How important is the rack you use for your components

I like a big rack




needs to be well supported

My question is if you have Isoacoustics , Stillpoints, or any other "effective" footer under all of your components, do you need a very expensive rack? If so, why?

Great question ricred, I'd like to know the answer to that also. I'm using Symposium Rollerblocks and platforms under all of my components that are sitting on a solid wood rack I built. I have spikes coupling the rack to the concrete floor. Since my components are already isolated from the rack would it behoove me to get an expensive audio rack? 

@ricred1 

My question is if you have Isoacoustics , Stillpoints, or any other "effective" footer under all of your components, do you need a very expensive rack? If so, why?

In my experience the answer is yes. Think of it in terms of layers of defense. The footer is the last layer to isolate the component from external influences, but it stands to reason that if you reduce the vibration reaching the footer the less it will have to do, and the more effective it can be. In my case my source components sit on the following (from the floor up): GPA Apex footers (a roller ball system) -> GPA Monaco shelving system -> GPA Shelf -> Marigo custom sub-shelf -> Marigo Mystery Feet. So 5 different layers the removal of any one of which is audible

Arguably a solid wooden racking system will be the most in need of replacement as it may store energy and give the footers more to work with

There are of course exceptions -- if you are using an active isolation system such as a Herzan you want to firmly couple it to the floor and not have intervening layers of potentially competing isolation

In most cases, not terribly, unless the components on it are VERY poorly designed.  For a turntable, on the other hand, pretty darned important.

If you are going to worry about the effect of small vibrations on electronics, and i wouldn't, you should be even more worried about where you place whatever rack you use. Is it directly impacted by speakers' bass? Your dishwasher?  The dog wrestling with your son? By the way, who bit who?

I digress.

Many people have a "wall-o-audio" with speakers on the sides and a stack of stuff between them.  I don't. I do have my amp(s) between them, on solid stone slabs (bunch of reasons, few having to do with sound).  On the other hand, my TT, CD transport, DAC, preamp and tuner - all of which one could argue are affected by vibrations, are way on the other end of the room, with long interconnect cables. if i'm not testing stuff (which is rare) they are balanced.  This has a very large effect on vibrations - regardless of whether you decide that effect is audible.  You might also place them on a solid (brick, stone) floor rather than a suspended wooden one. I don;t have that option.

In the end I'd put money into a better pair of speakers, DAC, or TT/tonearm/cart/amp/ preamp before I'd put it into cabinetry - unless you are doing it for aesthetic or convenience reasons.  The results will simply be more compelling, unless you have that elusive "perfect" system. In that case, please invite me over.

I'll bring good wine, promise. 

G