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Equipment Rack - How important in the grand scheme of things?

I have a fairly nice system ($25K or so invested) but I am currently using a cheap rack bought off ebay (1/2" glass shelves with plastic cylinders between the shelves). My amp is sitting on a granite slab (left over from kitchen remodel) on carpet. My system is all solid state with no turntable. My rack is sitting on a tile floor over concrete slab. 

I realize that "everything matters" at least a little, but the question is - how important is the quality of the equipment rack compared to other upgrades I could consider? Have those of you that have switched from a cheapo rack to a nice one noticed much improvement (particularly with SS systems and no turntable)?

On a related note, one of my local dealers sells Solid Tech racks. Anyone with experience with these racks?

Thanks,
Jay


128x128jaytor
tweak1
3,657 posts
 
+1 millercarbon and Geofffait

I have Geoffs springs under every component. Highly effective and very low cost
One of my audio gurus swears by 1"+ glass shelving
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Jaytor, It is important to keep your equipment organized and wiring neatly arranged signal wires away from power lines. A rack helps. Otherwise in your situation (no turntable) it is purely a matter of aesthetics. Everything else is audiophile dander.

Mike 
discopants
149 posts
 
@millercarbon what is TC ? Total contact  ?
rixthetrick's avatar
rixthetrick
1,060 posts
 
I'm using springs under my stand mount loudspeakers.
Also using a thick granite block sitting on carpet over a concrete floor, with a large but compliant spring under each corner of my 98lb amplifier. (The amplifier will slowly bobble for quite some time if I push and release it quickly.)
Perhaps you aught to talk with Geoff about his springs as well, and maximise what you have?

I am about to get a rack built, (which I am designing) the goal is a solid steel tube filled with ilmenite. The two low shelves will be long and also sitting on springs under each corner. Each shelf will be a composite of wood and probably steel plate laminated for mass and rigidity, with a wooden fascia to cover any indication of steel.
I'm going for a goal of under 48". It's hopefully going to look reasonably pretty, however it's primary function is vibration isolation and secondarily to allow connections between components to be shorter runs, and to try to keep them as low as practically possible away from a plane the loudspeakers are operating in.

Currently I am building 4 QRD17 panels from cherry wood, so it's going to be a while before I start and finish my equipment rack.

I have had experience with the Townshend Audio seismic system and it absolutely works, however the similar effects can be had for less cost, combined with significantly more research than a purchase of already well engineered products. I've personally observed great success with high mass on compliant springs (under load), the greatest improvement I have heard is on the loudspeakers themselves, then on electrical components.
Of course, it is plausible that by isolating the greatest source of vibration in a listening room (hopefully your loudspeakers) it aught to remove most of the vibrations through the substrate that could impact the electronics operating in the room as well.


bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

1- Buy a rack or two from Sound Anchors (they’ll make it/them with as many shelves as you want).

2- Make of have made shelves using two stiff and dissimilar materials (slate and Baltic/Russian Birch plywood is a good combo), with constrained layer damping ’tween the two. Take a look at Wall Damp by Acoustic Sciences Corp. (the Tube Trap company).

An alternative to those shelves are those offered by Symposium Acoustics. Their design is a foam center with a sheet of stainless steel on either side. Not cheap, but some love them.

3- Use isolation devices of your choosing between each component and the shelf it sits on. Roller bearings, springs, Townshend Audio Seismic Pods, IsoAcoustics GAIA, etc.

You’ll never need to replace the above.

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