Best Amp. stands

Flynntom,

I chose the cheep route 16" paver on the bottom 6 8x8x16 cinder blocks with a 16" paver on the top. I built 2 units due to the fact that I have 1 integrated, 2 amps and an av processor. I then built a 2 shelf stack out of 1-1/8" pine for each one. (impatience is what determined the pine). These stands will eventually go on points and I will choose a different shelf material. The cinder block/paver is rock solid short of pouring a concrete stand IMO the way to go unless you have to have the aesthetics.

Consider the Auralex Gramma. Not glitzy but effective.

Barry,

At what frequencies do Corian, Granite,and Marble ring (or resonate)at? Does the frequency vary depending on the mass?

Are they frequencies that are of consequence in an amp stand?

How about Carbon Fibre shelving? Does it work better than the materials mentioned above?

Us hobbyists often see professional racks made out of these materials, and admittedly they sound pretty good most of the time. What materials should we be looking for?

Thank you in advance for sharing your expertise in vibration control products.

Thanks for all the great responses. This is definatly going to be a DIY project. As a retired Carpenter/Deckbuilder I was leaning in the direction of Wood. Love the look and feel you know. From the sounds of things, (excuse the pun), wood offers the right properties as well. Amps are Black so was thinking along the lines of Dark Cherry with cone shaped legs about 5 to 6 inches tall.

Hi Flnntom,

I would suggest that you avoid using materials that ring (granite, Corian, stone, marble, steel, glass, etc) or materials that are resonant (natural wood, Plexiglas, plastic, acrylic, etc) as their inherent characteristics will impart their own sonic signature on the signal that is flowing through the component.

Best,

Barry Kohan

Disclaimer: I am a manufacturer of vibration control products.

For amp stands, I don't see why people should spend good money when they can use it to buy great music. Unlike turntables, amps do not need some exotic damping to sound good. As long as the stand is stable, I'm perfectly okay with it. I've a 4k amp sitting on a $30 HD amp stand and I miss nothing. The stand looks good and provides enough support.
So go the DIY route, and you'll never miss anything. I like santanaali's idea of using granite too. Granite looks good, and will provide stable support to the amp.

Flynntom; I am in the midst of constructing stands as well. My neighbor is a master tile setter, I asked him what was the densest of materials he has worked with - granite. I have taken two pieces of 18'x18' travertine appliyed a polymer between the two for a stand for my TT. I am awaiting isolation points from www.supercellaudio.com for leveling. For my Amp I am going to try 2 pieces of granite and sandwich the same material that extremephono uses for its TT mat. Good luck

Check into one of the Sistrum stands at www.audiopoints.com. You can even audition one on a trial basis at home to see if you like it.

It escapes my why people who spend thousands and thousands on an amplifier, won't spend $200-300 on a good amplifier stand.

Tony,

Use solid hardwoods such as rock maple, jatoba, bloodwood, lignum vitea or red/yellow/purpleheart. The denser the wood, the better. Stay away from MDF; kills the sound (IMO) and it can warp over time. MDF has a very low modulus of elesticity-easy to bend/warp. Plywood isn't much better for the sound, but it won't warp like MDF. Finally, if you use maple, it is very hard to get it to take a stain evenly. It tends to block up.

Good luck,

Try Sound Anchors!
They are excellent and probably one of the best available.

I just built one for my pass labs x150.5.
Its a 20"x24" plank built from a 1x4ft pinewood shelf.
It was finished with cherry gel stain and polyurethane. It cost me about $30 for the shelf and all the materials.