Hi End rack really deliver?

As others have mentioned, there is no way to predict the sonic result from changing racks. It would at least be easier to make decisions if certain approaches always improve the sound but that is not the case. I have heard exotic shelves do exactly as advertised -- dampen and reduce vibration -- that sound great under one component and sound like crap under another.

My suggestion is to go with a very good, solid and stable rack that is presentable in your room. I would also focus on whether one with fixed shelves or one with adjustable shelves is what you need. Also, some racks and some makers of shelves have products that allow for mixing of shelves from other manufacturers. For example, Zoethecus (unfortunately defunct now) racks could use standard sized Symposium shelves. Some manufacturers of shelves also make custom sizes so you should also consider how well a rack would work with such products. I would consider building in a substantial extra margin of vertical spacing to account for the possibility that you will be adding in a custom shelf or couplers, etc.

After you get a good basic rack, you can then experiment with different shelves and couplers and other tuning devices. Good sound from support structures is a matter of "tuning" -- there is no one right approach and right sound.

Good luck.

Hi Joe Kapahulu,

A good, solid, rack tht fits your needs is a basic requirement. Some racks have adjustable shelves (a big plus) or can be custom built to your specifications (e.g., Billy Bags). If you have a turntable, a proper rack is even more critical, particularly if the floor is a suspended wooden floor. I have a custom built Zoethecus rack (no longer in business) that is more than five feet high. To make it stable, I used a cleat to a back wall to anchor it to a back wall. If you have a table, consider a low rack for stability or a similar arrangement to stabilize the rack.

My own experience with extreme vibration dampening through use of exotic racks and shelves is that results vary quite a bit depending on the system and components. I use a Symposium Ultra shelf under my Linestage and another under my amps, which sit on the floor. These shelves provide a very subtle improvement over regular shelves/amp stand. They don't appear to help with my CD player (Naim CD555), and in a friend's system, the shelves sounded bad (lean and bleached sound) under a CD player (Audio Aero Capitole). Under a Levinson No. 32 preamp, Symposium Rollerblocs provided good coupling to the shelf, but I don't use them for my current linestage (Emotive Audio Epifania) because of the perforated bottom on the unit. That is why I earlier recommended that you experiment with the shelving and coupling of components to the shelves after getting a good basic rack.

I have no idea how high end you are looking for racks. Good basic racks can be had from Atlantis (adjustable shelves) and Billy Bags (customizable spacing of shelves).
On the higher end extreme, Silent Running Audio is a possible choice. I am not familiar with their rack, though I have heard, and I like, their equipment support shelves. A friend's Tron amps came with two custom sized SRA amp stands so the manufacturer thought it was a worthy addition. Their stands/shelves are custom designed for the specific weight and weight distribution of each component (different elastomers at four corners of the shelf).

A similar approach is taken with HRS racks and shelves. A friend bought a huge, three section HRS rack. It is the most heavy, beautiful to look at and solid rack I've encountered. Another friend was in charge of construction/setup. He was amazed at the close construction tolerances and perfection of manufacture. Each shelf was specifically tuned to the particular component that was being placed on the shelf. The BAD news is that the whole set up cost $50,000. I hope this represents the extreme of what one can spend.