Confusion about "high-end" racks

A friend got a huge 3 section HRS rack and two amp stands. This is the most solid, substantial and beautiful stand I've seen. Each shelf is designed with dampeners that are specifically tailored to the load of each shelf. The company works with the owner and dealer to get the layout and tuning of the rack right.

The price for all of this was, to me, astronomical.

I make do with a custom-built Zoethecus rack (alas they are no longer in business), plus a bookcase, numerous Symposium Ultra and Svelte shelves that either fit the Zoethecus rack or sit on the floor under my amps.

My choice of shelves, and couplers, etc., were entirely by trial and error. It is simply NOT the case that better dampening means better sound; there are too many instances where "more" means worse. I find that these products make the most difference with CD players and can lead to the sound becoming too dry and analytical if one goes too far.

I too find it impossible to really determine how important a particular design of a rack is as far as impact on sound. My approach has been to find a solid, stable rack that is configured the way I need it to be, and to rely on shelves and isolation gear (e.g., rollerballs) that can be added to the rack depending on the particular results obtained.

As far as a good stable rack, something cheap, like the Atlantis racks, are quite solid and easily configurable to the spacing requirements of the user. I have seen Billy Bags racks that were also very solid and stable (they come in so many varieties, including custom design, a suitable configuration should be obtainable).

Mitch,

30k buys the "basic" HRS rack. The one I saw (three section) cost twice that. The system sounded very good, but there is no way for me to say how much the rack contributed (the other stuff in this system was none too shabby, as you can well imagine).

Isn't this kind of $$ amazing?