I’ve had two different approach high-end racks with the predictable result that there is no consensus, other then it is system dependent entirely.
1. Camp 1 ... big and heavy with brass footers under the gear
I had the thick air-dried maple MAPLESHADE SAMSON shelves and HEAVYFEET brass footers
system.
https://hometheaterreview.com/mapleshade-samson-v1-equipment-rack-reviewed/
ignoring that it is butt- ugly IMO, it served its duty for an entry-level 2 channel high-end system ($7K) on a hardwood floor .
2. Camp 2 .... This involved a multi-level approach for
- (I) lighter shelves isolated from the next using a cup-and-cone interface,
- (ii) an additional, double-layer base platform provides further isolation from resonance; and
- ( iii) A toughened glass sub-shelf rests on minimal-contact ball decouplers, providing even more isolation.
I upgraded my system above to a $30K 2 channel system and the MAPLESHADE SAMSON approach and brass footers worked fine with no complaints. The listening room had some room treatments .The new integrated amp and cdp/dac were a lot heavier than what they replaced ...the new gear was ~ 35+kg and 26kg respectively.
It was then stress-tasted in a direct audition against a bespoke professionally custom made clone of the NAIM FRAIM , on the advice of my dealer, and done in my own house with my own system.
.https://www.naimaudio.com/product/fraim-0
I was more than skeptical that it would impress me in an A-B bake-off against the MAPLESHADE bulky heavy isolation rack approach.
MY DIRECT EXPERIENCE ..... The bespoke NAIM FRAIM CLONE clearly bested the Mapleshade in terms of dynamics and slam much. to my great surprise. ... But don’t ask me to explain why. In any case, I bought it and sold the MAPLESHADE.
MY TAKEAWAY
Room acoustics and electronics did matter in my experiences, = entirely system dependent...
and ...
until a bake-off is possible, it’s a guessing game ....
1. Camp 1 ... big and heavy with brass footers under the gear
I had the thick air-dried maple MAPLESHADE SAMSON shelves and HEAVYFEET brass footers
system.
https://hometheaterreview.com/mapleshade-samson-v1-equipment-rack-reviewed/
ignoring that it is butt- ugly IMO, it served its duty for an entry-level 2 channel high-end system ($7K) on a hardwood floor .
2. Camp 2 .... This involved a multi-level approach for
- (I) lighter shelves isolated from the next using a cup-and-cone interface,
- (ii) an additional, double-layer base platform provides further isolation from resonance; and
- ( iii) A toughened glass sub-shelf rests on minimal-contact ball decouplers, providing even more isolation.
I upgraded my system above to a $30K 2 channel system and the MAPLESHADE SAMSON approach and brass footers worked fine with no complaints. The listening room had some room treatments .The new integrated amp and cdp/dac were a lot heavier than what they replaced ...the new gear was ~ 35+kg and 26kg respectively.
It was then stress-tasted in a direct audition against a bespoke professionally custom made clone of the NAIM FRAIM , on the advice of my dealer, and done in my own house with my own system.
.https://www.naimaudio.com/product/fraim-0
I was more than skeptical that it would impress me in an A-B bake-off against the MAPLESHADE bulky heavy isolation rack approach.
MY DIRECT EXPERIENCE ..... The bespoke NAIM FRAIM CLONE clearly bested the Mapleshade in terms of dynamics and slam much. to my great surprise. ... But don’t ask me to explain why. In any case, I bought it and sold the MAPLESHADE.
MY TAKEAWAY
Room acoustics and electronics did matter in my experiences, = entirely system dependent...
and ...
until a bake-off is possible, it’s a guessing game ....