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Shelf Material

I have tried so many different shelf materials, and some are better than others, but I feel like I am just spraying bullets that always miss the bulls-eye. So far, I cannot live with the brightness of glass, the ringing of marble or granite, the sluggishness of acrylic, the muddiness of mdf etc. Light and rigid seems better than heavy and dense - in that I can live with the downsides more easily. I use heavily constructed welded steel racks - spiked to the floor and upward spikes supporting the shelves - and I reckon this is right. I like the way bladder products get rid of the resonances that plague shelves, but find that the way they slow down the pace of the music is hard to accept. Does anyone have some answers on this?
redkiwi
redkiwi OP
1,092 posts
 
Megasam, you are right that the range of footers have a wide range of effects on the sound, but if significant vibration is getting to them then all they do is move the problem around the spectrum. But as my quest continues and I am reducing audible resonance through rack/shelf strategy, it is noticeable that different footers begin to sound more and more similar. Footers are an important part in the equation, but to obtin high resolution through concentrating mainly on footers, is not the best way to go IMO. Kdmeyer - I will follow that one up, it sounds very interesting indeed.
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,854 posts
 
Where do you purchase Corian? If it is readily available and stiff enough for a 24" stretch between supports I may want to try it for my second amp/preamp shelf. I do not mean to drive anyone crazier, but the best sound for my CD player so far has been Vibrapods resting on the "Persimmon" wood that my cabinet is made of.
caterham1700
271 posts
 
Dekay, DuPont Corian is a readily available material used for countertop installations and can be ordered thru most home improvement centers.You should have no troubles spanning 24 inches.
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,854 posts
 
Thank you Caterham for not calling me dim. I have seen Corian on "This Old House" but did not make the connection. It is much easier to source than Persimmon.
redkiwi OP
1,092 posts
 
I have played around with the hard rubber footers and Vibrapods a bit more now and my vote is now with the Vibrapods. The hard rubber footers are a bit dark sounding, and may explain Recres not liking Corian. Corian is definitely not perfect - there are probably better shelves, such as from Neuance or the Maple butchers block. I am just saying that if decoupled from the rack (in my case by nylon fishing line) and if decoupled from the component with Vibrapods, I get a good result. The most positive aspect of Corian is a thumping and deep bass, that is fast and agile, but the tendency to mid-range grain rules out spikes or cones.
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