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Does anyone have a good or bad experience using a PC server rack for audio equipment?

I have a 2 rail PC server rack with 7 steel shelves that was used for all my PC equipment that I am no longer using.  Each shelf is attached with 8 machine screws and are 17 1/2" W X 19" D, providing a very stable rack.  My equipment will all fit, barely. I was thinking of putting 1/4" MDF board on the steel shelf for some (if little) vibration absorption.  Has anybody tried something similar?   By today's standards I have a very low end lo-fi system consisting of vintage 1976 Marantz equipment, speakers are Revel Performa F208 floor-standing loudspeakers.  Streaming is done via BlueSound Node.  

 

128x128dgrami
tony1954's avatar
tony1954
1,015 posts
 

If vibration becomes an issue, you can always add something like the IsoAcoustics Gaia's to support the entire rack. Most racks come with threaded feet, so it is just a matter of replacing them with the weight-appropriate Gaia's. If the threads don't match IsoAcoustics is very accommodating and have a wide variety of threads available. If the rack's legs don't cooperate then you can always follow @mikhailark suggestion of building a platform.

dgrami's avatar
dgrami OP
3 posts
 

That's a good idea, I am also thinking about some 4" rubber wheels, makes getting at the back of the equipment easier and also provides some portability.  Those are not major ticket items, just makes things more convenient.       

horstmann
7 posts
 

Frankly, a PC server rack might be the worst solution for audio gear.

It rings, there's no vibration control for sensitive equipment, and it's only designed to keep a bunch of boxes in place that come with their own built-in vibration control if needed.

No footers etc. in the world would make much of a difference, it'd be lipstick on a pig.

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