Equipment racks - is the cost justifiable?

[antonio]

Couldn't agree more, but the link I showed was for a used stand at less than half price. Here's a nice sideboard, there are many to choose from and this was the first one that took my eye https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-M...4AAOSwmsdgHbfr
One could add individual isolation for each component, I would like to try these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...70be2e0ej2Cl9H
although they may not even be needed. Compare the price of my suggestions against the very popular HiFi Racks solution (which I also think look good) and would you really be able to tell the difference in sound quality?

[Pigmy Pony]

Somebody help me out here... surely racks/shelves will only affect airborne and footfall vibrations coming up through the components' feet, so what about when you have a full-range speaker beaming God-knows-what directly at the sides/fronts of your sources and amplification? I would have thought getting that stuff out of the "firing line" would yield the biggest benefits.

[struth]

Problem is usually the unit vibrating at a frequency. Stopping that usually does the trick. Sure you can go further but most just want to stop sympathetic resonance. Glass can cause this with mechanical things and transformers etc. I'm no expert but when I lifted the psu of my MF A1000 off glass it was surprisingly different. Obvious y I cd an only talk re my experiences.. That was one

[Pigmy Pony]

Interesting... so benefits will be heard even when listening through headphones... I have no intention of changing my glass-shelved Atacama rack, but perhaps then using some sort of isolation for specific components could be well worthwhile. not really considered it before. My amp is a fairly chunky MF jobbie - might be a good place to start

And does anyone have any thoughts on glass shelves with Technics SL1200- based decks, or is it a case of trying things and see what happens?

[Discopants]

Try some things Steve, blu tack or similar might be able to dampen glass which you may hear. Felt backed bamboo chopping board under your kit is touted about and if you don’t hear anything at least you have a chopping board.

Springs (some guys using auto springs to good effect) of the right stiffness for the weight of your kit, the more you can float of your system the better. Speakers benefit well decoupled , this sends less vibrations through your floor and can help your other components in the system


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[antonio]

I think Struth has nailed it there with 'vibrating at the frequency'.
I believe tt's are most affected by vibration so getting your tt isolated is important Steve. I use a butchers block with 4 sorbothane domes underneath, one at each corner and my tt has pointy feet which then sits on the butchers block, on the top shelf of my rack. You can also look on You Tube for more ideas

[Pigmy Pony]

Thanks guys, for some interesting and helpful suggestions. And apologies for the thread hijack. I think I will start with "butchers block" under the amp (as that would potentially benefit CD and vinyl replay). If I can find one big enough. And some kind of isolation feet for the tts psu.

I did get some kind of foam slab material to go under the speakers last year (as suggested by Adrian (AJSki2fly) but can't for the life of me remember what it was called. I'll pm him later.

[antonio]

Great idea, Ikea had some large size butchers blocks, can't remember the name of it but it began with the letter A. I got mine from Argos, but they no longer stock it. The Ikea ones are made from Bamboo and so is mine.
Here's one on ebay, not very thick and I guess you would have to saw of the end with the lip, but you could buy 2 and add an extra layer of isolation https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Ikea-...tem446d1aa88d:
Her's another one but unsure if 33cms wouldm be deep enough for you, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FAME-Bamb...IAAOSwic5bRQx4
Here's the one from Ikea https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/aptitli...mboo-00233429/
Someone on YouTube purchased two of these and used 4 ball bearings and placed them in the groove on top and the turned the other one upside down and lined up the grooves so the ball bearings were separating the two boards and they were in the grooves. Just another idea.

[Marco]

And does anyone have any thoughts on glass shelves with Technics SL1200- based decks, or is it a case of trying things and see what happens?

Steve, I don't know if you're able to accommodate a wall shelf for your T/T, but IME good ones (not necessarily expensive either) improve the sound of turntables more than racks, generally due to improved isolation, as walls are usually less susceptible to vibration than floors

I use a double-layered HiFi Racks Podium Platform, for my Techy: https://www.hifiracks.co.uk/collecti...odium-platform

Highly recommended!

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Steve, I don't know if you're able to accommodate a wall shelf for your T/T, but IME good ones (not necessarily expensive either) improve the sound of turntables more than racks, generally due to improved isolation, as walls are usually less susceptible to vibration than floors

I use a double-layered HiFi Racks Podium Platform, for my Techy: https://www.hifiracks.co.uk/collecti...odium-platform

Highly recommended!

Marco.

Cheers Marco, a wall shelf is something I have considered, as my rack sits on carpeted floorboards. I've no doubt I would hear some real benefit

That is a very good looking shelf! But it would have to be black, or it would stick out like a sore thumb. Remember this is our lounge, not a listening room, unfortunately, And the deck (with its cover) has a very large footprint, and those two requirements combined effectively double the cost. But you've planted the seed now, and i can't unsee it, damn you!