Heavy duty amp stand, Sonic benefits?


Does an amplifier benefit from a sturdy well-built amplifier rack?

I'm trying to decide whether to buy a new amplifier rack. The one I have is kind of a light weight material made of plastic composite. I am looking at one rack that was made of steel and weighs about 100 pounds, name of the company is sound anchor. Looks like a nicely made amp.

I'm wondering how an amplifier benefits from resting on a Quality built rack or does it really matter?

emergingsoul

Showing 5 responses by pindac

An Amplifier, which is to be used for trials on assessing how a Sub Plinth Material or Assembly of Materials effects the sonic, or ones perception of the quality of the sonic being produced. Is a relative easy experience to undertake and evaluation of multiple Sub Plinth Materials with differing footers between Support >Sub Plinth and Sub Plinth > Audio Device can be put in place in a very short time scale.

The ease of the exchanging materials leaves good scope to discover where a particular configuration of Support Structure changes ones perception about the sonic being produced. To experience this first hand in a variety of configurations for selected materials does not have to be too expensive. Initially only the footers need to be the items with a noticeable cost that might be off a concern.

A Stone, Wood, Metal or Composite Material such as Thermoplastic are all able to produce a sonic that is presenting a trait that is discernible. Add Footers to these materials and depending on Footer Type, further changes to the sonic are able to be produced that are discernible.

The differences how the changes of materials and configurations of a supporting structures assembly, will also show further, when a Valve Circuit is used, a SS circuit will show a change has occurred, for Valve Equipment the change can be profound, to the point it can almost be described as a new device has been added.

I have after many years of carrying out trials with supporting structures, in recent years arrived at the place that a Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood Board, is the material to aspire to. It offers exceptional properties when used for the role of a Sub Plinth and Footers. I have taken this material to be demo'd on a few systems now, used under TT's, Amp's (SS and Valve) and CD. I use AT 616 as Footers. This material, when in use never fails to bring something that is defined by a group of assessors as being an improvement or much improved. 

Bear in mind systems being subjected to a demo' already have good monies spent on designs for a support set up.

Densified Wood as a material does seem to be a material that is ubiquitous, where it properties will be exposed for their Value in all environments used. D'wood will produce a noticeable impact on a sonic in all environments used.   

To give an idea of where my present set up for a support structure for Power Amp's is, note: (the audio system is not in use due to preparing for a home renovation). My Amp's are seated on a 20" x 20" x 20" Cube, which is constructed from a lamination of a substance that has a purpose to control vibration in laboratories. It is used as a layer under the screed flooring,

On top of the Cubes which function as support piers, I have a 250Kg Granite Lintel, producing the Supporting Platform. The Granite has on top of it a few layers of different density foams. The Amp's are seated on the Top Layer of Foam without any Third Party Footers in use. On this structure the addition of footers had zero noticeable effect on the sound.

I have lifted the Amp's of the structure and put them on Concrete Floor covered in Carpet and on the same flooring on a Board with AT 616 Footers used. The Home Brew Support Structure is an experience where it seems a new Amp has been introduced.

I do believe that when D'Wood is Trialed at a later date, the Granite will be the material being superseded and possibly the Foam will be as well.         

@mahlman Thank You for your comments.

Once more a response to one of my posts, has enabled me to award another with the 'Donut of the Day Award', or in this case ' Dense-ified of the Day. Please read on.

I understand you might have had experiences that make you sceptical, especially when a not too commonly discussed subject is presented.

The content of my Post is to offer pointers to be considered. Once this route is taken there is other info to be discovered that will be educational.

The product being referred to, for having very attractive values is not limited to myself as an advocate for it being used.

The statement made by myself, is resulting from personal experiences had with such products, which is supported by this explanation.

" I have after many years of carrying out trials with supporting structures, in recent years arrived at the place that a Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood Board, is the material to aspire to. It offers exceptional properties when used for the role of a Sub Plinth and Footers. I have taken this material to be demo'd on a few systems now, used under TT's, Amp's (SS and Valve) and CD. I use AT 616 as Footers. This material, when in use never fails to bring something that is defined by a group of assessors as being an improvement or much improved. "

It is these experiences that enables myself to strongly suggest the material is ubiquitous, and will deliver a attractive contribution in different environments.

As for setting up some kind of sale opportunity. I very infrequently part with my collection of audio equipment. I have a couple of sales made over the past 20 Years, with the last one being approx' 5 years ago.

I don't aspire to make money from selling any type of Audio Equipment ot supporting Ancillaries, be they a Bona fide or Snake Oil Audio Item.

There are Web Sites showing the properties of D'wood through the application of Science and measuring instruments, especially how D'wood compares to 'go to' materials. I encourage this, but this sort of data is not of interest to all who witness it.

Maybe reading the Scientific Data, will be more useful, than spending time with my Layman's description, which is strongly influenced by experiences had. A forum member who is seemingly 'scratching their head',  when seeing the reference to D'wood, and it would appear has no knowledge of it being used for Audio Purposes, now feels qualified to share their assessment of my referencing the material as being Gibberish.

As a product Phenolic Resin Impregnated D'wood is used by some very High End Audio Device Producers. It is these who are capitalising on the use of it in relation to receiving a very healthy remuneration.

My experience of acquiring the material is through a Group Buy.

A Board of a dimension to suit a Sub Base or Plinth can be acquired for approx' £100 a Board using the Group Buy purchasing method, I have a selection of Boards, some are out on loan, some gifted to another, and others are on standby that are ranging in thicknesses from 25mm and up to 75mm.

I have other friends also using it in 10mm - 32mm Thickness and claiming very good results.

Alternatively I could go to the mainstream and purchase an identical material, of a almost identical dimension to one already owned for approx' £1000. 

@mitch2 Thank You for your comments on this Subject.

Your making a reference to 'Panzerholz' is a correct assumption, which is directly   relating to a type of a Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood board that is being referenced in my post.

Your post also has a link I am familiar with, it does help explain in a more controlled manner, why this materials has an attraction for its properties.

It also helps show why there savvy designers of Audio Products, who fully understand how certain materials selected for certain roles will be met with offering a ultimately more beneficial function by selecting Densified Wood over other typical choices, that are usually seen selected for a certain role.

The outcome today being that Densified Wood, produced by carrying out a particular production method is seen used on TT's, TA's, Speakers Cabinets, Equipment Cases, PCB's and as Bespoke Damping for Components within a Circuit and Supporting Structures for equipment. 

I personally I am very familiar with the value the usage of a PRIDW adds to the sonic produced, when used on TT's TA's and as a Equipment Support inclusive of being used as a Footer and Puck Weight for mounting on a TT's Platter Spindle.

It is not to be too long, before I am to experience the impact PRIDW will have, when used as a PCB, Bespoke Damping for a Component and Equipment Case.  

Densified Wood is produced where a proportion of the production methodology is using a similar methodology used for producing a Plywood.

As an end product D'wood Board, can be not too different to Plywood Board.

The methodology used for producing a PRIDW is quite different to the Plywood Board Production methods

Plywood as a Product in relation to weight, is typically a weight of approx'  900lb/m3 - 1600lb/m3 (400Kg/M3 - 700Kg/m3)

Densified wood as a Product in relation to weight' is typically a weight of approx' 2000lb/m3 - 2300lb/m3 (900kg/m3 - 1050Kg)

Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood (PRIDW) in relation to weight, is typically a weight of approx' 2700lb/m3 - 3200lb/m3 (1200Kg/m3 - 1450Kg/m3)  

I know from experience that a Plywood @ 700Kg/m3 vs D'wood @ 900Kg/m3 that are not made using shared/similar production methods are very similar in how they function as a support structure. 

A PRIDW produced using veneers of 0.9mm - 1.2mm, that are assembled as a Cross Grain Structure using a Phenolic Resin as the Binder and then compressed to a 50% thickness in relation to their uncompressed condition.

Which is then Vacuum Treated  and Heat Cured is quite a different end product to a a Typical Produced Plywood or Densified Wood produced using Binders that are more akin to a Plywood Production.

Because of the Weight of a Phenolic Impregnated Densified Wood, it does not usually Travel too far from it place of production, as a result of this it can be found offered under a variety of Brands given names, The Brand Delignit call one of their PRIDW Boards 'Panzerholz'.

When sourcing the Material it is seemingly best to have a Board produced from the thinnest of Veneers that is are assembled into a Cross Grain Structure Orientation, it is best to go for maximum compression (Kg per m3). The use of a Resin Binder (not all will make their selected resin known) typically Phenolic Resin, Vacuum Treated and Heat Cured are critical to create the properties being identified as valuable for use in audio applications. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

@emergingsoul 'Prolix' is a single word describing a larger selection of my Posts.

I am unapologetic, it takes all sorts to make up a membership of a forum.

I am fundamentally an individual who has the enjoyment of music as their goal and ultimate experience in relation to my long held enthusiasm.

If there is a hierarchy it is a Live Performance where the real magic and life long memories are to happen.

Audio Equipment is an area where this enjoyment is able to be enabled, resulting in my long-term interest in audio systems, as well as building a social network around this interest.

When it comes to Audio Equipment, the Electronics side is unavoidable.

Then there is the mechanical interfaces that can be put in place to aide the Audio Equipment to be optimised in its function.

I usually leave all Electronic concerns to EE's who know there stuff, I recently had a Power Cable terminated to the connectors by an Electrician.

When it comes to Mechanical Interfaces I am practicing my ideas in this area, as well as being dependent on Engineers when it comes to the areas where finesse is required.

Note: I do my utmost to only share about my experiences had, and where I have been steered by them.

    

@roxy54 There was myself forming the view,  the 'unusual' content in my Posts within this Thread, is the referencing the usage of a PRIDW, as a tier in a Support Structure for Audio Equipment.

Totally in keeping with the OP's inquiry, as the material will be a very useful addition to any Support Rack.

In the OP, I do feel drawn to how the word 'Q'uality is emphasized.

I'm not a member of the Capital Letter Police Squad on 'The Gon', I do sense the membership of this elite sub membership is limited to one only.

I'm surprised the use of the 'Q' managed to slip through net 🚓.