View Full Version : Racks and Stands - yes or no?
I am currently decorating my 'listening room' and was thinking about getting a rack to put the kit on rather than using the solid oak media unit I have been using up to now.
Having had a look they seem to be quite expensive. Not necessarily a problem but I don't want to waste money and it is hard to demo racks so does anyone have any advice they can give? Do they make a big difference or is it rather subtle?
Thanks
I'm going with subtle, but if your floor is suspended then that's a game changer, they might make an enormous difference in isolation.
Turntables on shelves on the wall seems popular for isolation and resonance suppression, but my floor is concrete so there's no need and I have no opinion.
YMMV and so forth [emoji16]
Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
What Is the difference between an oak media unit and a purpose built rack?
I'd challenge anybody to hear a difference
I guess it will be done to isolating vibration although it is a heavy unit so you may well be right. It is a suspended floor so there will be some vibration
ianlenco
18-10-2018, 12:50
I've got a solid oak media unit and it can transmit vibrations both from the suspended floor and from equipment like the sky box on it. Racks are better in this sense but I've never found one I really like. There is a simple and cheap solution. I use Ikea bamboo chopping boards under equipment fitted with those little pads to protect floors from furniture. Even the turntable is immune from passing footfall :)
AJSki2fly
18-10-2018, 12:53
I am currently decorating my 'listening room' and was thinking about getting a rack to put the kit on rather than using the solid oak media unit I have been using up to now.
Having had a look they seem to be quite expensive. Not necessarily a problem but I don't want to waste money and it is hard to demo racks so does anyone have any advice they can give? Do they make a big difference or is it rather subtle?
Thanks
Rather than spending lots of dosh on stands, have a look at this https://www.stereophile.com/content/make-your-own-roller-bearing-isolation-system-1650-1, 10 13mm steel balls on ebay are about £3, it might give you ideas using your own stand and then isolating it or components on it. I recently spent £20 on 8 sorbothane semi-spheres on ebay, for my 2 mono block amps and this make a great difference.
You could then think about using the money saved to upgrade a piece of the system, just a thought.
Hmmmmm interesting. I would like to upgrade the Hugo so maybe that could be the way to go. Thanks
WESTLOWER
18-10-2018, 13:29
I am currently decorating my 'listening room' and was thinking about getting a rack to put the kit on rather than using the solid oak media unit I have been using up to now.
Having had a look they seem to be quite expensive. Not necessarily a problem but I don't want to waste money and it is hard to demo racks so does anyone have any advice they can give? Do they make a big difference or is it rather subtle?
Thanks
For me, yes, this product made an improvement
http://www.boxfurnitureco.com/double.html
I have found much more of an impact from using various decoupling and damping techniques rather than the ‘sound’ of the rack itself.
Haselsh1
18-10-2018, 13:56
I remember back in 1997 having a conversation with Tom Fletcher of Nottingham Analogue who told me not to waste lots of cash on fancy hi-fi tables but instead I should buy a big, solid pine coffee table. So I did and I still use it.
A dedicated will only make a difference to the sound of your turntable and if you have a suspended floor then the TT is better off on a wall shelf anyway. The performance of solid state devices is unaffected by vibration orders of magnitude greater than it will experience sat in domestic room. There's zero benefit to be had from any anti-vibration/isolating/ coupling treatment.
And as you have noticed the price of hi-fi racks is utterly ludicrous compared to the material value.
I'd love to see some evidence of vibration travelling through a floor and a piece of solid oak furniture to the extent it could effect sound quality.
Edit. Not including turntables
Being as this is a subjective forum, evidence is not needed, and everyone will have different experiences etc re this, just as they do with cables ...
A dedicated will only make a difference to the sound of your turntable and if you have a suspended floor then the TT is better off on a wall shelf anyway. The performance of solid state devices is unaffected by vibration orders of magnitude greater than it will experience sat in domestic room. There's zero benefit to be had from any anti-vibration/isolating/ coupling treatment.
And as you have noticed the price of hi-fi racks is utterly ludicrous compared to the material value.
You sure about that?
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/74462-microphonic-behaviour.html
https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/microphonic-solid-state.96736/
Thanks everyone. Really helpful
My Garrard 401 has a Loricraft plinth with squash balls on each corner so that might provide enough isolation sitting on top of a heavy piece of oak furniture.
Thanks everyone. Really helpful
My Garrard 401 has a Loricraft plinth with squash balls on each corner so that might provide enough isolation sitting on top of a heavy piece of oak furniture.
Easy test: put a record on and stamp near your furniture. If your speaker drivers pump then you would benefit from more isolation.
hard1175
18-10-2018, 16:24
Hi Steve
Have a look at http://www.customspeakerstands.co.uk
The guys name is Richard very helpful and friendly and very reasonably priced.
I had bought a Hifi racks equipment rack which he could have made for me at half the price.
He did make me a substantial pair of oak speaker stands again at half the price hifi racks were going to charge.
Bernie
You sure about that?
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/74462-microphonic-behaviour.html
https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/microphonic-solid-state.96736/
Pretty much. Here's a thread on the same forum where a bloke who does it for a living measures the effect of vibration:
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/microphony.174095/
Being as this is a subjective forum, evidence is not needed, and everyone will have different experiences etc re this, just as they do with cables ...
Fair enough, but I also said earlier in the thread that I'd challenge anybody to "hear" a difference between racks.
Fair enough, but I also said earlier in the thread that I'd challenge anybody to "hear" a difference between racks.
Ever tried a Mana rack? These effectively couple the floor into large tuned glass plates. When you tap a properly set up Mana rack level it should produce a clean “bongggg” when tapped. The rack sings with the music.
It sounds “live” and more forward, but also can be coarse, more ringy.
MikeMusic
29-10-2018, 11:54
My Linn/Naim system was installed in the 80s and a Sound Org table was brought along for me to hear.
LP12 on that noticeably better. Shame as I had a lovely unit I would rather have used !
Fast forward to 90s and a Mana rack brought in for LP12, Naim 32.5, HiCap and 135s.
Damian was happy to take it away if I did not hear a difference.
I did. It stayed.
Over the years I added Mana Reference Top and Sound bases. All improved the sound.
Most recently I played with kit supports and heard the effect of the Creaktiv rack.
Currently sitting on the best around I know of, Black Ravioli Mk3 and Creaktiv. Even makes a difference to have Electric Beach S1NX platform.
Do yourself a favour and look at racks but also check out kit supports.
RDC cones and the original Mk1 Black Ravioli are at nice prices on Ebay
Townshend wobbly speaker stands also make a big difference so decoupling seems to be the way to go
Spectral Morn
29-10-2018, 15:52
Racks do make a difference. I currently use clearlight audio Aspekt racks. At £550 they used to be a bargain, sadly at today's unjustifiable (in my view) prices they are no longer a bargain, though the cones and platforms are still a good buy.
Ever tried a Mana rack? These effectively couple the floor into large tuned glass plates..
It does what?
A rack/stand changes the acoustic properties of wood/stone?
Okay
It does what?
A rack/stand changes the acoustic properties of wood/stone?
Okay
Suspended wooden floors are highly excitable by speakers spiked into them, and the boom travels next door. If your rack is coupled (spikes or solid footers) then this will also travel through your rack. I’ve since decoupled my speakers and components to great effect, neighbours never complain anymore, more focus and deeper soundstage, more natural sound, less room boom.
I happen to own a vibration meter which sat on top of my speaker, at moderate volume, measures 1-1.3 mmi. Placed on the base of my sand filled stands measures 0.6-0.8. On my suspended floor it measures a big fat zero (unless I move)
I know objectiveness is frowned upon and my speakers aren't bass monsters but I'm afraid my previous opinion stands (no pun intended)
Hi Steve
Have you at any time put the stylus on the LP without the 401 rotating.
Give the cabinet top a rap with your knuckles and see what comes out the speakers.
When this is done, stamp your foot on the floor a few times listening for noise coming from the speakers.
This will let you know in a robust way, how your turntable is being interfered with by room vibrations.
How you allow your cabinet to sit on the flooring, and how you separate your turntable from the cabinet might be all you need to do, to get a noticable improvement.
I happen to own a vibration meter which sat on top of my speaker, at moderate volume, measures 1-1.3 mmi. Placed on the base of my sand filled stands measures 0.6-0.8. On my suspended floor it measures a big fat zero (unless I move)
I know objectiveness is frowned upon and my speakers aren't bass monsters but I'm afraid my previous opinion stands (no pun intended)
There are a fair few members of this forum who are objectivist leaning, myself included, I would say 80% objective 20% subjective. :P
Your system and room are obviously different to mine, but in my room my spiked speakers were producing resonances through the floor into the neighbours living room. They could only notice the deep bass, not any music.
I removed my spikes, replaced with large squishy hemispheres, and have had no problems since, I get on much better with my neighbours now.
A lot of HIFi discussions end up like this: you’ve just got to find out how things work in your own room.
There are a fair few members of this forum who are objectivist leaning, myself included, I would say 80% objective 20% subjective. :P
Your system and room are obviously different to mine, but in my room my spiked speakers were producing resonances through the floor into the neighbours living room. They could only notice the deep bass, not any music.
I removed my spikes, replaced with large squishy hemispheres, and have had no problems since, I get on much better with my neighbours now. :P
A lot of HIFi discussions end up like this: you’ve just got to find out how things work in your own room.
think you got your % the wrong way round:D
think you got your % the wrong way round:D
:D
It’s all relative, depending on which forum you’re on. On one side all competent DACs sound the same, on the other comparing ‘quantum’ fuses.
:D
It’s all relative, depending on which forum you’re on. On one side all competent DACs sound the same, on the other comparing ‘quantum’ fuses.
i'm an objective subjectivist ;)
i'm an objective subjectivist ;)
I would agree with that. :)
I don't believe anything.
I"m not even sure I'm real, we're all inside the matrix
I don't believe anything.
I"m not even sure I'm real, we're all inside the matrix
Objectively speaking the likelihood of that is actually quite high!
Objectively speaking the likelihood of that is actually quite high!
I believe it as much as I believe a fuse can effect sound quality:lol:
walpurgis
30-10-2018, 13:42
I believe it as much as I believe a fuse can effect sound quality:lol:
Did you mean an ordinary fuse............ or one with polished caps..... or gold or silver plated ones...... and would that be a directional one that has been demagnetised after cryo treatment? :)
I believe it as much as I believe a fuse can effect sound quality:lol:
No really. According to Elon Musk the chance of this not being The Matrix is a billion to one https://medium.com/@yazinakkawi/elon-musk-thinks-were-living-in-the-matrix-if-he-s-right-it-s-a-good-thing-6f5d3cb97334
Sadly the article doesn't explore his take on audiophile fuses.
Did you mean an ordinary fuse............ or one with polished caps..... or gold or silver plated ones...... and would that be a directional one that has been demagnetised after cryo treatment? :)
Nooo, the ones with unobtainium caps, unicorn hair filaments and cleaned with dragon semen, Russ Andrews sells them, only £25k for two.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2026 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.