Improving a stone rack


Hi all, I have a large stone rack for my system, in beautiful granite, which works great for stability, but maybe not so good for other aspects of the sound. I wonder if it contributes to some treble ringing and harshness. I want to improve the sound, thinking of felt damping on the wall behind the rack, some form of cloth to cover the reflective surfaces of the shelves, and adhesive rubber type mats on the bottom of the stone shelves. Is this the way to go? Experience based advice is very welcome. My rack weighs a ton. It is not easy to compare to a wood or composite rack. I need advice on how to counter the sound problems of stone or similar polished surface shelf racks. I want to try this, before I consider a new rack or shelf arrangement.

Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter

Showing 1 response by audiopoint

 

Hello OP,

Granite is both reflective and absorbent depending on the material science and finish. The frequency of the shelves vibrating adds to the overall sonic in the environment. It creates additional noise elements or rack chatter. This effect also transfers into the electronics package, producing inefficient component operational performance and affecting their sonic.

I recommend placing a resonance conductive metal or alloy material on top of the granite shelving below the component. Thickness is relative to material selection. This addition will reduce the sonic signature and frequencies of the shelving while establishing a rapid sink for resonance flow. 

The material selection is critical due to natural damping factors related to the materials.

Rubber and cork dull the sonic in components via absorption. 

Springs suffer from spring fatigue. A small amount of fatigue delivers an audible loss in the leading edge dynamics. They are affected by weight, and the design wears out and should be replaced with new springs routinely. 

Decoupling defies the laws of gravity and is a word established by the Audio Industry to sell more products.

I recommend adding component footers after the rack function has improved and installing versions that match the overall design methodology.

We are willing to assist with overhauling the design without charge should you want to turn the granite rack into a performance-driven platform. 

Feel free to contact me.

Robert 

LiveVibe Audio