Karaoke Forums

I just upgraded to the 55 pound each Yamaha BR15 speakers.  My old speakers were light enough that I could set them on my collapsed speaker stand and then raise them up by hand.  No way with these new speakers, a situation that I did not think about before I purchased them.

But I figure any really good speakers are going to be heavy.

One person I know, sets his stand up without the speaker and then lays it on the floor.  After he sets the speaker on the pole, he gets a helper and they then "walk" the stand to an upright position.

But I need a way to do this solo.

One thing I tried and succeeded at, but it was VERY difficult, was to not extend the stand fully but just high enough to be near the top of my head.  I then picked up the speaker and stood on a small one step stool.  I had to set the speaker on the pole and then move it around until it dropped into place.  Not an easy task.

Any other ideas?  anyone else set up heavy speakers without an assistant?

Smoky

I too have this dillema. I frequently gig solo and have wharfedale powered speakers which are over 30kg each. I tend to bat my eyes shamelessly at anyone who looks strong enough and tall enough to help me.

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

One suggestion would be to get "crank up stands" - I guess you still have to get the speaker on and off the stand but at least it wouldn't be as high --Just crank it up once its on the stand so it is high enough over the crowd

what is the life expectancy of the crank and how hard would it be to use? I too didnt think of the ramifications of dealing with monster speakers solo. To be honest I am now in constant pain in my lower back and I have to acknowlege I made a mistake. But I now adore these speakers and the sound they put out. Since purchase I have increased my gigs four fold at least...so its gonna take a bit for me to change

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

One of my competors did that.  Then one night, the stand collapsed/broke, dropped the speaker, broke his foot, and no karaoke that night.

Find a HELPER!!!!! and lift the speakers on the stand.

Well the first thing I could suggest to help out is proper lifting technique.

Lifting a speaker from the floor:

Kneel down on one knee, lift the speaker from the floor to your knee. With one hand on the side, (preferably on a handle) and one hand underneath the speaker in the opposite side, stand up with the speaker using your legs and NOT your back. As you are standing up, using your upper body strength, with the momentum of standing up, raise the speaker to about head high and place it on the stand. Once on top of the stand, then you can shift it around till you get it in the mounting cup.


Second suggestion would be to get better speaker stands: Ultimate Telelock TS-90B or TS--99B Speaker stands.

Here's a link for the stands:
http://www.ultimatesupport.com/s.nl/it.A/id.901/.f?sc=14&category=28

With the patented locking collar on these stands makes getting your speakers to the desired height a breeze.

I have used the old style stands before I got these, and they were a pain in the butt to use: raising the speaker to the desired height, holding it with one hand while trying to tighten the locking screw down.

With the Telelocks, setting up/breaking down is a breeze, and has saved my back. I have used these stands for 8 years without any problems, they are gauranteed for life.

Sure these stands are more expensive, (you get what you pay for), saving your back and peace of mind.
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I also agree with twansene, get a helper if they are too heavy for one person to lift.

I tried that technique once on a terrazzo floor......never again.


Hope this helps.....

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Lito
"It's all about having FUN"

Speakers on stands, no bass.  Speakers on floor no treble.  Speakers midway up invites feedback.  Woofers on the floor, mid and treble on poles.  No backache, great sound, no feedback.  Just a thought.

Personally, I always thought speakers on stands was a stupid idea.

I use the Mackie 450's.  I also use crank stands.  I want the bottom of the speaker up about 6 foot.  This keeps from blowing out the folks up front and getting the sound to the back of the club.  Also using the 1501 sub so I don't have a problem losing bass or treble.  And no feed back problems.

Been using the same crank stands for about three years now.  "On Stage."  I have a bad back so they have been life savers.

Kelly

Kelly I am interested to know how the hell the crank mechanism doesnt die under pressure. Also how big will my biceps grow using it? I am 5'4"

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

 It's just plain mechanics.  It's not hard to crank up at all.

Kelly

Exactly...it is a gear mechanism, so whatever strength you are putting into it is multiplied 3-4X through the gear ratios to crank up the speakers. Same idea as a 10 speed bike

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I always use sub speakers.   So I stand up on the sub and lift the top on to the pole.    The old Twin 15" subs were too high to get on with out my 2 step ladder.  But that's how I do it.

I'd like to share a reason why that method can be deadly BD, If you must resort to this "raise the level of the floor technique" be EXTREMELY careful, DO NOT stand near a large glass window, and certainly have a spotter beneath you, and for God sakes DO NOT forget you aren't on the ground !  What you did BD,  I tried to do using a small stool in which I then stepped up onto the Hammond Organ bench.. I tried to improvise a raised standing foundation using the bench to raise me making the wall mount stand just a tad over waiste level,  or a height I thought was doable for me.  Until I ran into a problem.. Not with the bench however, That was very sturdy, ( just as most sub cabs would be).

I have a 75 lb 27 inch television that I was trying to raise onto a swivel wall mount that I mounted into a bedroom wall-stud around 5.5 feet up...  Just as standing on the sub might still make it tough to center the pole into the speaker mounting jack all by yourself, (and in the process of trying to center it and missing.. easily becoming distracted, not to mention losing balance and recollection that you aren't on the ground when distracted) the TV pedestal of this swivel wall mount with just about an inch to go kept pushing in a way that made it VERY tough for me to keep the TV balanced on it, positioning it alone while maintaining strength just wasn't doable......  For some strange reason, in the process of trying to do this arduous (not to mention frustrating) task alone,  I got a weak spell...  Just sudden fatigue... At that point I started to panic... TV went crashing fortuneately only to a nearby dresser that was somewhat higher,  I fell into the bedroom window.... and luckily only twisted my back and neck slightly and VERY temporarily....  A few more inches to the left,  both myself and the TV would've gone thru the glass window...

50+ lbs CAN in fact cause you to do some pretty absurd things assuming you get a cramp, tire suddenly, become distracted, or just forget YOU ARE NOT on the floor, even drop something heavy from a height....

I'd caution against that method for that reason,  One mistake can be deadly assuming you aren't VERY careful, strong, and steady... The bench ended up scratched (and this was a nice mahogany bench) TV back cracked (but it still works) Mirrored top to ebonized dresser shattered, and things on the dresser broke. BUT it could've been worse...  

Never again for me.... Maybe when we are really young strong assuming we are lucky a few times trying this method,  however the potential for nasty probs exists in time..  It's not safe to do this alone.

But also if a person must take such a risk MAKE certain the podium you stand on is well balanced, won't shift, and can handle ALOT of shifting weight... If the base goes, and you are up even a few feet, you can easily kill yourself via impaling your chest or head with a speaker pole on the way down with that weight in your arms, breaking your neck, back, and god only knows what else is near you during the failed attempt. and if you are lucky only an ankle leg or arm...

I thought this was a great idea too..  I'm LUCKY to only have done slight damage to items, and not extensive damage to me for trying to bite off more than I could swallow NOT getting others to help me with weight I thought I could easily handle.. The problem might not be so much the weight, however the awkward distribution of weight within a larger bulky item that's not as easy to comfortably grip. Often these items have large magnets, etc that aren't positioned in a way evening out the weight distribution.

I have the Fender Anvil cabs 15" 3-way.  Not very heavy, but weight of course is towards the front (about 60 lbs).  Can you imagine leaning towards a stand pole, thinking you have such a cabinet balanced, while standing on a platform such as a sub... thinking you have the cab positioned in or near the hole.. weight suddenly shifts towards the back of the cab while you are leaning towards the cab over the pole, you try to catch the cab as it falls back and the stand slips..... you end up impaled in the chest with a 1.75 inch stand....

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".