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Skylan Meets Sound Anchor in Hoboken Showdown

Posted by SalD (A) on March 11, 2008 at 12:09:35

When I bought my Harbeth 7ES-3s, I had already done some reading about recommended stands and purchased the impressively heavy, steel Sound Anchors. I was very happy with them until I started seeing posts about the MDF-and-extruded-polymer Skylans. Metal stands ring, or so the buzz went, and Skylans don't. I figured they were worth a shot for the low price--a bit over US$200 compared to the $600-plus for the SAs--so I ordered them. When they finally arrived, I was still very happy with the SAs and the Skylans needed assembly and filling, which is a real chore, so I put them away unopened, figuring one day I might sell them.

Lately, though, there have been several posts about good stands for Harbeths, and nobody seemed to have both on hand, so I figured it would be fun to set them both up and let the Harbeths choose.

The speakers are set up in my home office (15x12x13) on the short wall, with only a heavy, decorative quilt hanging behind them. On the rear wall is a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall bookcase and desk. I'm pretty happy with the room's sound, although I'd like a little more space, naturally. I'm using my computer as a front end into a Wavelength Brick USB DAC, into a balanced BAT 3xi/VK200 combination, with CRL copper cables throughout and, of course, the Harbeths. The overall sound, to my ears, ranges from unusually clear and neutral to just a tick towards the brighter side, though without a trace of unwanted edge. The midrange is remarkably clean.

Once the Skylans were set up (very easy to do if you work at a table instead of on the floor) with their spikes properly adjusted and filled to the brim with the recommended audiophile kitty litter (Purina), I put them in exactly the same spots as my SAs, which, unfortunately, in this layout must be a meager 32 inches from the wall. Draw from that what you will. The differences were not subtle, but, as with all things audio, resulted from trade-offs. You didn't have to be an audiophile to hear that the bass extension was deeper with the Skylans. I won't get into the discs I use or this will turn into a full-blown review, but let it suffice that I gave the Harbeths a good workout. Not only did the bass seem a deeper, it also seemed a bit "rounder"--there may have been just a smidgen of fretboard buzzing missing, but the bass notes, especially on stand-up basses, were very, very pleasing. Deep stuff on the SAs is what you might expect from a "faster" woofer--tight'n'tuneful. I admit that taken by itself, I preferred the Skylan bass.

Unfortunately, you can take bass by itself only on a handful of solo recordings. On vocals, that additional dollop of depth began to express itself in the midrange. There was a "hooded" quality to vocals, as if the singer had a slight headcold. It was very apparent, not a strain to hear. Bells, vibes and cymbals were missing that dissolve-into-infinity sustain and decay that I've grown accustomed to (I'm a big vibes guy). I also found myself turning the volume up just a bit more with the Skylans; this is not a problem, of course (you just turn the knob), but it was interesting to me because my living room system lost some of its dynamics when I switched from a steel equipment rack to maple shelves. Putting the Harbeths back on their heavier supports was like opening the window on a hot day and catching a cool breeze.

I know metal stands supposed to "ring," which I take to mean "vibrate". Anything you put under a speaker will affect its sound because it will vibrate. The Skylans vibrated just as surely as the SAs do--very easy to feel. Maybe they didn't "ring", but whatever word you want to use to describe the sound of vibrating, kitty-litter-filled columns of extruded polymer, the Skylans were making it.

Yes, there were more lower fundamentals present with the Skylans than with the SAs, making basses and especially trombones sound "fuller." But the Harbeths' strength lies in its midrange; I don't want that area touched, and it's more lifelike with the SAs.

Of course, this was just fun for me, not a scientific experiment. I know room placement is a big factor, but to tell the truth, in this room, with this layout, I never had a choice where to put the SAs, either. Boom, right there. Live with it. In my room, with exactly the same placement for both stands, that's what I heard. I wouldn't be surprised if someone who had been using Skylans for a year tried the Sound Anchors and thought, "These are too bright and revealing--I'm switching back." But whatever you choose, my advice is to base your decision on something other than the old "metal stands ring" chestnut. It may be true, but it doesn't always matter.

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