I recently used a home depot butcher block top and Kreg workbench legs to hold my two chassis preamp. $225. Sounded great. I am a woodworker hobbyist but too many projects for house in front of that. Eventually changed the layout cause I couldn't easily get to the monoblock amp terminals under the stand due to front crossbrace. I am currently using the cheaper solid steel, target, early 2000's turntable stands, sound organization and sound anchor. All sound good, just using what i have. And I used the boards and cinder blocks recently.......
Please tell me the wait will be work it......my rack
The supply chain issues have certainly sucked. I am waiting for the LAST piece of my set up.....my rack. I’ve been waiting over a year for all my components to come in and the rack has been the longest wait. Please tell me it’s worth the time and $$$ or offer other options for consideration that may be more available. My brother offered Critical Mass but I am trying to save a few bucks, and not clear if they have the same supply issues. Appreciate your thoughts in advance.
Lance
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I can't believe guys seriously recommend VTI racks, especially in a thread where OP has a CMS on order! The VTI racks are adequate for displaying a toy collection. Not for housing a high-end system. Definitely very bad for supporting a turntable. I've seen very nice tables struggle with feedback issues on a VTI and on my Lovan (which is very similar to VTI, but more rugged). Filling the legs with sand or shot actually makes everything worse, because the main problem with these racks is they lack rigidity (because they're cheap as hell). When I upgraded from the Lovan to a CMS Maxxum, all the feedback issues went away. ALL of them. It was orders of magnitude in difference. I'm now putting together a 2nd system and have to use a nice turntable on the Lovan again (for the time being), and I hate it. I have an extra CMS platform I'm using which actually helps a lot, but the rack underneath really needs to be more rigid. OP, your CMS Maxxum is one of the finest components money can buy - treat it as a major component, not an accessory. If your system is high-dollar, proudly run you gear on it! It's a statement piece that will make you smile every time you see and hear it. I know CM has had some production issues since they moved the factory last year. But it's worth the wait. I've had mine over 5 years now. |
@dodgealum that is what we are doing, racking the amps and wall-mounting the TT. |
One caveat to my post—racks that are carrying a turntable are a different matter. Best is a wall mount shelf unless you are on the basement level in which case a higher quality rack offering superior isolation for the turntable is worthwhile. On a suspended floor a better quality rack for the turntable can help but the best option is usually a wall mount shelf. |
I can vouch for my Artesania Esoteric rack. And it looks fantastic. Really completes my system, and every component is isolated from the frame. They don't use shelves, instead wee shock absorbing pucks made from non conductive material support the components. There's no point grounding my rack, as it doesn't conduct anything from the frame into the components.
Interesting that folk speaking against well-designed and built racks are so passionate about something they know nothing about. Very curious...what drives such people? Determination to never learn anything? I have never heard of someone with a decent rack then casting it aside as a failed experiment. They don't seem to come up second hand. |
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XANAX is indicated for the management of anxiety disorders and the short-term relief of symptoms of anxiety in adults. XANAX is also indicated for the treatment of panic disorder in adults with or without a fear of places and situations that might cause panic, helplessness, or embarrassment (agoraphobia). But seriously folks, you may all be right to a point. I moved everything from an IKEA stand to Quadraspire with anticipated improvement and got it! 20K may be beyond my reasoning, but no doubt it's great! Save the outrage for your green grocer. |
I’ve got older Core and Zoethecus racks in the main system and am extremely pleased with their engineering and performance. It does look like the price of Core has skyrocketed since I purchased my rack, and Zoethecus is out of business. But, in a resolving system, racks (like every detail) can definitely make a difference. |
The only racks I've used and really work are Quadraspire. My latest is the SVT2 used in my wife's system. It completely cleaned up the smearing and provided more space between all vocals/instruments. Attack is much better with improvement in sound staging. System is Rega Apollo, Luxman 509X, Mojo Mystique' 3, Decware ZLC power conditioner and commensurate cabling with ATC 20 passive monitors. The rack is beautiful, functional and low slung. https://quadraspire.co.uk/price/uk/SV2T/natural-black.php
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@meadski I put an order in for butcher block acoustics almost 7 weeks ago. It is also my last piece for my stereo as well. Getting pretty excited. Haha |
@meadski It's easy to get carried away with Black in this hobby. Going off the reservation with a speaker grill to accent the rest of the room. 40" x 83" Garnet Red trimmed in dark Cherry. Last system I'll ever build but I may need to build a last house to properly accomodate it all. 😂
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@thyname, Yep...I'm old! And the same "uplifting" wishes for you in 2023 🤘😎🤘 |
@bigtwin - I hear you. I am not the handiest person but not a problem anchoring a rack. It looks nice, dig the design and black color. @simao - my wife has sign-off on design and has "certain veto powers" she has already exercised. She has been open to most ideas but wanted "none of your stuff on the floor." We were going to put in recessed vertical rack into a closet wall adjacent to the Speakers. We could never find a contractor to help us get it done |
I wish I were that clever! 😂 Alas, that it not at all what I meant when I said "wooden sound". I was just making a play on words since I had described using 2 x 4 wooden planks on top of cinderblocks for my stereo rack system. That was, indeed, my very first stereo stand back in 1976. Worked perfect for me all the way through my graduation from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1985!
Happy New Years and enjoy the music not the drama.
Allen |
No horse on this race, but judging on what you wrote, I personally implied genitals (I.e male dick) from your post. Maybe my mind is a bit perplexed, but it is what it is. The moderator likely had same thoughts:
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@meadski I'm in the process of a major re working of my system. Picture of older version is posted above. I'm having to move some of the heavy peices. Here's where I am to date. I've mounted a 2x4 to the wall, supporting the back side of a Butcher Block piece 24 x 60. Three 2.5" dowels for front leg supports. 320 pounds of amps & power conditioner on top. Won't be finished unitl May when my SoundLab 745's arrive. My point here would be don't limit yourself to spending a lot of money when a little hands on can work if you set your mind to it?
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@bigtwin I most certainly did not think there would be so much interest in this. My ask was for other racks to consider as my Basso Continuo racks have been delayed almost 4 months! My brother uses Critical Mass but they are a bit out of my budget. I appreciate all of the comments about racks i had never heard of....and am reading up on them all. I have large McIntosh gear so not all racks will work (Basso builds with Mc in mind). My dealer reopens tomorrow (the 3rd) and will be consulting with him on some of these options. i like the concept of a less-expensive rack coupled with newer dampening technology(s). Appreciate all the banter here...new to Audiogon, Should have made this investment years ago!!
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Admin,
Can you private message me and tell me what profanity was used? I have no recollection of using any profanity in the post. I'd seriously like to know what was removed. If I slipped up and indeed used profanity, I am truly sorry and regretful. But again, I am at a lose to remember ANY profane language used. Thank you.
Allen |
@meadski So you have recieved a lot of feedback. What's your takeaway? |
@allenf1963 The post was removed because it contained profanity. That's all. |
This site is becoming more and more like North Korea with the actions of the Moderator’s. (Let’s see how long this comment stays up -- posted at 5:16 p.m).
I see Forum Members joking back and forth with others on this site all the time, especially on threads involving extremely expensive ticket items. I made the following post yesterday on this thread, and found out today it had been removed due to being abusive:
If ANYONE was offended or abused my my apparent bad attempt at humor, I am truly and deeply sorry. No harm to humans or animals was meant. Happy New Years, fellow music lovers, and may 2023 bring certain individuals just a smidgen of a funny bone.
Allen
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Yes @stereo5 i am close to outgrowing mine as it only has 5 shelves. |
@pops, I had an Arcci Superstructure rack from 1990-2002. Too bad I outgrew it. |
For those interested in the VTI racks, I owned one briefly. It rang like a bell and contributed a bright sheen to the overall sound. I tried filling the frame and legs with sand and that didn’t help. And the design doesn’t allow for this easily. They look nice, but I wouldn’t recommend for a serious system. I will give another shout out for Butcher Block Acoustics. Great product at a fair price. |
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@thyname those folks are clueless. I have F&R rack and it is awesome. |
@bigtwin nice rig! |
I have Mapleshade equipment rack and amp stands: https://shop.mapleshadestore.com/SAMSON-Equipment-Racks_c_24.html Based In Baltimore (MD) and using aged (natural sun) maple wood sourced from the Amish in PA. Some people find them ugly. I love them aesthetically. Subjective. Performance wise, I think they have no peers at the price range (then some)
🙄🙄🙄. You naysayers never disappoint. Isolation, resonance control, are real, and very objective (meaning: measurable). If you group yourself as a an objective dude, even if you measured nothing in your life (other than reading ASR), you should read more |
@jerryg123 Thanks Jerry. It's an ever evolving process. Lucky for me I enjoy having a hands on project on the go at all times. |
@bigtwin nice rig! |
@audiotroy Sorry guys, expensive racks are for suckers or folks with more money than sense who want added bling factor to impress their buddies. Can they improve performance, particularly in poorly constructed rooms with full range systems that generate lots of energy? Sure, maybe a little but at what cost and where could those dollars be spent more effectively? |
I use 3 Solid Steel racks between my 2 set ups. They were expensive to me but worth it. They are solid as a rock and I believe my outlay was around $2500.00 for the 3 racks, purchased at Music Direct and delivered within 3 days. The Pangea racks are garbage. I owned one but found the curved front to the shelves would not allow my equipment to fit without overhanging the shelves. I know the Mac equipment is bigger than most other brands and the rack was straining under the 80-pound weight of my Mac integrated. Compare the Pangea rack to the SS and you will see for yourself how flimsy the Pangea is. I have found most Pangea items to be low quality. |
