Ofil Stands, by Linnofil

[Linnofil]

As many of you have read already in a few other threads, I have made speaker stands for some forum members. See: http://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3163 Image from this thread:


I have in the past made speaker stands for several speakers (different brands) and tested lots of different designs and ideas. In fact, I started that about 30 years ago, for personal use and for friends and family. I do enjoy working with metal and have access to advanced welders, lathe and milling machine (both not so advanced!), band saws etc. So I can create physically most of the ideas that come up in my head.

The original idea for this particular project was to make a high performing stand for the JBL 3677 speaker, at first for Christian here on the forum. After a lot of testing of materials and design solutions, I have come up with a stand that perform at a level that I feel comfortable with to sell. The name, well the product has nothing to do with Linn, so I just cut that part away! The standard stand is now called Ofil Stands FMT x677.

I have sold a few pairs to forum members and even to one individual (with part Lejonklou system) that is not on the forum. The customers who have provided feedback have been very happy with them. I will let them provide their own feedback here if they feel like sharing their impressions of the stands and the performance benefits.

Here are some pictures from the prototypes:

This is with the standard top plate that turned out to sound the best.


This is one lightweight prototype top that I tested, not good...

These are from testing some different parts and different designs:






This is a prototype with a smaller footprint. Did not sound as good as the final design.

The stands are entirely hand made by me and are more like individual artwork, than mass produced factory made stuff. This might not appeal to all and I will let others describe the level of quality they feel when they get their stands. At the moment I'm selling these as a private individual, not a company. The volume is just to small for anything else.

[lejonklou]

Fantastic stands for 3677!

My pair shows a lot of attention to detail. They look great!

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to help by comparing two parts; I assembled and disassembled both stands four times, each time exchanging one part and tightening everything with a torque of 20 Nm, as instructed by Linnofil.

The two parts on test sounded very different - one being more bright and focusing on the attack of each note, the other more balanced and delicate - but I could not tell the parts apart by looking at them. I still don't know what the difference was but I concluded that one of them was more musical than the other.

My contribution to the final design (is it final yet, Linnofil? Or is it ever evolving?) was just one of many.

[Charlie1]

They look great in Christian's system Linnofil.

I am still very interested in the 3677s and your stands but must put them on hold for the time being due to personal reasons. Perhaps in the new year.

[matthias]

Excellent work, Linnofil.
I have two questions:
1.) How do the stands interface to the speakers? Do the upper spikes go directly into the wood or MDF or is there something in between?
2.) I am planning to buy the 3677s for Christmas this year. When do I have to order the stands to get them in due time?

Thanks

Matt

[christian]

I just like to add that it is almost hard to understand how much the stands contribute to the sound of the 3677 speaker. When we first installed it I was totally amazed and concluded: "I have never heard hifi like this in my entire life. I do believe that I have the best system in the world." As my stands where the first to be made I still believe I was right, until proven wrong. Now Lejonklou, Erik and Musiclover also has the stands to their 3677’s and they have betters sources than I do, so I guess one of their systems is the leader now. This is of course all said with a smile in my eye, but the 3677 with the Ofil stands just is something else. I hope many of you will get the opportunity to listen to a pair.

[Linnofil]

Excellent work, Linnofil.

Thanks!

1.) How do the stands interface to the speakers? Do the upper spikes go directly into the wood or MDF or is there something in between?

The spikes go directly Into the MDF of the speaker. In the center of the front and rear 25 mm MDF. For best result there should not be anything else there. The prototype stands in the pictures above are not representative when it comes to the spikes. They are mostly fitted with bolts and early prototype spikes for transportation and fitment tests.

2.) I am planning to buy the 3677s for Christmas this year. When do I have to order the stands to get them in due time?

Thank you Matthias for your interest in the stands. I actually have two pairs in stock now (both standard in medium gloss black powdercoat). Just let me know when you want a pair. Since making these stands are more of a hobby and not my main occupation, customer service and lead times can be slow at times. The safest bet is to order today! :) You know what the great JJ himself said:

Don't wait, don't wait
Don't wait for the good times to come
We got 'em right here, we're on the run
Don't wait, don't wait

I have tried to make them to the best of my ability. I think they are well made with a high quality in design and finish. Focus has been on musical performance, but I also think they look very good. All (TIG) welds, machining etc are made by hand. By nature they can't be 100% identical to the smallest detail. Function and performance is always 100%!

[Music Lover]

I have tried to make them to the best of my ability.

You have an extremely high level of "ability" imho !
Great looking and great sounding.

We should also add the 4645C stands (in the making) to the thread I think.
Well...I just did :)

[ThomasOK]

I am very much looking forward to my stands. I have heard the difference a really good stand can make in the past but I'm pretty sure I've never heard anything researched and refined to this level. From several comments I have heard from others it seems like a doubling of performance is not unusual! Considering how good the 3677s sound on my makeshift stands I expect them to be pretty amazing.

I should note that Linnofil made me a set of custom stands as I literally have no room in my setup for the small outriggers to the left and right of the stand. He came up with a variation that I understand should give basically the same level of performance but without the outriggers so the stands are flush with the sides of the speakers. I'm sure he could make these for others if desired, although the fact that they are custom will, as expected, add some cost to the stand.

My set are supposed to be delivered to the house today. As eager as I am to hear what they can do, it appears that I will likely have to wait another week. I am going to a cabin my sister owns on Lake Huron for the Labor Day weekend along with several other sisters and brothers and my mom - a yearly tradition. So I will be enjoying the beautiful lake and sunsets (plus a lot of good food) rather than my music.

As with Music Lover, I am also looking forward to the x645 subwoofer stand when it is finished. I just last night put my sub up on a couple of 3.5" x 3.5" blocks of wood to keep them stable and get them close to the ideal height. I still have to hook up another amp and my crossover so my system appears likely to be making two pretty substantial steps forward soon. The race is on for best Hi-Fi in the world! ;-) (I think right now Erik may be in the lead.)

[mrco99]

Congratulations Linnofil on your great stands!
They look like instant classics reminiscent of Kan mk1 and Sara stands.

Is the medium gloss finish a fixed choice or does that come in optional finishes?

Like Thomas I don't have much space in the music room, so what are the dimensions of the optimized stands?

Cheers,

Marco

[Linnofil]

Congratulations Linnofil on your great stands!
They look like instant classics

Thanks Marco!

Is the medium gloss finish a fixed choice or does that come in optional finishes?

The only thing I don't do myself is paint them. Powdercoat requires rather special facilities, so I have that made by a company that specialises in powdercoating. So I can order almost any color you like for an extra fee. I have not tune tested all colors!

Like Thomas I don't have much space in the music room, so what are the dimensions of the optimized stands?

65 cm wide and about 44 cm deep. They are not "optimized" in any other sense than how wide they are. They do require more work and more packaging, so they are more expensive to make and ship.

[matthias]

Linnofil,
get we your standard stand in a "finalized" version now or can we exspect somé changes in the future?
Thanks

Matt

[Linnofil]

can we exspect somé changes in the future?

No changes are planned right now. I don't have any 3677 speakers myself and have to test all developments at customers homes. That is a bit limiting and even if Christian (mostly) and Fredrik has helped me out, I need to leave them to enjoy their systems in peace for now.

I also have to work on the stand for the 4645C sub and that takes up all the time I can set aside for these projects. Music Lover will help me out when I start testing the sub stand.

[ThomasOK]

I received my custom Ofil stands last week and was finally able to set the second one up late last night. I was already tired (a few days of short sleep) when I started assembling the stand. Then I assembled it and put the speaker on it by myself, despite the instructions stating this was a bad idea. However I got it all together with no injury and decided to ply a track I had recently listened to ("Chain" from Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours") before going to bed. WOW!!! A drastic improvement. As Music Lover said, everything the speakers did was much better. Complex parts of the music effortlessly unravelled before my ears. I could easily follow any instrument I chose no matter how far back in the mix. And the tonality and texture of the instruments and vocals was unlike anything I have heard from a system before. Somehow that beginning track became the whole side. I was not a big Fleetwood Mac fan in this era but this was really good! As I desperately needed sleep I wisely decided not to turn the record over. Not so wisely I decided I needed to hear one other track by Loreena McKennitt. So I put on "Tango to Evora". Just wonderful - the quality of the bass, the vibrating strings of the violin, the tone of the tablas and then her wonderful voice. I didn't realize that she was THAT good a vocalist but it was mesmerizing. And, gee, I just listened to another whole side.

Now I didn't stay up all night listening to music as I really was dead beat and it was already 1AM, but it wasn't because I didn't want to. My system isn't even fully optimally set up as I have been doing turntable stand testing and the sub still isn't hooked up. But last night the stereo drew me in in a way that it hasn't done for at least a couple of years. It was one of those cases where it was so musical, so involving that you don't want to change a thing as you are afraid you might wreck it. Yet it will get even better with the turntable optimally placed and the sub dialed in. What an amazingly musical performance from a pair of speakers that look so unlikely to be capable of anything like what I am hearing. Thanks Linnofil. Just wonderful!

[matthias]

Linnofil,
after all the praise for your speaker stands, have you thought about making stands for LP12 and amps as well?

Matt

PS: Regarding the 3677 stands I will send you a PM after my holidays in Greece.

[Music Lover]

Regarding the 3677 stands I will send you a PM after my holidays in Greece.

It's really nice that many more forum friends migrating to JBL/Ofil stands.
You going to love the combination.
When is the sub arriving? Just a matter of time... ;)

[matthias]

It's really nice that many more forum friends migrating to JBL/Ofil stands.
You going to love the combination.

Without some trustworthy guys like Christian, Erik, Fredrik, Jajo, you and Thomas(in alphabetical order) I would never buy a speaker I did not listen to.

Matt

[Music Lover]

ok, let's hope it's not a conspiracy then :)

[matthias]

ok, let's hope it's not a conspiracy then :)

Yeah, The 3677 Conspiracy, it sounds good :-)

[ThomasOK]

ok, let's hope it's not a conspiracy then :)

Yeah, The 3677 Conspiracy, it sounds good :-)

"Nya-ah-ãhh!" An attempt to get everyone to buy speakers with light bulbs inside. ;-)

[hcl]

Apart from the size I think they look really cool on the stands. Can't wait to get to hear them. I fear though that even the thought of placing them in our living room could end up in my own decease.

[SaltyDog]

Joining the frenzy.

[u252agz]

Without some trustworthy guys like Christian, Erik, Fredrik, Jajo, you and Thomas(in alphabetical order) I would never buy a speaker I did not listen to.

Matt

No need to restrict yourself only to speakers. My policy is to avoid poorly installed systems at some dealers and impossible comparisons and stick to the forum - and not just the hard core members.

[matthias]

Without some trustworthy guys like Christian, Erik, Fredrik, Jajo, you and Thomas(in alphabetical order) I would never buy a speaker I did not listen to.
Matt

No need to restrict yourself only to speakers. My policy is to avoid poorly installed systems at some dealers and impossible comparisons and stick to the forum - and not just the hard core members.

Yes, but if the 3677 members are the hard core ones I trust them the most.

Matt

[matthias]

Sorry, double post.

[u252agz]

Without some trustworthy guys like Christian, Erik, Fredrik, Jajo, you and Thomas(in alphabetical order) I would never buy a speaker I did not listen to.
Matt

No need to restrict yourself only to speakers. My policy is to avoid poorly installed systems at some dealers and impossible comparisons and stick to the forum - and not just the hard core members.

Yes, but if the 3677 members are the hard core ones I trust them the most.

Matt

Difficult to argue with that.

'Hard Core' = Those who would sacrifice everything in the pursuit of musicality. Who show no mercy and give no quarter, straining every muscle and sinew until their last breath.