supplies

Came to about $35, i think I had a coupon to lower it to $30. Put my Audio Engine 5's tweeters exactly at ear level, and also provided me with some nifty storage space.

[Fading Phoenix]

They're not stands, but these (http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_mopad/sound_isolation_mopad.asp) work pretty well also.

[myren]

Just bought the quad monitor stand tonight. Next couple weekends are busy as sin, but I should have a cool setup to show off in not too long a time.

[myren]

Its here.

http://rektide.voodoowarez.com/2009/5/quad.mount.png
http://rektide.voodoowarez.com/2009/5/quad.perched.png
http://rektide.voodoowarez.com/2009/5/quad.prospectus.png

Its been up since ~thursday, when I finally confessed to myself it'll be a while before I make the speaker holders I intend to. Relenting to my own lack of inertia, I set the speakers up just perched on the arm-- its very crude, but man, the sound projection is so much better and I adore the new desk real estate-- I'm pleased as punch.

The third shot shows how the arm will be configured after I build some holders. The holder will just be a flat plate affixed to the VESA mount with a ridge along the bottom edge to hold the speaker from falling. It should vastly increase the stability (large flat plate), allow me to angle the speakers down a hair (as shown in the shot), and to increase the stereo separation considerably (place will be wide).

Photos are from my Philips SPC9000NC webcam; last digicam got stolen and I've been waiting for something 720p60 capable to replace it with. Sorry the shots are so bad.

I'm really really really really pleased with the results so far.

[Alai]

Wow, that looks hot. Nice job on the holder pick!

[Impulse]

Neat setup. My desk has two small shelves ('bout 2ft deep by 1.5ft wide) that sit on either side of my main display (which sits on a shelf 3ft wide by 1ft deep shelf on top of the main desk) and that's where I've put my speakers... They're at just the right height, as is my display... I need to adjust the keyboard tray some (I resisted using it at first but the desk itself is too high). Originally I had my second display on one of the two small shelves (and a scanner) but it sat too high anyway (it's an old CRT) so I moved it on top of a drawer I've got right by the desk.

When I first saw you mention desk-clamped stands in the thread I was thinking of something not articulated, a clamp w/a rod straight up and a simple stand... Which would probably work fine for anyone that doesn't have the desk up against a wall.

[myren]

When I first saw you mention desk-clamped stands in the thread I was thinking of something not articulated, a clamp w/a rod straight up and a simple stand... Which would probably work fine for anyone that doesn't have the desk up against a wall.

You had the right idea the first time; thats exactly what I was thinking. I just improved with what I found. The main limitation right now is that a) the speakers have to be above the monitors and b) without holders, the speakers are closer together than preferred. I can solve the second, and live with the first. For $100, I'm pretty happy^H^H^H^H^Hexuberant.

I tried updating the title; it accepted the change but doesnt seem to take effect.

[Impulse]

It updates it within the post (see it's title) but doesn't actually change the thread title. Your setup still looks pretty sweet, you think it'd sound any better with the speakers along the sides of the display? From the pictures it didn't look like you had much room there anyway.