ISOLATION: HRS,SYMPOSIUM,SRA,ZOETHECUS??

Onhwy61 makes some excellent points.

Although I would differ with his last statement that it is virtually impossible to compare different designs. However, it can be rather cumbersome considering what is entailed with swapping out racks.

It’s also important to note that some racks take up to 8 days or more before a settling-in process occurs. Some racks need no settling-in time at all. For some racks that require a certain settling-in time period, it’s like a light turning on in a room once that settling has occurred and it’s entirely possible for improvements to continue well beyond that.

Still other racks can mightily impress with performance gains right out of the box and then still mightily impress you again after the settling-in process has occurred. Of course other racks offer no performance gains at all or can sound worse than what you were using previously.

Without knowing about a settling process, one could easily draw the wrong conclusions of a given rack's performance. Even moving some racks just a few inches may force the settling-in process all over again. The manufacturer should be able to give you some insight if a settling-in process applies to their products.

It may help to re-iterate that there are two main methodologies regarding vibration control, mechanical transfer (aka coupling) and isolation / dampening (aka de-coupling). A third type is somewhat of a hybrid between the coupling and decoupling methodologies where the mfg’er decouples certain portions of their product while coupling other portions of their product.

With that in mind, you may consider holding off making your rack selection until you are confident determining from your own research (then determine from the manufacturer's design perspective) which source of vibration induces far more sonic harm than the other two.

The three primary sources for vibration include floor-borne, air-borne, and internally-generated (transformers / power supplies, motors, etc. within the component itself).

Understanding or misunderstanding which source of vibration induces the most sonic harm will certainly have an affect on the design, execution, and especially the performance if the source of vibration determined to be the most harmful turns out to be wrong.

Simply because dealing with vibrations already captured by the component may require a completely different and quite possibly opposing methodology used to keep vibrations from ever entering the component in the first place.

In the end, there is no reason not to expect the performance gains of a properly designed racking system to impress you no less than a major component upgrade.

Then you get to it all over again when you address the vibration control issues of your speakers. :)

-IMO

The rack and isolation platforms that Joe at Critical Mass Systems is building for me will have assuredly high WAF as well as high performance isolation. It's Santos Rosewood finish with cherry frames. ...and yes, the filters he's incorporated make a substantial difference in sound.

Jjwa, I like my non-audiophile furniture as well. I find using Aurios Classic 1.2 isolation bearings and Neuance Isolation platforms and the like have made a world of difference and I would question if an audiophile rack is truly necessary. Most designs that I have seen would offer no further isolation than what I am employing at present. In any case the mid-50's Scandinavian-modern teak cabinet that much of my gear rests on is rock solid and beautifully hand crafted and is not leaving my living room. One does not have to live like a Neanderthal to glean excellent sound. There’s nothing like a nice rack but that said, you don’t have to completely compromise your esthetic. Onhwy61 observation on the ability to compare rack systems in you environment is a valid concern in evaluating how to spend your money wisely. Isolation components such as platforms and bearings are a much more practical way to perfect a system for your individual needs IMHO.
Happy Listening!

I was at a consumer show, in a room with the Gran Prix Audio rack. It vibrates like a dragster. That CAN'T be good! I'll take proper engineering and function over style any day...

I use the HRS system to great effect with my VPA's and Reimyo CDP.

I use the HRS system to great effect with my VPA's.

Jjwa: I have found the Grand Prix Audio to make a HUGE difference.

A high quality rack can make a difference in bass extension and impact, soundstage width, imaging precision, treble purity, upper bass bloat, etc. Unfortunately, like cables there is a lot a mumbo jumbo fast talk about what constitutes a good rack design. Some of the most effective racks have radically different designs and it is virtually impossible to really compare one design with another. In addition to the brands you've mentioned I would suggest you check out Gran Prix, Pagode, Solid Steel, Mapleshade and Sistrum.

Check out the Sistrum racks from Star Sound Technologies, http://www.audiopoints.com/multiplatformsb.HTML.

They perform extremely well and look good too. My wife actually likes it. She can't stand my THICK cables or anything else about the stereo, but likes the rack.