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'Racks'. Important? Best bang for $$?

Hello, all you rack enthusiasts out there in Audioland. it has come to my attention, in pursuing ISOLATION devices, a rack can either add or detract from the sound one's gear is capable of producing... Wow!

I recently changed mine and went with something more esthetically pleasing, not knowing or even considering how it could affect the Sonics of a system! I found out the hard way. Things got worse. A lot worse! I imagined all sorts of issues and addressed them all, save the rack. .. and only by accident did I find it to be the source of the negative swing in sound quality to my system.

Being convinced, now, a good rack is an important & integral part of the 'system', I would like to prevail upon those of you who have found good quality racks, at affordable prices....

Should they have stone shelves, absorbant, wood, isolated, etc... Coupled or uncoupled?

I think several are in my future... one for preamp & amp. One for the sources, (3, no phono though), and another for proc & multi amp.... it would seem ..or some combination that supports those items. Access, cooling, and ease of assembly unless it/they come put together, are noteworthy too.

Sure would appreciate some other experiences here, if you please. Many thanks.
blindjim

Showing 4 responses by douglas_schroeder

douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
I found Plateau to make a reasonable priced rack and I found the quality first rate; they also do AV racks, which are lower and worked nicely in a HT application. See my system where I put two of the AV racks together to fit underneath screen. You need to determine if it's worth your time/energy to put half the cost into materials to end up with something that may not look as slick as a mass manufactured piece. If you consider your "hourly wage" in the fabrication of the stand(s) you may not be very far ahead in DIY. One site to look at is racksandstands.com
They have Plateau.
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Blindjim, another factor to consider is once you've spent your coin on the tools, it'll take you a while to master using them. And then there's the finishing of the product, stains, polyurethane, etc. When we moved into our first home w. beautiful oak floors that needed refinishing, I thought I'd be "Mr. Impressive" and redo them myself. Sanding was a PAIN in the ass, but edging with the hand sander broke the deal. Almost impossible to steady, kept making waves in the surface of the wood, stripping bits off the moulding. Did about five feet of that and said, "That's it, I'm done. I'm NOT wrecking my home for my ego's sake." Paid to have it done and results were far better. A person has to learn when to leave their pride aside. If you have the skills developed then ok, but if it's all new to you and you're just mucking with it, it's gonna be a long learning session.

Cytocycle, wow, you must be dealing with some seriously heavy gear if your warping the Plaeau racks! I have components up to 60 or so pounds don't make them sweat. Narry a warp or bend. Different models may vary, but they've been rock solid for me.
Not that I have to defend Plateau; they were just a good economical purchase from my experience.
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Blindjim, yes, for sure. I think you'd likely make a more lovely finished product than I could, sight or not! When I built my HT I did the rough carpentry work, but had the carpeting, drop ceiling and drywall finishing (everything that meets the eye) done by the pro's. Well worth the $. When I was in my 20's and single I could live with a "hack rack" - it didn't matter what it looked like. I remember when I didn't have any money and had to outfit my first apartment, I used a microwave shelving unit I got at a garage sale for a couple bucks as my first audio rack! It was dark wood laminated and after the glass door on the storage shelves were removed it held three components. Now, I desire aesthetics to be on a par with the perceived sound quality. Guess I'm older and pickier now.
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Blindjim, LOL! Hilarious! I can 'see' your point!
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