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

I used heavy duty solid iron Lovan stands for my entire system. Each is filled with lead shot. Each stand weighs 80 lbs. My system consists of 9 stands, with the 10th used for a TT. The stands were purchased used off Craigslist some 12 years ago for less than $1k. But I did have to drive from Seattle to Portland to get them. My system has never been quieter. 

@emergingsoul   Please do not take me seriously. I responded to this topic because I think your stand makes no difference at all and I was being flippant. At times I find questions here are either off the wall strange, see how much I spend braggadocio or troll bait and I don't quite know if you are seriously asking or just having fun waiting for results from your "post"

@widmerpool 😂 I know you are right it just baffles me how people who have piles of money are so often gullible and easily led when it comes to audio .

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.