Can I Use a Small Table as a Speaker Stand?
This may be an unpopular opinion in the home theater world, but some people think speaker stands are ugly. Cue the hate comments, but it is true. We believe that anything that makes adding speakers to a room more palatable is a good thing. One way to do this is to integrate your speaker placement into existing or more aesthetically pleasing furniture. If a speaker stand isn’t to your liking, could you use a small table instead? With some careful planning…yes! Let’s discuss!
Why People Like Speaker Stands
There are two main reasons that people like speaker stands. The first is because they are built specifically to hold speakers. This means that they come in varying heights all designed to place the tweeter of your speakers at the correct level. The “correct” level (or height) is either ear-level (for your front speakers) or with a direct line of sight to your ears (surround speakers). The other reason they like speaker stands is because they are generally more stable and inert. You can place your speaker on them without worrying about the stand vibrating (and making noise). If they aren’t stable enough for you, speaker stands can often be filled with material to make them heavier and harder to push over.
Picking the Right Table
But you don’t want speaker stands…and that’s okay! When choosing a small table to use as a speaker stand, you are going to want to look for a couple of things:
Location
More than anything, it is important to locate your speakers in the correct place in your room. If you are looking to use a small table as a speaker stand, you should make sure you are doing it so that you can put the speaker where it should be.
Stability
When evaluating a table, make sure it is very stable. Put your hand on top and give it a push to either side. If the whole thing shakes, this isn’t what you want. Remember, your speaker vibrates to make noise. Even with damping material below the speaker (or below the feet of the table), you are risking the table swaying or shaking. While this is unlikely to affect the sound quality, it could make noise (the table squeaking) or vibrate the other things on the table.
Inert
Generally speaking, you don’t want a table that will add any noise to your room. Even if the speaker itself isn’t vibrating the table, the soundwaves in your room (from your speakers and subwoofers) can create rattles. Tables with glass tops or shelves, doors that don’t close all the way or securely, and other misaligned pieces can vibrate and make noise. You want a table that won’t add any noise to your room.
Height
Just like a speaker stand, any table you use should put your speaker at the correct height. Check out our speaker placement guides for more info.
Take Away
If speaker stands are aesthetically displeasing to you, using a small table is certainly a viable option. You’ll need to be a little careful with your choice but with a few quick tests, you can find something that will work for your home theater and your home aesthetic.
