Do equipment stands have an impact on electronics?

I've always found that stands with speakers on them must have zero back and forward motion, as the drivers move this way.
Any back and forward motion of the stand will be lost energy being projected into the room, being waisted by the drivers instead trying to make the stand move back and forward, even in unmeasurable amounts.
You loose micro detail and screw up your imaging.

Hi George (of Lightspeed fame).  That is an interesting point.  I am a big fan of time/phase alignment of speakers.  It would be an interesting thing to measure.  

Had a few racks, homemade with nice wood and bought online, which held the equipment but offered little in sound quality improvements. Then I bought a Star Sound Sistrum rack and SP-101 platforms for my speakers. Both the rack and the speakers improved the sound considerably so that I was able to remove some traps and get great increases in clarity, transparency, and dynamics with no drawbacks.

dorkwad, that is also a good observation.  So less of a need for in-room energy management.  That has been my experience as well.

IMO/IME its really important that that the system have the ability to not sound loud even when it really is. An orchestra can play peaks of 115db; the stereo should not add anything of its own during playback. At high sound pressure levels vibration can affect turntables, CD players and all electronics whether tube or solid state (if you think transistors are immune to microphonics you've not spent time working with them!).

So a stand with vibration control for the front end of the system (sources and preamp) is not only in the signal chain but can be considered a component in its own right.

That's great feedback Ralph and describes precisely what I have experienced.  Since you are an engineer and manufacturer like Geoff, any thoughts on why SS devices would be vulnerable?

jab
351 posts
10-04-2016 9:04pm
I believe that maple has a profound affect with electronics, more so with electronics than with speakers. Try maple before you decide.

one thing to consider is that the material used for the top plate of an isolation device, for example one placed on a shelf of a rack, is considerably less important than when used alone, supported by cones. For example, many folks complain that granite and marble ring too much and shouldn’t be used for audio. In fact - for isolation applications - granite and marble are very appropriate for isolation device top plates since they are very stiff and hard materials. Hardness and stiffness are important attributes when resisting rotational forces. The potential for ringing is minimized by virtue of the fact the top plate itself is isolated along with the component. I’m also a big fan of bluestone for use as a top plate on springs or air bladders as it’s inexpensive and can be found in nice 3" thick slabs. I think you’ll find 3" slabs of bluestone don’t ring a whole lot.