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Racks - what’s awesome without impacting my kids college plans?

My search showed the last significant rack discussion to be years ago.   I’m thinking 5 shelf, TT on top, upright style, without costing more then I spent on an amp...  I’m good with adding sand, even fabricating a granite shelf or two. Any suggestions?
dishman442
dorkwad
534 posts
 
What salectric says is probably true for most steel racks.  Just not the Sistrum from Star Sound.  Just had to add that.  I custom built a 2" thick wood shelf unit with threaded steel rods like Mapleshade sells, and the jump in performance getting a used Sistrum 4 shelf rack was quite amazing with zero drawbacks.  Adding the RTS couplers, also bought used, really quantified the improvement to a larger level.  It also made each component sit rock solid on the shelf where it sat on 3 points prior and you had to push buttons with a light tough so nothing slide on the points.  If you're interested in getting the best sound, you should read the testimonials on the Star Sound website.  Used, you may get the stuff for about 40% or even less of the list price.
duckworp's avatar
duckworp
256 posts
 
I am not sure where you are from but Quadraspire, a UK manufacturer, make great value stands which sound terrific.  

I'd also adding recommend buying a low price rack and spending some cash on some Townshend rack isolation corner feet.  They are amazing and make the simplest of racks sound fantastic. 
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,196 posts
 
I have an older model Solid Steel rack. Each shelve is on spikes and the stand is also spiked.
In addition, I have 4 Stillpoints Ultra SS under each component.

ozzy
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,393 posts
 

I have the old Solid Steel’s myself, ozzy, Model 48. All they are is nicely made, somewhat lightweight (in comparison with the bulkier Sound Anchor) tubular metal frames (sand fillable) with MDF shelves, each shelf supported on three aluminum "isolation" cones. I put isolation in quotes because cones and spikes, though touted as providing isolation (decoupling), actually don’t; they couple. Put a piece on cones and move the shelf under it---the piece moves with the shelf. The tighter the coupling, the less the isolation.

So you still need something between each component and the shelf it sits on. I have Townshend Audio Seismic Platforms (the original, air bladder version), and either the newer Townshend Seismic (spring) Pods (for my turntables), or Symposium Acoustics and Ingress Engineering roller bearings (for electronics). The combination of the roller bearings for lateral isolation and the air bearing for vertical provide pretty effective, relatively cheap isolation from floor-borne vibrations. Active isolation or the Minus K platforms are far better, but at over two grand a shelf, only for those with plentiful hi-fi funds.

larryi
3,714 posts
 
I have a turntable atop a 5 ft tall rack that sits on a carpeted suspended wood floor.  I do not have problems with footfall or feedback.  In order to make the tall rack stable and more rigid, I put a cleat on the wall and then used angle brackets to secure the top portion of the rack to the wall.  There is no shaking with this setup.  The rack is no longer made; it is a custom sized Zoethecus rack.
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