Solidsteel 5.5 rack: To fill, or not to fill?

Dante,

Symposium Svelte shelves(or Ultra's for source equipment)would be ideal in this rack(since the individual shelves are isolated with the cones)along with Grand Prix Audio Apex feet w/Ntrile balls(there's a pair for sale on this site). You'd have a good looking and first-rate sturdy platform for your components.

I had a similar conversation with Robert and tried the iron plates on an amp stand. The results were not good. I liked the MDF with various footers. Starsound makes very good brass cones. They do work well. However the Solidsteel spikes are very good also. I'm not sure you'd hear much improvement. I'd fill the stands with the Microfill. Then I'd try various footers like Vibrapods/Vibracones, Herbie's
Tenderfeet, myrtle blocks, or some other products. (I've never tried a footer that didn't have an impact on the sound in someway. The trick is to find a product(s) you like to work with, improves your sonics, and fits the budget. Then experiment. I use several different products with my Solidsteel stands, and find what works the best with each piece of gear.
Good luck and have fun!
Sgr

Thanks for your responses. After having a good, really helpful conversation with Robert at Starsound I decided to fill the posts of the Solidsteel w/Micro-Fill, trade out the OEM spikes for AudioPoints, and get aluminum, or cold rolled steel plate to cover all five of the MDF shelves. Hope I don't have trouble finding a fabricator to make the damping plates.

I'll report back with the results. NB: My components are currently on a heavy, wrought iron console with stone shelves, so I won't be able to compare how the system sounded before the tweaks to the Solidsteel and after.

Star sound Micro-Fill. Because the steel beads are uniform in shape, they'll compact more allowing the stand to only be half filled.
I have them in my GPA stand and ampstand.

I have noticed a difference and fill my stands 100%.
BTW; I also own a solidsteel, and use many starsound products.

Change vibra pods to bdr.Big differance in sound.yes i have h6 rack,fill it to give it more stablization(vibrations)and mass.

increase its weight.

that's easy just change the shelving using Corine or something equivalent

I filled it all up with dry (sterile) sand. I just need to increase its weight.

fill it half way and use sand blasting sand its dryer...my take.