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Would a real butcher block be going to far?

My original plan was to purchase a couple of kiln dried maple slabs from the lumber yard to put under my equipment.

Being into antique furniture I decided to look around on Facebook marketplace and was able to find true old world butcher blocks from butcher stores and old farmhouses.

Companies like Butcher Block Acoustics are edge grained and get $200 and up for units that are 2 inches thick or more. Depending on what you would like to order.

Old true butcher blocks are hard maple end grain, which I believe is better, and generally run 10 to 15 inches thick. 

These can be had for as little as $250.

I am curious if anyone on here has ever went to this extreme.

My system is comprised of an Eversolo dmp-a6 streamer, Peachtree Carina integrated and Tekton Impact (not double Impacts) tower speakers. 

Power distribution is via a Shunyata PS8 with a High Fidelity Cables MC-0.5 Helix plugged in to it. 

All of my cables and cords are from Audio Envy. 

bgpoppab

Showing 1 response by bipod72

bipod72
154 posts
 

When you say old world butcher block are you talking about old growth European hardwood butcher block tips or American old growth maple? 

Keep in mind, work-a-day butcher blocks were never made for their resonance response to low end frequency and mass. It was built to withstand butchering.

You can get mass from kiln dried hardwoods and laminate accordingly but I doubt very much you will hear little difference. I've got a 25yo console I made from birch plywood and also had a solid heart pine cabinet I made. The former a piece of movable furniture, the other a solidly anchored built-in. The latter proved to be no better in sound quality. Both were utilized in a raised frame house vs  slab on grade.

The old butcher block, imo, is worth it for the story you can tell, not for the sound quality.

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