Ikea Kallax Vinyl Record Storage: Which version have you used?

I'm on my second version.

First version stayed over 20 years, but realy became shaky and needed replacement.

Current counts already 7 years

The First version was assembled exactly same way as Current version.

I went into my Ikea to compare the Kallax with another shelving unit named the Eket. I found the Eket (the 4-cubicle model) to be far more to my liking, for a number of reasons:

1- Unlike the Kallax, the Eket has a back panel, which makes it a far more stiff/rigid structure when assembled. I also like the back panel for it’s ability to keep dust from entering the back side of the cubicles (where the open end of the LP covers are exposed in the Kallax).

2- Each Eket cubicle interior is 12-3/4" deep (as well as tall and wide), which puts the front end of the LP covers right at the front edge of the unit. I don’t like the extra inches of depth in the Kallax.

3- Ikea offers an accessory bag of clips to secure multiple Eket cubes to one another (holes in the rear of the Eket are pre-drilled for their insertion), making a stack of them behave as a single unit. I have 15 of the 4-cubicle model, stacked 3 high and 5 wide. Fully loaded with LP’s (I’m outta room!), the assembled wall of LP racks feel like they are part of the room’s structure, with absolutely no movement exhibited when pushed upon. Ikea also offers a set of wooden feet to attach to the underside of a cube, getting your bottom row of LP’s up off the floor, which I like.

When I bought my Eket’s they were priced at $50 (the price has crept up to $75), and the $750 price for sixty 12-3/4" cubicles (15 Eket’s x 4 cubicles in each) is very reasonable. Not as cheap as comparable Kallax’s, but not that much more $, and imo a far better racking system. And I find the charcoal colored version quite handsome.

I use the predecessor to the Kallax, whatever it was called. It has 5x5 squares and seems identical. I modded it by screwing a 2-inch strip of wood across the back of each row of squares as a backstop. The open back doesn’t bother me about dust because I keep the inner sleeves facing up, not out. And I actually prefer that the walls of each cubbie extend a couple inches beyond the LPs. My unit is on the side wall. It’s uneven surface acts as a kind makeshift diffuser. Or so I tell myself.