Audio Rack Opinions


Hi there

Moving and leaving behind a 'very' sturdy shelf built right into a load bearing wall of my house.

So now having to consider an audio rack for the first time in my life . . .

Have a fair bit of electronics to support . . . I'd imagine 6 shelves worth including a VPI Scoutmaster w/ SDS, couple disc players, Plinius integrated . . . the VPI and Plinius the two heftier pieces in this.

I like having the TT up higher for both convenience and keep away from 'critters' that might find it a bit more appealing closer to the ground. Beyond that my main consideration is this: is there a particular structure and height consideration for a TT as heavy as the VPI?

Open to any/all suggestions on this as again, I've never had to consider an audio rack ever and the brief time I've checked out online I'm bewildered to date in what I've been reading. My thoughts are that massive, sturdy rack is in order (as opposed to say the more skeletal models such as the Quadraspire Evo and such . . . But I honestly don't even know at this point because I've never used them.

thanks in advance
terra3
Here is Two options. Check out Salamander & Timbernation.
Both can be found on the industry directory from Audiogon's web page
Sanus and Salamander have a plethora of racks to choose from. My friend has a Salamander with a Sota table on top that seems very sturdy. Years ago I had an open sided steel framed Sanus with a 50 pound VPI sitting on top and never had a problem.
I built my rack, and it has six shelves plus the top. It's on my System link.
Kenny
Go to this website. http://www.solid-tech.net/. This company makes very good racks. If you don't have a local dealer The Cable Company sells them.
I use Adona Corporation Signature rack which holds a couple of hundred pounds per shelf. They have a website and are direct to consumer. I believe their racks are of excellent quality for the price. You can see the rack in my system photos.
Check out Adona. Made in USA, Can be easily added to (some models) and look good as well as working well. The prices are comparatively sane, even for their top models.
If you have the space I think you might be better off going wider rather than taller. IE: two stacks of three rather than one stack of six. With that said I have no proof that one type of rack would be more stable or sound better then the other.
Sound Anchor solid steel, sand-filled, stands are arguably the most solid rack out there and their adjustable bar system ensures a solid base beneath all the feet or aftermarket supports under your equipment.
They make virtually any custom configuration of height, shelf opening and width. Two, three-shelf racks side by side would work great.
Made in the USA and great people to do business width.
I reconfigured my HT & 2-channel systems early this summer and gave up the built-in hutch to the TV and bought a new super-wide rack from Steve Blinn for the stereo gear, including a VPI SSM Reference that needs to stay on its own 27" x 20" x4" maple platform. I added Herbie's fat titanium gliders below the brass footers on the rack and was quite pleased at how well it can handle the weight I put on it as I wrote to Herbie on his AC Circle:
"

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Re: New rack needs some tweaking
« Reply #2 on: 24 May 2015, 09:37 pm »

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I finally have my system back together in its newly remodeled location and it sounds fantastic. This was a major project for me to finally incorporate what I have learned about system setup and finally provide a nice home for everything. I made so many changes that no baseline sound id available and I have to start over in discovering the best sound possible. I bought and assembled a beautiful new Steve Blinn Super-wide rack allowing me to retire 7 maple block platforms and a welded steel 3-shelf VPI rack that I bought with the original TNT. I took Steve's advice and built the rack using Thick Fat Dots to replace the rubber balls provided, and I ordered four Titanium Fat Glider. The fully-loaded rack now weighs an estimated 625 lbs and I can still move it on the gliders on brand new carpet and pad! ...."

This is a copy of my loads including the rack:
Steve Blinn Rack 225
VPI SSM Ref 100
TT Platform 65
Thor 30
Thor Platform 25
Thor PS & Plat 25 ======= Shelf 1 =======
VPI SDS 20
W4S STP 25
Denon BDP-3810 35 ======= Shelf 2 =======
Amps 25
PPP Premier 40
======= Shelf 3 =======
Misc footers 15

The sound is fantastic, the system looks better than I have ever had it, and, the Herbie's gliders make it possible to swing out from the wall from time to time for maintenance by a single person.
Though you want six shelves and your turntable up high, I'm with Mitch. Two 3-shelf racks side-by-side is the better way to go (get rid of the damn cats!). Here's a question: If you've been happy with your table wall-mounted, why not wall mount at your new place?
Don't know about the other brands recommended, but most (all?) Salamander racks can be fitted with casters, and what a great convenience that is! Purists might poo-poo this option, but I put casters on both of my Salamander racks and haven't regretted it.
I think that casters, while convenient, will diminish the performance of any rack.
DIY with maple shelves and brass rods. Search for examples, most are like Mapleshade Audios Racks Stands etc.
Quadraspire Sunoko Vent. Spent years with Target convinced they were very good........... for their time they were, but the Quadraspire is so superior controlling the bass, so much better at opening up the midrange and highs. These racks are also very fast affecting the attack of the music. It was a revelation and a bit shocking. I hate being wrong.

Vibration control is a dark art. Good luck.
I've used Salamander Archetypes for many years because they are black, not bulky and cheap .
Tried some isolation devices , notably Mapleshade cones and Nordost Kones, didn't do much. In fact the Kones made everything worse.
Brain kicked in a few weeks ago and I remembered I had four 4" finished solid maple slabs in storage that I forgot about.
Put same on the Salmander MDF shelves and the sun came out,
Mapleshades helped and the Nordost Kones helped a lot on both pre and amp.No difference with casters on or off to my old ears anyway.
Many thanks for the opinions and suggestions to date . . .

You know, it never dawned on me, but this new place has a small study just off the main living (err . . 'listening') room . . . . glass door and angled so that it actually complements the room nicely. So I was thinking, while it might not present the system out in the open so well, I 'could' set up a more reasonable 2 x 3 shelf system in that room, route speaker cables out through a wall into the main room and have the system room separated and safe from cats and such. Was going to use that den for guitar and piano practice . . . a music room per se.

Plenty to consider . . . . thanks again
Mapleshade has some excellent ADJUSTABLE rack systems for sale, but
they cost a lot of money- especially if you get a number of shelves or two racks side by side. Of course a skilled wood worker with a good set of plans could build the same thing. I don't like the high prices that come with audiophile rack systems, and it depends on your room and your floor what
you might actually need to isolate certain components. I got lucky years ago and got Deluxe Justaracks (Michael Greene) through audio advisor. The shelves are 2 inches thick and infinitely adjustable. It is a dog to look at but extremely solid, like Salamander racks only on steroids. BUT those threaded uprights
are indispensable IMHO as your system keeps changing over the years.