9 Best Desktop Speaker Stands for Your Desk

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The best desktop speaker stands for your studio monitors, computer speakers or bookshelf speakers.


MAKE LIFE CLICK
Best Desktop Speaker Stands
2024

Whether you want to get a little elevation for your speakers, make a little room on your desk or get a little tilt or angle to a pair of monitors a good set of desktop speaker stands can make a bigger difference than you might expect.

Editor’s Pick
“On-Stage

Not the best looking but certainly the most flexible option for serious lovers of desktop audio bliss. The ability to control height and have speakers standing vertical or lying horizontally is a real bonus for larger speakers.

For smaller speakers the Audioengine DS1 or DS2 desktop speaker stands would be a good pick.

On one hand, having dedicated stands creates a space reserved only for speakers. If they are elevated stands to reach a better listening height and you can also utilise the space under the stands for desktop amps or other accessories – maybe something as simple as a desktop organiser.

On the other hand, they can improve the listening experience by positioning the speaker direction correctly or at least at the correct height for better sound.

So – lots of reasons to consider getting your desktop speakers a little boost.

Desktop with computer and speaker stand
Sometimes a little lift and tilt can do the world of goodness.

We’ve reviewed the best speaker stands we can find and believe there is one for every need. Those needs are most often:

  1. Audio monitor speaker stands for audio recording, mixing or video editing
  2. Computer speakers that can be improved by reducing desktop resonance and create some angle for better listening
  3. Bookshelf speakers, depending on the size of your desk, can really benefit from some isolation and height for the best listening results.

One of the earliest sets of desktop speakers we purchased was the M-Audio AV 40 (current model the M-Audio AV42) which we placed on foam core bases. This was never enough for mixing and monitoring so a set of angled stands would have been ideal.

Also Read: Best Headphone Stand for your Desk

For the money, still a great desktop speaker. Probably not for serious audio editing but an amazing office desktop speaker for giving your computer audio a huge boost.

Why do you need desktop speaker stands?

If you’re like most people you’ve put your speakers on your desk and you sit within about 1 meter from them. The problems with this are multiple:

  1. You’re missing the high frequencies from the speakers. High-end frequencies are very directional so if your speakers are not aimed at your head then your missing the full range of your speakers
  2. You’re probably losing some resonance into your desk – separating them from your desk surface is a good idea for best audio
  3. You’re shooting a lot of the sound straight past your, or like the above point, you’re pointing the good bits in the wrong direction

A good set of desktop speaker stands will improve the sound, placement and positioning. We’re not trying to emulate a floor standing height like the Q Acoustic Concept 40’s as these are designed to sit on your desk, not sit next to your desk.

Desktop Speaker stand comparison chart

Speaker StandDimensionsMax weight.Multi ColorsPrice
1. Audioengine DS2 Desktop Speaker Stands5″ x 7.75″N/ANo$
2. Kanto S2 Desktop Speaker Stands3.9” by 5.3″6 lbsYes$
3.Sound Addicted - Studio Monitor Isolation Pads 7.5″ x 11″ x 1.6″22 lbsNo$
4. Stageek Aluminum Desktop Speaker Stands5.12″ x 4.72″ x 6.3″15 lbsNo$$
5. Kanto SP9 Desktop Speaker Stands4.3″ x 7.1″30 lbsYes$$
6. On-Stage SMS4500-P Desktop Monitor Stands9″ x 12″45 lbsNo$$
7. IsoAcoustics ISO-L8R155 Desktop Speaker Stands 6.1″ x 7.5″40 lbsNo$$$
8. Rockville Bookshelf Desktop Speaker Stands - RHT8G9.25″ x 7.28″66 lbsYes$$
9. Fluid Audio DS5 Desktop Speaker Stand7.48″ x 6.06″ x 4.64″22 lbsNo$$
Make your desk speakers and monitors sound the best

Here are the best desktop speaker stands on our list.

We’ve included some studio monitor stands also.

1: Audioengine DS2 Desktop Speaker Stands

“Audioengine

We first started selling audioengine products when the D1 24 bit DAC was released. We love their products and their speakers are punchy little numbers. They’ve been making good audio and audio accessories since about 2005.

It makes sense that their A5+ and A2+ wireless speakers need a home on your desk. It’s a bit disappointing having them aiming at your tummy so audio engine created the “DS1” and “DS2” desktop speaker stands. Both sell as a pair and match well with their range or any bookshelf speakers you might want to place on them.

The tilt and angle on these stands is 15° degrees. For bookshelf speakers with a good-sized driver, this should be sufficient – it’s mostly about where the tweeter is facing.

If you don’t have a tweeter on your speakers, then you need to angle them all the more as your single driver is doing all the work and having it firing towards your ears is all the more important.

Why we chose the Audioengine DS2 Desktop Speaker Stands?

We’ve always felt they produce great quality products. In all the years we sold their DAC Amps etc we didn’t have a problem with them. The B2 wireless system was a great seller (but doesn’t need these stands).

The dampening on these is great and it absorbs a lot of vibration that gets in the way of clear, solid sound. Made from slightly flexible silicon they have some flex. If you look after them there is no reason they won’t last for a long life of use.

The footprint is not too big and you can have speakers hanging over the side as needed based on the size of the speakers you have.

Pros

  • Great brand – good quality
  • Affordable price
  • Good sound isolation
  • Big and small sizes available
  • 3-year warranty (transferable)

Cons

  • Price might seem high for moulded silicon but you’ll be happy with the sound results.
  • They have a physical presence i.e you can see them unlike some other minimalist designs.

Summary: The audioengine DS1 and DS2 are our top pick because of the sound improvements we notice when using them. The angle is good, the resonance it tight so they get our top pick vote. While the design isn’t as ‘minimalist’ as we would like it’s sound first in our books.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Audioengine DS2 Desktop Speaker Stands


2: Kanto S2 Desktop Speaker Stands

“Kanto

The Kanto S2 are designed for small speakers. Measuring 3.9″ wide and 5.3″ long.

They certainly enter this list in part because the angle is good for better audio but also as they look good. The Kanto S2 come in 6 colour options with quite a minimalist footprint.

The tilt on the Kanto S2 is about 16° degrees.

They can handle a speaker weight up to 6lbs (2.7kg)

Why we chose the Kanto S2 Desktop Speaker Stands?

We appreciate that some people really want variety so the colours help get these in the list.

While the reduction in resonance and not super strong these are not really for use with larger desktop speakers so it’s OK. They do have foam isolation pads on the bottom to reduce any vibration.

At first look these look a little weak and plastic in feel but they are a solid aluminum painted to offer the full range of colours.

Pros

  • Slim look
  • Multiple colours available
  • Strong aluminum build
  • Foam base to reduce vibration

Cons

  • Less resonance reduction to the audioengine DS2 even with foam base.
  • Would be nice to have an adjustable height as the design seems to lean towards this

Summary: The Kanto S2 look good, have a nice tilt angle and don’t look like a small elephant on your desk. If you like a minimalist look then these will be for you.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Kanto S2 Desktop Speaker Stands


3: Sound Addicted – Studio Monitor Isolation Pads

“Sound

The Studio Monitor Isolation Pads from Sound Addicted are both isolation pads but also offer a range of angling options based on their intelligent design. They have a wedge cut so you can either leave them as a flat base or angle them using the cut of the foam.

Designed to handle most desktop speakers or studio monitors up to about a 5″ size.

The size is 7.5” x 11” x 1.6” inch (W x D x H) so you can measure your speakers and decide how they’ll fit.

From the pictures, you might think these are a little weak and might change shape with too much weight. They can handle a speaker weight of around 22lbs (10kg) before they start to alter the shape of the foam. That’s quite a significant weight for a small speaker.

Why we chose the Sound Addicted – Studio Monitor Isolation Pads?

It’s always sound first with us as we’ve mentioned. The reason we chose these is we know the benefits they have when it comes to isolating the sound from its base surface – with studio and desktop speakers.

The price is also pretty awesome and they will fit perfectly for most 5″ studio monitors.

You can also place these on top of other desktop speaker stands if your existing stands don’t offer enough isolation. If you are mixing and monitoring at a high level or if you are working from home and don’t want the sound from your speakers resonating through the house at night, or ever, these are good.

Decoupling the sound from your speakers and desk will result in audio happiness for you. It sounds weird to recommend a couple of slabs of foam but there is some science here.

Pros

  • Price is great – whether you use them on their own or pair them with other speaker stands.
  • 5 tilt options from the creative way they have laser cut the foam core.
  • Handles heavy but small monitors and speakers
  • Multiple options are available from Sound Addicted if you have smaller or larger speakers.
  • Foam is firm – feels like quality for money.

Cons

  • It’s a good looking slab of foam, but it is a slab of foam.

Summary: Sound Addicted – Studio Monitor Isolation Pads are designed to focus on isolation first and stand second. Smart design with flexible angling options and the price alone is worth a go. Perfect for home office where you don’t want the sound traveling through your house or for the serious studio mixing room where a reduction in resonance is key.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Sound Addicted - Studio Monitor Isolation Pads 


4: Stageek Aluminum Desktop Speaker Stands

“Stageek

The Stageek Desktop Speaker Stands will give you a little lift. Rather than tilting the speakers up to your ears, they start closer to ear level and also have a little tilt to them.

The images might give you the impression these are a little larger than you might think. They are still only 5.12″ wide x 4.72″ high and 6.3″ deep. Measure that out on your mixing desk or home desk and see how they fit.

They can handle speakers up to about 15lbs (6.8kg) each, which should be plenty for your desktop speakers or monitors.

Why we chose the Stageek Metal Desktop Speaker Stands?

Depending on the size of your desk it can be really nice having a little elevation on your speaker stands. I’ve found studio monitors or bookshelf speaker stands do well being slightly elevated from the desk and it does get the speakers closer to your ear.

The price is higher than others on this list but these are a more intensive design and the height means more materials are needed. Being made from Aluminum gives them a good, strong metal feel to them.

This is the first set of desktop speaker stands that leaves you space underneath. This maximises your desktop space. This is ideal for smaller desks where you need to make the most of every ounce of space.

The tilt on these is 5° degrees.

These look good, have a nice stopper at the back of the unit to stop speakers sliding down.

The Stageek Desktop Speaker stands also have 4 silicon feet on the bottom of each stand and 4 spares (especially for use with bigger speakers). We’re big fans of separated speaker feet.

Good quality floorstanding speakers and floor bookshelf speaker stands will most often have 4 spikes. The benefit of this is you don’t deliver the whole range of resonance through the stand base, rather you isolate it from the desk and avoid as much transference as possible; avoiding your desk from becoming a contributor to the sound and often muddying the output.

Pros

  • Good elevation and 5-degree tilt angle good for most listening positions
  • Solid aluminum construction
  • Space for other things under them – clears more desk space
  • 4 separate silicon feet good for better isolation
  • Nice minimalist look

Cons

  • Price is higher than some but there are reasons for that
  • Good up to about 4″ reference speaker size, wouldn’t put much more on it.

Summary: For elevated desktop speaker stands the Stageek look and feel great. Nice design, good isolation and the option to have things under the stands can make a difference to desk space – or leave it clear for a cleaner look. Just make sure you measure your speakers so you know they will fit.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Stageek Metal Desktop Speaker Stands


5: Kanto SP9 Desktop Speaker Stands

“Kanto

The Kanto SP9 are another good choice for elevated desktop stands with a very different look to the Stageek stands. The key difference is the height with the Kanto SP9 speaker stands being 9″ tall (these also come in a 6″ model) This is a lot higher than the 5″ previously mentioned.

The speaker weight-bearing max is 30 lb (13.6 kg) which is a decent size.

Visually, these take a lot more of the view on your desk. They are not large but the base has more structure to it.

Why we chose the Kanto SP9 Desktop Speaker Stands?

Height is one of the main reasons this desktop speaker stand pair makes the list. At 9″ you’re even closer to a potential sweet spot. Measure this on your desktop to see how this matches your ear.

These are designed for smaller speakers but come with 2 separate tops and each has a mounting hole. While these could technically be knocked over given the right force they are a good solid stand.

The 2 included mounting tops come in 3.1″ x 4.7″ and 4.3″ x 7.1″ sizes which gives you options. The ability to mount the speakers used the mounting option on the base is a nice touch and reduces movement.

One of the things we like most is the limited swivel on the top base plate. This means you can have the speakers facing forwards but tilt the top plate a little to improve the listening direction of the speaker. This is similar a what we in the Hi-Fi world call ‘toeing in” for better listening.

These are also the best choice for monitor speaker stands in our opinion.

Pros

  • 2 different colours available
  • Ability to angle or ‘toe-in’ the speakers towards you
  • 2 included speaker plates for different sized speakers
  • Ability to mount speakers to the base plates
  • 9″ a good listening height.
  • Good foam padding on speaker plate and stand base.
  • Speaker cable management – run cables through the inside of the unit. Hiding cables is a big deal for a good look.

Cons

  • Measure them as anything too big might be prone to be knocked over. These stands are not wobbly, but they could be knocked over with the right accidental force. The ability to mount them to the base plates reduces this risk.

Summary: The height of these is really good. The look is bigger on your desk which is a personal thing. The risk of knocking them over is a thing, they are not wobbly at all but it’s important you trust where you put them. If you don’t have kids who throw stuffies across the room and have them out of range of your coffee cup this shouldn’t matter.

Good sound separation, the ability to angle the tops, speaker cable management and good height make these a great pick. We just wish the stand pole was thinner.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Kanto SP9 Desktop Speaker Stands

6: On-Stage SMS4500-P Desktop Monitor Stands

“On-Stage

The On-Stage SMS4500-P Monitor Stands might not immediately fit the aesthetics bill but they certainly fit the flexibility one. These studio monitor stands include the option to increase and decrease the height as well as controlling the amount of tilt.

The top base plate is 9″ deep and 12″ wide. It can be rotated from front to back for upright speaker use or turned 90 degrees for horizontal monitor and speaker use. It is an EVA top for a softer stand.

The angle is adjustable from 0 – 15 degrees.

The height is also adjustable with a pin-based centre column. This can give you a range from 9″ – 12.5″ (22.9cm – 31.75cm) in height.

The weight support is desktop and monitor speakers up to 45 lbs (20kg).

The base has 4 rubber feet which as you’ll know from the previous speaker stands on this list is something we like. The least contact with the desk the better in our opinions. For maximum separation there is no reason you couldn’t use these AND the “Sound

Why we chose the On-Stage Desktop Monitor Stands?

The top plate is a great size, the height-adjustable options are excellent and the ability to adjust the tilt angle means these are one of the best studio monitor stands.

If you need flexibility in your studio or workspace these give it to you in spades with solid build quality.

We know there are a lot of people who use studio monitors for normal desktop office use so options are important here, that’s why we chose these for the list.

We didn’t choose these for the look – they have a real industrial look to them but sometimes that really doesn’t matter as function and sound quality support are much more important. Let’s be honest – looks are a subjective thing so it’s not for us to tell you what looks good on your tabletop.

Pros

  • Adjustable tilt
  • Adjustable height
  • 4 pad base
  • Good top base size and support
  • Option of a vertical or horizontal speaker or studio monitor placement

Cons

  • Looks are more industrial – if that matter to you
  • More expensive but with all the features we can see why

Summary: All the adjustable options and a high speaker weight support make these a great choice as studio monitor stands or desktop speaker stands. They will give you flexibility in to the future as your needs might change over time and your space might alter as different layouts are needed.

The option to lay your monitors on their sides is something we like in a tabletop stand as you can get the tweeters at a really nice angle.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
On-Stage SMS4500-P Desktop Monitor Stands

7: IsoAcoustics ISO155 Desktop Speaker Stands

“IsoAcoustics

IsoAcoutics have a few desktop speaker stands in different sizes – this specific model is the medium one but you can see others on the product page – link follows later. This is the latest model – the previous model was the  ISO-L8R or “L8R155”
.

Immediately you can see these are different just by looking at them. If you’ve ever seen a new structure built to withstand earthquakes – these bookshelf speaker desk stands are designed with a similar structure. They offer absorption of movement and sound. Both of these things are good, firstly to improve sound and secondly to reduce sound transfer to your desk.

If you’re wondering if your speakers fit you can use the IsoAcoustics website speaker stand finder.

These come with 8 lengths to make a high stand and 8 lengths to make a shorter stand. The pole ends or plugs offer slightly different heights – these you combine for the angle and height variations.

The size of these is 6.1” (155mm) wide x 7.5” (190mm) deep.

Tilt can go up to 6.5 degrees.

The weight of a studio monitor or speaker they can hold is up to 40lbs (18kg). More than you need for speakers you would put on these.

Why we chose the IsoAcoustics Desktop Speaker Stands?

We definitely like the minimalist look to these and the ability to change the height depending on your desktop configuration.

You can put a few things on these stands in the space below the top stand when you are using the long poles which is good.

While the price its quite high, there is a lot of flexibility in the design. Using the different pole sizes you can form up to 14 different combinations of height and tilt.

Pros

  • Two height options with multiple tilt options
  • Small, medium and large models available (sold separately)
  • Cool aesthetic
  • Patent-pending design
  • Really smart sound isolation and separation for better sound

Cons

  • Feel somewhat insecure using the long poles for the top height with monitors. Not wobbly but wouldn’t want them anywhere that has high traffic
  • Expensive

Summary: All the adjustable options and a high speaker weight support make these a great choice as studio monitor stands or desktop speaker stands. They will give you flexibility in to the future as your needs might change over time and your space might alter as different layouts are needed.

The option to lay your monitors on their sides is something we like in a tabletop stand as you can get the tweeters at a really nice angle.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
IsoAcoustics ISO155 Desktop Speaker Stands

8: Rockville Bookshelf Desktop Speaker Stands – RHT8G

“Rockville

These made the list for a couple of reasons, the first is that they come in different colour combinations and the second is because they just seem like the most tradition speaker stand you could go for. A standard wood tower on your desk that has an impressive weight capacity.

Their weight capabilities are up to 66 lbs (30kgs) which is a solid weight.

These stands are 8″ high. The base plate size is 11.8″ x 9″. The top speaker platform size is a little smaller than the base at 9.25″ x 7.28″

They offer non-slip pads but this may not offer the perfect balance of sound isolation.

Why we chose the Rockville Desktop Speaker Stands?

A well built, solid wood stand that offers you a flexible size and well-made finish. If your studio monitors or speakers are getting up around the 8″ driver size these are a great match – think something like the Yamaha HS8s or B&W 606.

Pros

  • The good weight-bearing load limit
  • Different colour combinations
  • Good initial height depending on your desk or tabletop

Cons

  • Sound isolation not as good as others on this list.
  • Chunky
  • No height or tilt options

Summary: Some suggest putting sand in these bases because it makes them even more isolated and solid. Your call. If you have larger or heavier speakers and monitors then these will suit well – especially around the 8″ size. Solid build. They might take a little more room up on the desk but if you want an old faithful design – this is it.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Rockville Bookshelf Desktop Speaker Stands - RHT8G

9: Fluid Audio DS5 Desktop Speaker Stand

“Fluid

The Fluid audio DS5 desktop monitor stands can handle any typical 4-5″ studio monitor. Like the IsoAcoustics they help absorb sound quite well which is very important for a desktop monitor stand if you’re recording or simply want the best sound.

You can have two heights on these. The first being 2.5″ and the other is 5″. In our opinion this is really all most engineers will need as you can also adjust the tilt to either 0, 3 or 6 degrees to get the best angle for audio monitoring or audiophile listening.

Made from polypropylene with some MDF cut board, these are plastic and don’t have the same quality finish as more expensive comparisons but, for the price are worth a mention.

They can handle up to 22 lbs (10kgs).

Why we chose the Fluid Audio DS5 Desktop Speaker Stand?

Looking at them with speaker on you might feel a little uncertain of stability. They might remind you of that drunk friend who said he could do tricks on a bar stool before toppling down and needing to go to hospital for stitches.

In truth we really like the 2 height options and the sound absorption properties.

Price was an important part of these making the list. Considerably cheaper than some of the other options on this list. If you can’t afford those then these make good buying.

They will handle most all monitors in the under 5″ driver range which would include the KRK Rokit 6, JBL 305. Yamaha HS5 etc.

Pros

  • Nice form factor and height
  • Multiple tilt options
  • The look fits with many studio monitors
  • Price is nice

Cons

  • OK build quality
  • Not designed to withstand a lot of abuse

Summary: While others like the IsoAcoustics have a more premium feel and finish these come in at an affordable price and respectable sound isolation. Treat them well and they’ll do nicely.

VIEW THE PRICE

Read the latest reviews for the
Fluid Audio DS5 Desktop Speaker Stand

Desktop Speakers and Studio Monitors suitable for this list

Some of the monitors and speakers we believe would suit this list include (but is not limited to):

  • Edifier R2000DB
  • Yamaha HS8 – ideally the studio monitor stand options
  • Yamaha HS50
  • KRK Rokit 6
  • Yamaha HS7
  • Mackie HR624
  • Audioengine A2+ Desktop Speaker
  • Vanatoo Transparent One Encore
  • M-Audio AV40
  • Audioengine A5+ Speaker
  • B&W MM-1 
  •  PreSonus Eris E.4.5 
  • JBL 305P Mk II
  • KEF LSX
  • B&W 606
  • Audioengine HD6 Wireless Speakers

Be sure to check the table above for the right weight and height options for your speakers.

Conclusion

There is no doubt if you’re looking for a desktop speaker stand or studio monitor stand that can handle anything from 3″-8″ size. The stands on this list will offer at least one that will be perfect for your desk.

We’ve looked at:

  • weight options
  • height options
  • tilt options
  • design features
  • space saving stands
  • and more

Ask any questions you have below and we’ll help sort them out for you.

We really wanted to add a pair of desk clamp monitor speaker stands to this list but we couldn’t find any that we felt confident to recommend. So they are lacking from this list.

The best you could do if your desk is near a wall is to use a pair of something like the Mount-it! speaker mounts and attach them to the wall behind your desk.

If we had to choose just one desktop speaker stand we’d want something that held a 5″ speaker with a good ear height. For this reason, it would probably have to be the Onstage desktop monitor stands. They just offer so much flexibility and I can lay my monitors on their sides.

For a small desk, I would choose the Audioengine DS1 or DS2 desktop speaker stands as they have a small footprint and offer a good tilt and good sound isolation.

So, what are you waiting for? Give your speakers (and desk) some love while improving your audio quality.

Onstage besk desktop speaker stands
On-Stage SMS4500-P Desktop Monitor Stands
Built Quality
Flexibility
Looks
Features
4.6

Endless hours of experimentation, professional work, and personal investment in Home Theatre, Hi-Fi, Smart Home Automation and Headphones have come to this.

Former owner of Headphones Canada, a high-end headphone specialty retailer.

This post was last updated on 2024-03-13 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.


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