I had some speakers on some homemade stands for a few years. They had a fairly large flat wood surface. I switched them out for some stands that had minimal surface area. I was very surprised at how big of a difference it made. I speculate that the woofers caused the big flat area to resonate and blur transients. I also remember decades ago making tons of damping doodads and being surprised how obvious the sound of the case of my amp vibrating was when I clapped. It was way more substantial than the sound of any electronic distortion.
Distortion from Audio Rack ??
I've appreciated good sound for many years but only recently have I been willing to invest the money needed to create a system I loved. Granted, it's at the low end of high-end, but it is my high end :-).
Current system: Advanced Paris A12 amp, EverySolo A10 streamer/DAC, Furman Elite 15 PFi power conditioner, Warfdale Elysian II speakers, SVS SB 1000 Pro sub, all cabling - Cardas Clear Reflection. Room size - 24' x 14'. Sounds amazing! Sub will likely be upgraded within the next year.
The issue - my audio system is housed in a large wall unit made back in the mid 80s. There is open cabinet space originally intended for either audio or TV. Dimensions of available cabinet space - 23" H x 30" W. My solution for housing the electronics was to purchase a Riveco 9U Rack with Reinforced Top. I purchased a separate mid-level shelf connected at all four corners. I also placed Pangea Audio Mega Feet under the rack.
I've read a lot on different forums about the impact of surrounding metal, vibration etc. on quality of audio sound. My system sounds excellent and I have no complaints about "perceived" distortion. But I also know from my own experience of upgrading cables that it's difficult to anticipate the degree of improvement one might find until you actually find it.
So my question - do folks see the rack is problematic? And besides getting rid of beautiful cherry wood wall unit, are there additional solutions within reach that don't entail a major restructuring in the placement of my electronics?