My audio rack is bright, will sand fill help?

Just a thought but whenever arranging or re-arranging components physically, particularly low level phono gear, be alert to any potential RFI or EM noise issues that could be introduced by something as simple as a power wire in a different location. Distance between components and from surrounding wires transformers, etc. can all make audible differences. It took a lot for me to get a handle on this. Adding mu metal foil shielding around my step up transformer was required to get things sounding best. The physical nature of the table or rack itself may have little to do with it as long as it provides a very stable platform. Keeping things low to the floor helps. Having a turntable sit way up high is often a mistake and putting that firm foundation in place much harder.

Adding weight/mass to the platform can usually only help and not hurt.

Whatever the case, good luck in solving whatever problem might exist.

As you no doubt know, many turntables are greatly affected by the surface they're coupled to. I'd suggest you try situating your turntable on an isolated plinth that sounds good and then you'll take the sound of the rack shelf out of equation (more or less.) Personally, I like the sound of the 3.5" thick maple plinth I've had under my previous VPI turntable and the current Acoustic Reference I have. The heavy maple plinth sounds better than any rack surface I've tried.

I would suggest a new rack. I had that vpi for a couple years and my analog performance went up dramatically when I ditched that rack for a mapleshade type design with 3" maple

Filling the tubes with sand may not be a complete answer but it certainly can help.

I think you mean VTI audio rack. As far as I know, VPI doesn't make racks other than the one the TNT came on.

+1 for air dried maple shade rack

However.....

Instead of a whole new rack, go to the website and buy their super thick maple block beveled platform along with their heavy brass footers to synthesize the full rack effect.

I had the "full Monty" Samson rack from Mapleshade. Sure it worked but it was both excessively bulky and butt ugly, so I sold it.

Just to emphasize the alternatives, the NA approach is a heavy mass isolation approach, whereas the UK approach is a "light and airy" conduit isolation approach. Both work .... Which is better is entirely depending on your system.

I've had both.

With my current REGA Isis valve cdp and REGA Osiris amp, a UK approach custom made bespoke rack based on the Naim
Fraim. It performed significantly better than the Mapleshade inherited from a lesser prior kit, and the differences were not subtle. I can't explain why other than the dealer suggested that it is added synergy likely linked as much to the components sonic improvements as you move up the $$ ladder with your system and a better match for a UK designed rack with UK components.

FWIW....

I've never heard anyone say Lamms sounded "strident". Jesus, that rack must be awful. Try some softer footers from Herbies, maybe. But anything that makes Lamms sound bad should be thrown in the garbage. Really.

Symposium under everything on the rack will improve the sound very much.

Placing the relatively low cost VibraBlock Constrained Layer Damper from Machina Dynamica on each horizontal shelf surface can often give relief from brightness and stridency.
I notice that back in 2003 Stehno commented on the need to decide how best to control vibration and resonance along with other worthwhile suggestions.
Perhaps your new rack is going to need so much augmenting and adjusting that Chayro is on the right track suggesting this particular item is best removed from your system.

By all means fill it with sand along with an air bladder platform such as the Siesmic Sink along with some good isolation footers under both preamps.Just my two cents.

I have a VPI turntable stand for my Clearaudio Innovation. I use a 3' maple platform as a top supported with cones. The cones screw into the bottom of the platform. My other stands are maple, but for my turntable I want something more solid that is not affected by vibration.

My stand is filled with sand and it helps quite a bit. Use high grade childrens play sand or that fine gray colored sand. Don't use regular sand.

Henry, what happened to your lab table?
david

Symposium is the answer HELLO.