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Redwiki - About racks, shelves...

Reading your Neuance thread peaked my interst with racks, shelves and footers and if you don't mind I would like your opinion on my setup. RACK> Lovan (lead-filled) triangle rack
with custom 1/2" glass shelves supported on hard rubber footers on rack. TOP SHELF> 3cm polished granite rests o (3) aluminum TipToes with rubber (on flat bottom) between cones & granite. Cone points sit into dimples of each rack post. Another 3cm granite shelf - with (5) Vibrapods between - sits on top of the first granite shelf. VAC TRIODE AMP> Rests on top of top shelf. Stock footers have been replaced with Vibrapods screwed into the amp, Vibrapods sit on B.D.R. "ThoseThings" bases (only). DDS.PRO TRANSPORT> Bright Star Audio Big Rock platform sits on glass shelf, another 1/2" glass base rest on the Big Rock with Vibrapods between. Transport rests on glass base w/stock footers. M.P.S. (power supply) / DAC> M.P.S. rests on 1/2" glass shelf with Vibrapod footers. Dac sits on M.P.S. with down-pointed B.D.R. cones between. 10 lb. lead bar rest on dac. PASSIVE LINE ATTENUATOR> Sits atop 150 lb. concrete Inoic column. Vibrapods between column & Bubinga 2" (hardwood) base. Down-pointed B.D.R. cones between wood & passive. VPI brick sits on top. SILVERLINE SONATINA SPEAKERS> Rests on 24x12x4"
polished granite platforms. Stock footers replaced by up-pointed Poly Crystal cones which sit on 3x3x1/2" Ebony. SHUNYATA HYDRA PLC> Rests on 15x13x6" polished granite with down-pointed B.D.R. cones. R. Crump suggested i dump the "kitty box" and replce w/Maple platform. The Neuance bases look intersting an alternative. While still evaluating the Hydra's contribution (burn-in process) - I'm looking for a more open, neutral sound with less additive devices to color the presentation., thus considering re-evaluating my set-up.
Whats ya think? Thanks in advance. Reference system: http://
cgi.AudioAsylum.com/systems/436.html.

mwalsdor
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,354 posts
 
Hi Rushton: I will let you what happens with Audio Advisor and Studio Tech in regard to replacing the defective parts. With equipment as heavy as yours though I would look for upturned spikes that do not use any type of horizontal support system (other than the side bars/supports themselves). As a last resort I will machine the posts myself, but will need the use of a drill press and a tap and die set.
gregm
3,395 posts
 
Thank you, Redkiwi. I assume Neuance is the current way to go. In cheapo mode however, other than corian (txs, again, kiwi) any experience with Maplewood or similar?

I am thinking of building a custom rack where each shelf will be individually suspended using plastic-covered metal wire -- two wires for each shelf. The rack: two rectangles connected via two metal boards welded on top and one (much wider) on the bottom. Spikes at the bottom.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Greg
redkiwi
1,092 posts
 
Gregm, I have tried the suspemded shelf idea and found it promising but eventually abandoned it. My main concern was that the wire used has a resonance like a guitar string and gets through to the shelf unless you do something to decouple it. Nylon coated wire was, in fact, the worst sounding that I tried (sorry). Solid nylon fishing wire of high strength is OK, and so is nylon rope. But their colorations were still quite evident. I even tried suspending the Neuance shelves but they definitely worked better sitting on top of point contacts. Therefore I conclude that the suspension idea would probably work best if you used a shelf like Corian or Perspex, where you decoupled the wire from the shelf by some form of rubber, polymer etc (which happens to be what the Arcici does using Navcom and Perspex), or with a more damped shelf like the Neuance if you found some way of ensuring the Neuance was suspended in a way that it sat on top of point contacts. I suspect there is merit in suspending racks rather than sitting them on steel racks, but that just as with a steel rack you cannot just let the shelf rest on the rack (ie. you need a soft pad or hard spike between them), then the same applies to not letting the shelf connect directly to the wire.
gregm
3,395 posts
 
Thank you, Redkiwi, for offering yr invaluable insight. I can easily get solid fishing wire and nylon. Assuming that the resonance frequency of the whole thing is the tricky part, the metal wire probably vibrates like an instrument string, making things worse. I ordered Corian shelves as per yr experience; I'll get a couple of Perspex 12mm, too.

And give it all a go... If anyone is interested in the experience, I'll be happy to report. BUT this will take time; if you wish, do mail me directly.

Regards
gregm
3,395 posts
 
Oh, yes: the components. All on the heavy side (12-25 kgs) each, one comp. per shelf. Power supplies (3) not on rack.
Sorry.
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