2. amps-preamps
  3. 1433885808

How an audio rack can enhance your amp/pre



Just thought I would share my recent experience with upgrading my sound star technologies rack to the new rhythm rack.

Every now and then, I have a visiting audiophile who really appreciates my system…and traditionally asks – “wow, what makes it sound so good?” My typical answer is it all makes a difference, even down the equipment rack, which can and certainly should be considered a component…but in many cases is overlooked…

Star Sound introduction

About 10 years ago, I was introduced to Star Sound Technologies Sistrum platforms and Audio Points. Audiopoints has always been known for its manufacture of well-designed and beautifully manufactured brass cones used under equipment and as an integral part of an audio stand. This ultimately led to the design of stands designed to transfer vibrations out of components and down to ground. What I didn’t know at the time was how good the Sistrum platforms ‘sounded’. So, I bit the bullet and tried several Sistrum Platforms - what intrigued me about the stands was the design of the Sistrum Platform which allowed a pre-determined pattern of energy, known as Coulomb Friction to develop and dissipate via a high-speed calculated conductive pathway to earth's ground. Which made sense…how do you deal with airborne energy dissipation? I know you could put cones to reduce vibrations from the ‘ground up’ so to speak, but how could you eliminate airborne vibration? We’ve all held our hand on our equipment when music is playing only to feel the equipment vibrate, so how do you deal with it? Draining it quickly to ground made sense, but at the end of the day, all I really wanted to know was…does it improve the sound?

To say I was shocked is an understatement - the Original Sistrum Platforms offered – smoother sound, better transients, dynamics and a lower noise floor. And, the cool part is that you could turn up the sound and the music would flow with greater ease…well worth the investment. Robert at Star Sound was extremely helpful in guiding me through which racks made the most sense for my system.

Rhythm Platforms

Which brings me to 2015…it had been a while since I last spoke with Robert curious as to what his engineering team was up to…which led me to check out the ‘new’ model of Sistrum Stands – the Sistrum Rhythm Platforms.

These new platforms / shelves were substantially heavier, with a nicer overall finish than the original stands, with more grooves allowing for substantially more options to place points in various places under your equipment to refine the sound even further. In addition, the shelves were engineered to deal with resonances in a more efficient manner…The brass cones at the bottom of the rack were substantially bigger in size - 3 inches and quite heavy. The brass cones under the equipment were attached with nicely crafted screws that could be hand tightened and no longer required a screw driver… a nice feature making it both easier to put together but also the amount of tightening could influence the sound. The brass and platform rods are modular, making it easier to put together and painted in a beautiful black finish – in combination with the brass I would say the improvement in the WAF factor is significant – the stands are really impressive to look at. As for structure, these things were a solid as could be – and heavy! Not going anywhere, even in an earthquake!

My system includes VAC equipment, preamp, amps, DAC and a transport. As well as power supplies. Most of which now rested on the new Rhythm Platform.

Listening Impressions:

My first impressions were clearly a lower noise floor with enhanced dynamics, while also being able to hear deeper into the soundstage, which now extended well outside of the speakers. Tempo was faster, due to better-defined, leading edges. The high end was ‘cleaner’, with more sheen and decay on symbols and hi hats. Brass had that right bite to it, without over doing it…Bass lines were tighter which led to better ‘rhythm’ … and best of all, I could crank up the volume and the dynamic range seemed to extend effortlessly, which was a nice surprise.

One thing I noticed, that was true of my initial experience with Sistrum Platforms, is that the newer Rhythm Platforms sounded progressively better after 3 days of ‘settling’ and reached full potential after about 1 week. So some form of break in is required.
Over the years, I’ve tried different racks and various cones under equipment, whether if be soft, hard, ceramic, rubber (or some variation of ‘absorbing material’ etc.) you name it. All of which ‘altered’ the sound, but nothing came close to the Sistrum Stands holistically; while the new Rhythm stands, just take it all to a higher level…
While I cannot expound eloquently on science of Coulomb’s Friction, I can tell you that whatever they are doing at Star Sound visa vie their racks, it works…and it’s not subtle. This is a very audible improvement in your listening experience. If you want your system to perform at its highest level, I would suggest that you maximize your investment in your equipment by letting it do what it does best and put it on a Sistrum rack that will allow it to perform at its best. And if you want the best, I would strongly recommend the Rhythm Platforms.
wisper

Showing 11 responses by dgarretson

dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
I have many Stillpoints of all types and several Star Sound SP-1 and Apprentice platforms. They all work well. Wisper, thanks for the review. I've been thinking about a Rhythm rack for awhile and may just do it.

One of the ironies in this hobby is the amount of money and effort audiophiles may expend parsing expensive cables while scoffing at expensive racks and footers. IMO both categories offer about the same marginal utility-- there always seems to be a better place to put the dollars. But after a certain point in system building they do add considerably to performance and become foundational to the system, insofar as they are portable across components.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
Buconero17, I believe the theory is that Star Sound racks focus mostly on draining micro vibrations from inside the component to earth-- not on isolating the component. Such physics will operate regardless of where the component is located.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
I wish that relatively inexpensive sorbethane or soft ball materials worked optimally-- my drawer contains multiple sets of retired Audioquest pucks and various peel n' stick strips. They are effective in quieting noisy DVR hard drives, but in high-end audio they contribute almost as many problems as they solve-- bloating and slurring electronics and TT(e.g. older VPI TNT suspensions). Over the years I've migrated away from it in favor of points and roller balls-- all current Stillpoint models and Star Sound SP-1 and Apprentice platforms. I have a five-shelf Star Sound Rhythm rack on order and am hoping for good things from that.

Personally I've experienced better yield per dollar from high-priced footers and platforms than from high-priced cables. The pricey Rhythm rack may put this proposition to the test... The unanswered question is, is a rack just a rack or is a rack worthy of the respect given to a bona fide audio component? Do four sorbethane pucks make a Vibraplane?
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
I wouldn't conflate golden ears with thin experience in racks and footers. And this is after all a FORUM, not Diogenes the Cynic with lamp and a coronation of one honest man. The thread has becomes thread-bare for lack of comparisons between the admittedly small number of available "engineered" racks solutions. Hopefully more experiences will arrive in time.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
Agear, So far I've settled on four Stillpoints Ultra 5s under Merlin-- and have recently ported these U5s to a pair of Chapman T5s that I'm demoing. With a dog in the house the narrow Merlin footprint is a bit tippy for a Star Sound platform.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
BTW, the five shelf Star Sound Rhythm rack should arrive in a week or so. It will house a full stack of Esoteric K-01X, SRS 10 Mhz rubidium clock, Hynes linear supply that powers the clock, and a two chassis Atma MP-1 preamp. Each of these currently rides on Stillpoints Ultra SS or Star Sound SP-1 in a well braced DIY oak rack that I built in the late '80s. I am a slow learner w/r racks.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
I have a rough clone of Geofkait's Machina Dynamica soft spring platform under my L07D TT that I think addresses the dual problem of earth-borne and TT-propagated vibrations. Earth-borne vibrations are converted into very low frequency spring oscillations by means of soft springs under the heavy mass loading of a large sandbox, on which the unsuspended TT plinth rests. TT-propagated vibrations are handled by SP Ultra 5s underneath the Kenwood's unsuspended brass footers and motor bearing. One reported advantage of the Stillpoints is that their function doesn't depend much on the platform or rack on which they are sited. This marriage of disparate coupling and decoupling strategies seems to work.

While this or a similar approach works well for individual components, it's a stretch to apply it to a full rack of components. I'm three days into breaking in a Star Sound five-shelf Rhythm rack with an Esoteric digital stack and a two-chassis Atma tube preamp. What is this audio heresy, the notion of a rack breaking in?! Yes, the heavy mass-loaded Rhythm rack audibly forms itself over several days, perhaps similar to the strengthening of piston rods through the controlled stress applied during break-in of a racing engine. Star Sound would say that this forming process is the heavy loaded brass and steel structure organizing its pathways for vibration to ground.

I'm going to give it a few more days before full judgment. Initial impressions are of coherence, enhanced timbral nuance, neutral frequency balance, and(as contrasted with current Stillpoints Ultra SS models that formerly supported these components on a DIY cross-braced oak rack) a broadening of the LF skirt without sacrificing LF discipline and articulation. Above all, a satisfying release of dynamic energy throughout the room and sense of increased speed and transient attack. Although on the first day and early in the second day of forming the rack("forming" is perhaps a better term than "break-in") I heard a bit of what Maril referred to as over-emphasis of treble and upper midrange and leading-edges, this issue has resolved with time.

And btw for the Wolfman, sarcasm and humor have nothing in common. Look it up.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
The K-01X presents a perfectly flat bottom surface, and the machined tolerances of the SS APs and coupling disks are obviously very tight in order to allow six points of contact without shims.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
Tbg, I'll start tweaking soon from six to five, five to four, etc. Also, I want to try relocating the CDP to a lower shelf, which SS suggests may improve performance.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
After a week acclimating to the SS Rhythm RP-5 rack I'm starting to tweak. At Starsound's suggestion, I moved the K-01X CDP from the top shelf down one shelf in order to bring it inside the rack. This is a surprising improvement-- uncanny timbres, increased spaciousness, more and better bass. The Esoteric is finally revealing potential commensurate with its price. Just as with the initial improvement I heard after adding the RP-5, this latest step feels more like a component upgrade than a tweak.

Hearing such improvement after moving the component nearer to the grounding points suggests that draining vibration generated from within the component may be more significant than insulating it from low frequency earth-born vibration.
dgarretson
2,612 posts
 
Tbg, my experience accords with yours that Stillpoints can be sensitive to the surfaces on which they are placed-- notwithstanding that the stated feature of their "technology" is to dissipate vertical transmission horizontally though friction within the device. As case in point, there is more coherence from my Merlins VSMs with four Ultra 5s on a hardwood floor than on an oriental rug. Based on this experience they would seem both to couple and decouple. I don't doubt that either siting of the U5s is an improvement over the stock footers, but obviously as with all tweaks there is always tweaking involved...

I haven't tried a ESS rack, but I think of the standalone SP footers as tactical devices that can be used just about anywhere to some advantage, and shunted around a system with relative ease. Their leveling feature is nice in special situations like TT. The Star Sound stuff is more strategic and requires more space and housekeeping to plan and execute-- but IMO worth the effort. Now into my fourth day with the SS RP-5 rack. This has performed something close a miracle with the K-01X. I've initially mounted the CDP on six points, and will start to reposition those and withdraw a few over time.
More to discover