Do you think that using a stand such as these:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082804&p_id=3022&seq=1&format=2&style=

To hold the L/R fronts is going to affect acoustics versus using the more expensive "pillar" type stands? I ended up buying the monoprice stands because they were cheap, and now I'm beginning to wonder if they were the right choice (they haven't even arrived yet...)

if those stands work, then you probably dont have anything to worry about. The actual position of the speakers with respect to the room, the room itself, the location of the listening position with respect to the room,will all have a large effect on the acoustics.

I assume the speakers you have are of the small satelite type where they have a keyhole- type slot on the back? If you have normal sized bookshelf speakers, that stand you just bought might not even work...

They're part of a Onkyo HT-SR800 HTiB set - they do have keyhole slots on the back and are a bit taller and thinner than regular bookshelf sized speakers. If they don't work I suppose I won't have a choice but to get the pillar-style ones!

Do you think that using a stand such as these:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082804&p_id=3022&seq=1&format=2&style=

To hold the L/R fronts is going to affect acoustics versus using the more expensive "pillar" type stands?

If anything these "pole stands" are better because they're so small and thin. All room acoustic problems are caused by reflections, so things that are smaller will reflect less. However, in this case it won't matter much because the stands are not in the path of direct sound in the first place.

--Ethan

The problem with stands like that is their poor stability.

That's what I was worried about...that they would let the speaker box vibrate a lot and cause muddiness. I was thinking about getting the $50 24" omnimounts from circuit city. Would it be worth spending more on higher priced stands and could you recommend any?

Try the stands you ordered, see if you like them. If not, then you can move on to other things. And if you haven't treated your room yet, you probably want to be getting a bass trap or two, rather than new stands, with whatever money you have.

It is true that an enclosure that isn't massive may move if the stands are flimsy. This won't affect high-end clarity, but may affect mid range and whatever bass comes through those speakers.

If they don't work out I'd look at these http://www.wood-tech.com/

Reasonably priced and they look good. I've been using them for my Mirage bookshelf speakers.