This fall I decided I was sick of watching my favorite movies with audio stemming from the speakers built into my rather dated TV. For weeks I became obsessed with my search for the latest and greatest value in speakers, trying to find the ones that would best compliment my budding home theater. After finally deciding on Klipsch’s new RP-600M bookshelf speakers I realized that though I had ordered my speakers, they would be useless without somewhere to put them. Thus began about ten hours of research, culminating in my order for a pair of Monolith steel stands by Monoprice.
Unwrapping and Assembly
When my stands arrived two days later, each of them had to be assembled from six pieces plus hardware. The required hex key was provided, with a Phillip’s head screwdriver being the only other tool required. Each of the four support columns came protected in a sleeve of material which slipped off easily, while I used a box-knife to slit the cardboard wrapped parcel containing the top-plate and the base (be careful not to let the top plate fall out unexpectedly, it’s nestled into the base).
After taking care to avoid scratching the pieces together while screwing the four columns to the base I was ready to attach the top-plate. Unfortunately I still wanted to fill the stands with sand, which has to be done first. I did a test run of attaching the top plate to make sure it was straight and square before committing to the sand, as the bolts to adjust each of the four support columns were on the bottom of the base.
Sand-Based Stability
I decided to fill each stand to maximum capacity of about 20 pounds of sand even though I expected it to be a hassle, which it was. I highly recommend doing the sand pouring outside regardless of which stands you get, as I ended up having to take a leaf-blower to my deck after slowly filling each of the eight columns with play sand poured from a bucket.
Somewhere near a third of the sand I poured wound up on my deck due to the relatively small openings in the support columns. I would recommend using play sand because the finer particles are much more fluid than coarser all-purpose sand for pouring, and somewhat less likely to scratch the finish on your stands.
Overall it probably took me two hours total for unpacking and assembly of a pair of the Monolith stands, with about twenty minutes of that being the addition of the sand. However, I’m definitely pleased I went with sand-filled stands, as my RP-600M speakers are quite heavy. With the rubber feet (included with the speakers) securely settled at each corner of the large 6×8.5 inch top plate of the Monolith stands, these speakers aren’t going anywhere.
Sturdy and Significant
I will note here that the top-plate (6×8.5 inches) is significantly smaller than the base of each of my speakers(7.95 x 11.85 inches). The speakers are nonetheless very secure. Each stand weighs in at 35+ pounds fully filled, and with the additional 16 pounds of speaker perched atop it would take quite the impact to tip them. The area the stands are placed has a low-pile carpet, but I didn’t feel the need to make use of the carpet stakes. However, they’re supplied if you feel you need them. The friction generated by the rubber feet on the steel top-plate is enormous, to the extent that the stands would likely tip before the speaker would slide even a fraction of an inch.
Aesthetics and Analysis
In terms of looks, the finish of the Monolith stand is a fairly neutral color that blends in with most décor. The stand’s four column support is aesthetically pleasing, while the base is rather nondescript, drawing little attention to itself.
The Monolith by Monoprice is an excellent option for those searching for excellent value and the peace of mind that comes with a well-built speaker stand. As long as you can make it through the somewhat intensive assembly, this is a quality stand that will keep you smiling for years to come. If you need more help deciding which speaker stand to buy, read my full guide here. Links to all three Monolith stand heights can be found below.