Try to find a nice used Billy Bags rack. Very well built and can find them at reasonable prices.
Racks - what’s awesome without impacting my kids college plans?
My search showed the last significant rack discussion to be years ago. I’m thinking 5 shelf, TT on top, upright style, without costing more then I spent on an amp... I’m good with adding sand, even fabricating a granite shelf or two. Any suggestions?
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Sound Anchor - if you want something that is solid, indestructible, well damped (internally with sand), and easy to level and adjust (using their lockable threaded spikes). I made a quartersawn wood top shelf for mine, which dressed it up considerably. If you desire, you could make a wood platform, or use a constrained layer damping platform, for each shelf. However, SA believes setting equipment on the adjustable steel bars they provide to be the best option, for both sonics and stability. I have gone back to a furniture-type option using the combination of a large, well-braced, oak cabinet and the bottom shelf of an oak coffee table with extra bracing underneath. My SA stand is too short for you and I haven't brought myself to consider selling it yet since it worked so well for so long. If you ever scratch one, there are methods of refurbishing the black finish that make it look essentially like new. One potential downside of SA is that the shelf heights are not adjustable...so make sure you have the size you want because they are what they are. The trade-off to the lack of adjustability is that the shelves and the whole rack are more solid than racks where everything comes apart and adjusts. |
dishman442, If you can find a used Star Sound Sistrum SP-101 rack, let alone with 5 platforms on the used market, you could have a sensational sound improvement to each component placed on it. I happened to luck out and have all my equipment on 2 Sistrum 101 racks--a 2 shelf and a 3 shelf, one of which is their larger TT shelf. I use it to put both a phono preamp and the power supply for a Modwright 5400 CD/SACD player on it, plus enough room behind to put the most common used items for my TT setup. The sound is immediately more involving, dynamic, more live sounding like real instruments. Putting my speakers on SP-101 platforms did the same thing allowing me to take out my 4 bass traps in the corners because they no longer made any difference. All the 101’s were purchased used with the one demo TT from Star Sound out of the 5 component shelves. I doubt there is a better sound improvement from putting your stuff on a rack than a Sistrum, other than their own more expensive racks. These were the top of the line. I really doubt I will ever get rid of them from upgraditis. If you did this, and got lucky enough to be able to find RTS couplers to anchor them to each shelf, as I did getting most of them used, the sound improvement basically doubles in quantity. Good luck in your quest, Bob |
@dishman442 "I’m thinking 5 shelf, TT on top, upright style, without costing more then I spent on an amp... " I was just asking the question, Depending on the cost of your amp something between the cost of what @amg56 suggests and a Craz stand from Silent Running |
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As much as I like Sound Anchors for my turntable stand, I would not recommend them for electronics. I had intended to use the two shelves below my turntable for my preamps, but unfortunately anything placed on the steel supports acquires an edginess in the highs that I can't accept. This was true whether the component was resting directly on the steel bars or on a wood platform or rubber feet or some other isolator. It's too bad because the shelves below my table are now just empty space. For electronics I am very happy with my 4-shelf Box Furniture stand. |
What salectric says is probably true for most steel racks. Just not the Sistrum from Star Sound. Just had to add that. I custom built a 2" thick wood shelf unit with threaded steel rods like Mapleshade sells, and the jump in performance getting a used Sistrum 4 shelf rack was quite amazing with zero drawbacks. Adding the RTS couplers, also bought used, really quantified the improvement to a larger level. It also made each component sit rock solid on the shelf where it sat on 3 points prior and you had to push buttons with a light tough so nothing slide on the points. If you're interested in getting the best sound, you should read the testimonials on the Star Sound website. Used, you may get the stuff for about 40% or even less of the list price. |
I have the old Solid Steel’s myself, ozzy, Model 48. All they are is nicely made, somewhat lightweight (in comparison with the bulkier Sound Anchor) tubular metal frames (sand fillable) with MDF shelves, each shelf supported on three aluminum "isolation" cones. I put isolation in quotes because cones and spikes, though touted as providing isolation (decoupling), actually don’t; they couple. Put a piece on cones and move the shelf under it---the piece moves with the shelf. The tighter the coupling, the less the isolation. So you still need something between each component and the shelf it sits on. I have Townshend Audio Seismic Platforms (the original, air bladder version), and either the newer Townshend Seismic (spring) Pods (for my turntables), or Symposium Acoustics and Ingress Engineering roller bearings (for electronics). The combination of the roller bearings for lateral isolation and the air bearing for vertical provide pretty effective, relatively cheap isolation from floor-borne vibrations. Active isolation or the Minus K platforms are far better, but at over two grand a shelf, only for those with plentiful hi-fi funds. |
I have a turntable atop a 5 ft tall rack that sits on a carpeted suspended wood floor. I do not have problems with footfall or feedback. In order to make the tall rack stable and more rigid, I put a cleat on the wall and then used angle brackets to secure the top portion of the rack to the wall. There is no shaking with this setup. The rack is no longer made; it is a custom sized Zoethecus rack. |
http://www.adonacorporation.com/av45m4.html These paper to be very well made / thought out. You could also make your own - when we do Hi-Fi shows I usually bring something like this - easily adjustable, can be "flat-packed" and very sturdy once assembled. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BosMJKWIJcM The Racks in both rooms in this video are made by me - MDF Shelves, Hardwood top plate for the TT on top and 3/4" all thread legs threaded at the bottom for Spikes. Good Listening Peter |
I think the large Mapeshade with 4" shelves is excellent. The 45" wide three shelf was around $2K. http://www.mapleshadestore.com/samsonracks.php I have this for my turntable and all other gear. |
Hi Dishman442, I was also looking for a for an audio rack that would not break the bank. I ended up taking several different parts from various companies to come up with a solution. Stand Design, Audiophile Vibration Control, Via Blue, Finite Elemente and 3M I got the shelves from AVC and liked them very much. They were reasonably priced - something to consider. https://audiophilevibrationcontrol.com Best of Luck |
I did mine DIY and it looks great! I used something like this as my basic plan: http://worldofturntables.com/audio-rack-diy/ For shelves, I got 3/4 MDF, and glued two pieces together so the shelves are 1 1/2 thick, and very sturdy. You can sand off the rough edges, or as I did, use a router to put a smooth edge. Then, I painted with some "stone" paint. And, to dress up that long threaded rod, I used a chrome shower curtain rod, and cut it to length. It fits over the rod and bolts very nicely. All done, it looks quite professional. Still cost around $200 for everything, but better than $1k. See here; https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/7144 |
You can check out http://standmanstands.com/. He makes great stuff and it won't break the bank. |
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