Hifi Racks / supports ?????????????????

[Progmeister]

Huifi racks/supports/stands. What's the general opinion? I am torn as to whether or not a trip to Ikea is the order of the day or to buy a proper stand. I always remember the late great Tom Fletcher telling me what a load of bollocks it all was. I would be interested in hearing from the cognisenti. :?

 

[Vinyl Art]

I never knew Tom Fletcher, but he seems to of understood IKEA quite well.

 

[craigmclellan]

When we get our next big bit of furniture to house the hifi equipment, I'm going to only make sure the equipment fits and that it looks nice. I have a anice heavy duty "isolated" glass stand at the moment - you can still hear the dog's paws like he's hammering the floor when listening to a vinyl, meaning I had to buy a chopping board and some squash balls to isolate it.

Aesthetics first, then ensure it can take the weight. Expensive stands are not going to make it sound any different (unless it's made of water, then it will sound very different.)

 

[MJ.]

The only bit of kit where I have heard a noticeable difference to SQ on a 'proper' isolated hi-fi rack was my Techie 1210. Could well be different with real hi-end kit though.

IMHO, not the views of the management ......, no similarities implied or intended etc etc etc

 

[craigmclellan]

My text is the direct opinion of Ghandi.

Turntables will always benefit from a good sturdy base, unless they have one as part of their design I guess.

 

[JVS]

My text is the direct opinion of Ghandi.Turntables will always benefit from a good sturdy base, unless they have one as part of their design I guess.

TTs shouldn't be connected in any way to the floor - they should be on a sturdy shelf, mechanically fixed to the wall. :^

 

[The Strat]

Consensus view (if that is possible amongst a bunch of bickering old nerds with little else to concern them) seems to be that TTs and valve amps benefit from special isolation. For what it's worth my stuff is all on Quadraspire which seems pretty fit for purpose to me. Funnily enough Mrs Strat would like a whole set of Naim Fraim but unless she has conducted a listening test I'm unaware of it must be based on the aesthetics - I imagine.

 

[rdale]

I am torn as to whether or not a trip to Ikea is the order of the day or to buy a proper stand.

I think some IKEA furniture sounds better than their other stuff. Their kitchen tables are much better than their desks. I bought a Torsby kitchen table after going round tapping all the tables and desks I found, and it sounds very good as a desk with my B&W MM1s on it. I don't rate the Lack much or anything they do made out of low density chipboard much sound wise. A proper stand is best for something like a turntable though I would think.

 

[naxos10]

Hi Steve,

I had the exact same comments made to me by Tom especially about his turntables not being overly worried by what the were sighted on. Tom seemed to like solid furniture ie oak etc so i think if you look in the classifieds there are a few like that about.

I personally use 10mm glass shelves with wooden supports which are domestically acceptable!!!!!!!

 

[George 47]

Despite being a believer in cables and such I find stands made a difference for the TT and possible the SET. Less for the ARC amps and bugger all difference for the Krell. Just as good as weighs nearly 100lbs. It is currently sat on a good stand but only because of convenience.

 

[GJO]

I use one of these,E14 in maple finish,purchased 2nd hand a few years back,does it make any difference ? well domestic harmony has improved as Mrs O hated the original black one,so I guess the answers yes.

http://www.audioconsultants.co.uk/products/stands.html

 

[RSand]

I made my own out of solid oak, its pretty sturdy and bolted to the wall. It was more for aesthetics and not finding anything at IKEA that fit the space I had, cost me about the same as an IKEA unit but its solid oak not veneered cardboard filled hardboard.

TT is on a separate wall shelf though and Amp sounded better with soundcare super spikes under it. I tried sorbothane under the amp but it was unstable due to uneven weight distribution (transformers at back)

 

[scruffybitch]

In my limited experience

Digital stuff in particular benefits from isolation. I use an old target rack (fully welded, very sturdy, limited waff) with black granite shelves. I could hear the difference as soon as I put a low-mid market cd player on, more clarity, more speed, deeper bass. How does it work ? Dunno, dont want to know.

Conversely I hear no difference on where the vintage valve amps go, be it floor, coffee table, rack with chipboard or stone shelf.

I found a heavy weight / slab on top of the rack damped the whole rack, which doesnt do any harm. I get no problems with turntable on the top of this pile, which I now cant lift.

Interestingly (assuming those reading this are interested), glass shelving seems to improve speed and detail at the loss of bottom end, marble is better than glass, but it has to be fine-grained black granite for the full effect. Any rack etc will do.

I got my shelves made from offcuts from a stoneyard that makes a lot of fireplaces, one at a time as they made them, tried one first and was so pleased I went back for more.

I got the idea from a friend whod spent a years wages on a new high-end stereo, the effect of granite shelves with his was even more pronounced than mine.

With speakers, put a weight on top to damp them down, blu-tack them to the stands or floor if you can. It wont hurt, wont cost anything and may surprise wit the results.

Whats the betting that the next wammer thinks Ive written a load of old tosh ?

 

[vacdac]

Whats the betting that the next wammer thinks Ive written a load of old tosh ?

You seem to be confusing 'Think' with 'Know' :^

In my limited experienceDigital stuff in particular benefits from isolation. I use an old target rack (fully welded, very sturdy, limited waff) with black granite shelves. I could hear the difference as soon as I put a low-mid market cd player on, more clarity, more speed, deeper bass. How does it work ? Dunno, dont want to know.

Conversely I hear no difference on where the vintage valve amps go, be it floor, coffee table, rack with chipboard or stone shelf.

I found a heavy weight / slab on top of the rack damped the whole rack, which doesnt do any harm. I get no problems with turntable on the top of this pile, which I now cant lift.

Interestingly (assuming those reading this are interested), glass shelving seems to improve speed and detail at the loss of bottom end, marble is better than glass, but it has to be fine-grained black granite for the full effect. Any rack etc will do.

I got my shelves made from offcuts from a stoneyard that makes a lot of fireplaces, one at a time as they made them, tried one first and was so pleased I went back for more.

I got the idea from a friend whod spent a years wages on a new high-end stereo, the effect of granite shelves with his was even more pronounced than mine.

 

[craigmclellan]

Will definitely be getting a wall mount for my turntable when we decorate, then

 

[ob1]

If you think you can hear the different then Hush platform do improve the sound, not sure if Bob the builder can make a stand out of them, if you are feeling like splash out then Leading Edge rack is stunning in both preformance and visual.

If you don't borther with that side of thing then anything that look nice, to you, will do surely

 

[rabski]

Wall mount shelf for turntables is a given.

Tube stuff does benefit (often) from some isolation as tubes are microphonic, some seriously so.

Cd transports may well benefit. Other electronics? Sod-all benefit I would suggest.

Overall, the biggest improvement a pure rack will make is in looking really nice. As we have to look at the equipment when we're listening to music, I don't ever under-rate the aesthetic presentation. It's far more important than we give it credit for.

Despite the new lowly system, it all sits on a pair of Quadraspire cherry racks with black columns. It looks extremely presentable.

It may only be looks, but that contributes far more to the enjoyment of a system than many acknowledge.

Does it do anything sonically? Does it fuck. It stops things falling onto the floor.

 

[khfm865]

I have found isolation to have a significant impact on the performance of my gear. I would get a dedicated hifi rack personally.

 

[ob1]

I have found isolation to have a significant impact on the performance of my gear. I would get a dedicated hifi rack personally.

Isolation can be very good, Absorbtion is, simply, great ;-)