Audio Racks & Equipment Support

I have multiple Adona racks with very good baseline results and have also augmented/tested with Stillpoints, BDR pucks, cones, and other tweaks. The best I've found without spending thousands on things like Critical Mass platforms are from Composite Audio (CF-2010 model). The combination of the Composite platforms and my Adona racks works exceptionally well, is extremely solid and sounds great. Composite also now makes and entire line of stands that you can assemble to fit your needs that are based upon subsequent refinements to their platform design...All this stated, there are many different options that I've seen used by members here with great systems. Take your time, shop around and pick what works best for you aesthetically, sonically and within your budget.

I've used an Audiav Crystal rack to good effect for around a year. Not cheap, but great nonetheless.

http://www.audiav.com/

Get a Solidsteel which will come with isolation(cones in the "5" series and rubber grommets with ball bearings in the "3" series). From there you can add Symposium Sveltes new/"B" stock or used and you'll be ahead of the game(which is what this is).

I just went through a similiar process at a lower price range. I ended up with a Cambre Timber 4-shelf rack for $310 shipped. I missed out on used Samson racks($400+ and a beautiful one at $800). Actually, I purposely skipped the lower priced one due to finances. I did see a couple of Cambre Core racks(solid versus hollow aluminum rods)for sale around $400, but pickup only. I reviewed the Timber rack on Audiogon. For that kind of money, I would want something that claimed some effect on sound quality. Mapleshade's Samson is interesting, or you could build up something from Audiav or Adona(or others). Edensound has a 4-shelf myrtle rack(with solid rods, I believe)for around $380(plus shipping, I would think). You can find their phone number on Audiogon, as they sell their brass footers on Accessories. I have since bought 4-inch Mapleshade amp stands and big brass footers from Edensound. Both of these items added a solidity to the sound. For a cheap tweak, try Eaglesound myrtle feet(which I assume, and they imply, are sized in the Golden ratio) with isonodes underneath(I used the small[32 pounds]ones).

I forgot to mention Steve Blinn Designs racks, which have had a favorable review, and are sold here on Audiogon. I use various tweeks-Adona small brass cones(bottom of rack, and upside down with inserts[for stability]on my Lehmann Black Cube), Isorock Reference 3 prototype(Apl Denon 3910 cd player), Mapleshade rubber/cork/rubber footers, 2-inch maple, and Edensound's big brass footers(under Oritek pre/dac), Mapleshade's 4-inch amp stands with brass feet, and many others. The 4-inch maple and big brass feet give a solidity that may be hard to come by any other way. I am so satisfied with the Eaglesound mytle($3 each)and isonodes(around $15 for 4) that I won't be looking at the approved brass cones for my amps for awhile, and will turn my attention to speaker supports. I think Drubin has it right. If you concentrate on the rack, you can add accessories later. You can look at cheap accessories(or be talked into Edensound's big brass footers)until you understand them better. What would happen if you got the cheap rack, and with good accessories, it still sounded bad?