The best speaker stands of 2024
Know where your speakers stand with this selection of excellent supports.
| Best overall |
|
Pangea Audio DS200 | SEE IT |
All-steel and delightfully sturdy, these stands deliver audiophile results at consumer-level prices. |
|
| Best desktop |
|
IsoAcoustics Iso-Stand Series Speaker Isolation Stands | SEE IT |
IsoAcoustics’ unique desktop stands raise and tilt your speakers while reducing vibrations, ensuring excellent sound quality. |
|
| Best budget |
|
Perlesmith Universal Floor Speaker Stands | SEE IT |
With a rotating top plate and metal and glass construction, these stands perform way above their pay grade. |
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
A good set of speakers is only half the journey; to fully realize your quest for the ultimate sound, you need a great set of stands. There’s just no getting around it—stands can make the speakers. Think of a solid set of supports as the sturdy steed below the questing knight. No matter how heavenly their sonic intentions are, they won’t get far without a robust base. More than just being aesthetically pleasing (although that also counts when making your selection), the best speaker stands will actively improve the sound quality of your speakers. They can reduce resonances, bring the speakers to the correct height for optimal listening, provide a stable foundation, and even help keep untidy cables under control. They are, in a word, essential for your enjoyment of the music you prize so highly. Here are our selections for the best speaker stands of 2023.
- Best overall: Pangea Audio DS200
- Best floor: Echogear Premium Universal Floor Speaker Stands
- Best desktop: IsoAcoustics Iso-Stand Series Speaker Isolation Stands
- Best satellite: Sanus Adjustable Height Speaker Stand
- Best budget: Perlesmith Universal Floor Speaker Stands
How we chose the best speaker stands
To arrive at this list of the best speaker stands, we used our own experience as music lovers driven toward achieving perfection in audio quality. We then cross-referenced our personal picks with those of trusted experts from the larger hi-fi community. Public consensus was another touchpoint in our selection process. We then separated them into a variety of use cases.
Speakers come in all different sizes and weights; therefore, the best speaker stands will not be one-size-fits-all. We also considered factors such as material, load capacity, and sturdiness of the stands to arrive at our final selections. You can feel confident that all the choices here represent the best of the best when it comes to speaker stands.
The best speaker stands: Reviews & Recommendations
Everybody’s speaker stand needs will differ depending on your speaker type, speaker size, room size, and audio setup. Our recommendations considered all of these factors, so be sure to check them all out before making your choice.
Best overall: Pangea Audio DS200
Pangea Audio
Specs
- Height: 20, 24, 28, 32, 36”
- Material: Steel
- Load capacity: 100 lbs.
Pros
- All steel
- Heavy duty
- Choice of heights
Cons
- Some assembly required
Our pick for the best overall speaker stand of 2023 is Pangea Audio’s DS200. Extremely heavy-duty with an industrial, all-metal build, Pangea Audio designed these stands to reduce vibrations and improve speaker sound quality. Inspired by the construction industry, they feature a dual-column makeup with the two support piers placed at 90-degree angles to each other. This increases the stability of the top platform in two directions, creating excellent support. Indeed, these are rated to hold bookshelf speakers of up to 100 pounds, making them an excellent choice for owners of heavier speakers.
The features continue. Along with the all-steel construction, they have rubberized speaker supports on each top platform to reduce vibrations further. At the bottom, there are both adjustable carpet spikes to make sure that your stands stay put and padded feet for hardwood floors. If cable management is important to you (and why wouldn’t it be), DS200 also has you covered with a place to thread speaker wires and power cords. Not everyone has speakers of the same size, and accordingly, the DS200 is available in five different height configurations: 20, 24, 28, 32, and 36 inches.
In use, Pangea’s DS200 stands reduce vibrations and thus distortion, contributing to tight bass and detailed highs, mids, and sound stage. Some assembly is required, although it’s not too complicated. They’re also fairly affordable, making them an excellent addition to your audiophile setup and our choice for best overall speaker stands.
Best floor: Echogear Premium Universal Floor Speaker Stands
Echogear
Specs
- Height: 28”
- Material: MDF
- Load capacity: 25 lbs.
Pros
- Solid MDF post design
- Generous weight limit
- Great price
Cons
- No speaker clamps
If you’re looking for a solid set of speaker stands for your bookshelf speakers at a great price, look no further than Echogear’s Premium Universal Floor Speaker Stands. With a solid MDF post design, these will remain sturdy throughout their lifetime while also reducing unwanted resonances and vibrations from your speakers. Rubber pads on the speaker plates reinforce this.
With a set height of 28 inches—ideal for most seated listening environments—these will support speakers of up to 25 pounds. They’re also equipped with a cable management space in the rear to ensure that eye-bothering wires stay tucked away.
Some light assembly is required, and there are no clamps to hold your speakers to the plates, but the fantastic price more than makes up for this.
Best desktop: IsoAcoustics Iso-Stand Series Speaker Isolation Stands
Markkus Rovito
Specs
- Height: 210 mm maximum
- Material: Synthetic
- Load capacity: 20 lbs
Pros
- 14 variations of height and tilt
- Unique design
- Improves audio quality
Cons
- Price on the high side
- Prone to wobbling
Designed with recording studios and mix monitors in mind (shown with the Pioneer DJ VM-50 above), but applicable to hi-fi environments as well, IsoAcoustics’ Iso-Stand Series Speaker Isolation Stands are our picks for the best speaker stands in the desktop category. They have a unique design that not only lifts but angles the speakers as you need, providing 14 points of height and tilt. They also effectively reduce vibrations and clean up sound, necessary when mixing or even just listening.
IsoAcoustics offers a variety of different-sized stands, so you’re sure to find a set that suits your desktop needs. They are on the pricey side compared to other desktop stands, and some users report wobbling in heavy traffic areas, but for quiet rooms where listening is at a premium, they can’t be beat.
Best satellite: Sanus Adjustable Height Speaker Stand
Sanus
Specs
- Height: Adjustable from 28” to 38”
- Material: Alloy steel
- Load capacity: 3.5 lbs
Pros
- Adjustable height
- Configurable speaker mounts
- Excellent price
Cons
- Tube may be too narrow for cable routing
Standard bookshelf speaker stands just won’t cut it when it comes to mounting surround sound satellites from wireless surround sound systems, which can end up in odd and/or awkward places behind other furnishings. For these, you want a purpose-built set of stands, ideally something light and maneuverable with plenty of height. Sanus’ Adjustable Height Speaker Stands fit the bill perfectly, and they’re easy on the eyes to boot.
Made from tough alloy steel with a load capacity of 3.5 pounds, these satellite stands will do a superb job of holding up your small speakers. You can vary the height from 28 inches to 38 inches, making finding the sweet spot for your home theater or listening environment no sweat. They’re excellently priced as well, although some users have reported issues with threading audio cables through the tubes.
Best budget: Perlesmith Universal Floor Speaker Stands
Perlesmith
Specs
- Height: 28”
- Material: Metal and glass
- Load capacity: 22 lbs.
Pros
- Top plate rotates 45°
- Sturdy
- Easy assembly
- Incredible price
Cons
- No speaker clamps
Perlesmith makes a variety of mounts and stands, so it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing. The American company’s Universal Floor Speaker Stands are sturdy, good-looking, and affordable, making them our choice for the best budget speaker stands.
A good speaker stand will reduce vibrations, and Perlesmith’s Universal Floor Speaker Stands do just that with a combination of a glass top plate and base connected by a metal pillar. The top plate swivels up to 45 degrees to adjust the direction of sound. It can support speakers weighing up to 22 pounds, which should be plenty for most bookshelf drivers. You can even tuck away cables inside the pillar for a clean appearance (shown here with Edifier speakers, some of our favorite affordable powered turntable speakers). Includes rubber feet and carpet spikes for hardwood or carpeted floors.
Being a universal model, the height is fixed at 28”. There are also no fasteners for the speakers themselves, which could be a downside if you plan to place your speakers in a room with a lot of activity. However, the price is excellent for the quality. The company also makes a small satellite speaker stand we can recommend, shown here with the rear speaker from the excellent Samsung HW-Q990C Dolby Atmos system:
What to consider when choosing the best speaker stands
You should consider many factors when choosing the best speaker stands for you. Below are the ones we considered most important when compiling this guide:
Speaker type
When choosing the best speaker stands, you’ll first want to consider what kinds of speakers you’ll be mounting, as weight and size could be determining factors. Large bookshelf speakers will require very different stands than satellite speakers because of their differences in weight, for example.
Speaker placement
Where you plan to place the stands will affect the outcome as well. You’ll ideally be placing your speakers about a foot away from the wall, so you’ll want to consider the width of the stand’s base and your molding—if applicable.
Speaker size
The height at which you plan to mount the speakers is also important. Many so-called universal speaker stands, have a fixed height, so you’ll have to continue getting speakers roughly the same size to continue using them.
FAQs
Q: Do speakers sound better on stands?
The short answer is yes. Stands help reduce vibrations and distortions in sound, leading to tighter lows, clearer mids and highs, and a wider soundstage. The difference can range from subtle to dramatic, depending on the material used.
Q: What is the best material for speaker stands?
Most stands are made from either metal or wood. Both will reduce vibrations to varying degrees, but more than just the material, it’s the construction and design that will make the most difference. As for durability, a metal, like steel, will last longer than wood but will also be more expensive. Some manufacturers will recommend stand material for their speakers. Be sure to check the maker’s site before committing to a purchase.
Q: What is the best height for speaker stands?
The best height for speaker stands depends on your listening position. Ideally, the tweeter of the speaker should be level with your ears. This will create an ideal listening experience. This usually translates to 24-28 inches, but be sure to measure to determine your ideal situation.
Q: Do speaker stands reduce bass?
Speaker stands, when designed correctly, will improve bass by reducing unwanted vibrations, giving you a frequency response that is tighter and more defined. The result will be decidedly less boomy and truer to the original intentions of the musician and producer.
Final thoughts on shopping for the best speaker stands
- Best overall: Pangea Audio DS200
- Best floor: Echogear Premium Universal Floor Speaker Stands
- Best desktop: IsoAcoustics Iso-Stand Series Speaker Isolation Stands
- Best satellite: Sanus Adjustable Height Speaker Stand
- Best budget: Perlesmith Universal Floor Speaker Stands
Finding the best speaker stands for your listening environment can significantly improve your enjoyment of music. By reducing vibration and distortion, you’ll be gifted with a cleaner, clearer soundstage and tighter lows, mids, and highs. When you take height into account, you’ll also be projecting the audio directly toward your ears, ensuring that you’re sitting in the so-called sweet spot. You’ve already invested in a good set of speakers and high-quality audio equipment. It would be a shame to hobble the whole shebang with a subpar support system.
Why trust us
Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.
Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.
