The simple adjustment that will instantly improve the sound of your bookshelf speakers

For an audiophile, there are few experiences more disappointing than not getting the performance you expect from your equipment. You’ve spent a fortune on high-end equipment like the best wireless speakers, worried about proper installation and placement, only to be rewarded with muddy bass or a mediocre soundstage. But before you spend more money trying to fix this problem, you should try a modification that can make a huge difference in audio quality (and will cost you very little, especially compared to investing in new equipment).

Even high-end bookshelf speakers rely heavily on the surface they’re perched on. A major and often overlooked problem, even with cheap wireless speakers you can find on Amazon, is placing the speakers on a hollow surface. This space can create subtle vibrations that can have a significant impact, making bass sound bloated, instruments sound out of place, and the soundstage broken. Stocking your shelves can take a setup from mediocre to superb, and it can be done for a fraction of the cost of investing in new high-end speakers.

Removing empty spaces in the foundation your speakers sit on can instantly improve your listening experience, leading to clearer, more balanced vocals, tighter bass, and an immersive soundstage. Many speaker stands have hollow posts or a hollow base that can exaggerate (or create) defects in a recording. To solve this problem, you can simply fill all that empty space with a common material.

For the cheapest solution, you can simply choose sand or odorless cat litter. For a more sonically advanced solution, consider the Atacama Audio Atabites. Atabites are high density zinc plated metal pellets, specially designed to fill spaces such as empty speaker stands. They reduce vibration and resonance in the stand itself, which can help speakers run cleaner, and because they’re denser than sand, you get more mass in a smaller volume.

However, Atabites are significantly more expensive than the alternatives, so if cost is an issue, sand or litter should suffice. Whatever you choose, make sure you choose a material that is pH neutral, moisture-free, and will not absorb ambient humidity.

Of course, there are a number of other quick tips that can help you get the most out of your bookshelf speakers without splurging on new equipment, including knowing which speakers to avoid. For one, make sure your speakers have enough buffer between them and the walls, as boosting the boundaries can lead to exaggerated bass or muddy sound.

You should also consider the 83% rule, popularized by high-end audio expert Jim Smith. The idea is that the distance you sit from the midpoint between your speakers should equal 83 percent of the distance between the speakers, which Smith says contributes to a clear imaging and ideal soundstage. You should also “pinch” the speakers, tilting them toward the listener to improve stereo imaging, center focus, and treble clarity.

Finally, speaker height is an often overlooked element that can contribute to achieving an ideal soundstage. Since high frequencies are directional, aligning the tweeters with the height of the seated ear will help provide the most accurate sound.