Need advice concerning audio cabinet shelves


I read many discussions  concerning isolation using various materials and tweaks. My cabinet is open on all sides and has 3 hardened glass shelves that are 20”x60”. On the top shelf is a TV, the middle shelf consists of a Dac, music server and a cable box. The bottom shelf has a DVD player, a tube integrated amp and a power conditioner. Under each component is a 1” hardwood cutting board with attached rubber footings plus DH cones between the components and the hardwood board. 
I’m wondering if the hardwood boards and DH cones are enough isolation from the glass shelves.
I’m considering placing a 20”x60”x1” hardwood shelf (possibly maple) on top of each glass shelf to replace the individual boards or replacing the glass shelves entirely with thicker maple shelves.
Any comments or recommendations would greatly be appreciated.
128x128ronrags
@tvad 

Your advice seems sound (pun intended).

I will call Chris and get a quote, thanks 
What would make sense is to follow quality advice instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

Sorbothane is real easy to over-do. If you are determined to do this then cut into circles or squares a couple inches across and space them out at least a foot or two apart so they create a small space. This leaves the glass and wood free to vibrate on their own, not together which is what you get with a sandwich lamination type approach.

If you like wood then you like wood, and you seem to be stuck on it. Which I can understand. I went through a whole long thing of guys saying how great this wood or that wood, or why the other wood isn't all that. Even went to the extent of buying great slabs of pine and oak and maple and whatnot and listening to the damn things. Anyone here came even close to my obsessive experience I sure haven't seen it, and I been looking a couple years now.

What I can say for sure, it is not that there aren't differences between the different wood species. There are. But those differences are swamped, utterly and completely overridden, by things like shape, dimensions, and construction methods. The vast majority of difference between woods is when they are whole planks, which they never are. The minute they are laminated this changes everything. Then the thickness, width, length and shape changes everything even more.

Think of a xylophone. Every single one of the "keys" is the same, only the shapes are different. What is "constrained layer damping"? Nothing but a fancy word for "laminated". 

This is a tiny glimpse into the knowledge base on which Nobsound springs and Townshend Pods are recommended. If instead of taking advantage of this you want to experiment with the same old same old: Oh well. 
 Millercarbon

I appreciate your opinion and advice but I decided to go with maple shelves. I agree with all that the glass shelves need to go. I was reading that glass also has reflective properties that might add unwanted sounds. I can always experiment with tweaks later.

I received a great deal from shop in Ohio. All 3 shelves will be cut to my specifications and all sides routed and sanded. I will apply my own finishing. 
Thanks again
My maple platforms are from Timbernation and are heavy. Maple doesn't impart any colouration to the music. The theory of draining vibration in your setup (and mine) is to use a hard substance (DH Cones) on top of the platform
with a soft compliable substance under the platform. This isolates the component and platform from the audio rack.


The negative reaction to glass shelving is overstated.  I speculate that it comes from hearing cheap racks with thin glass sheets.  Thick glass, at least 1/2 inch, makes for a fine rack material if used with rubber, cork or sorbothane isolation.  Is it as good as carbon fiber?  No, but it's as good as MDF or comparable thick maple.