Racks - what’s awesome without impacting my kids college plans?

Look at the Solid Steel racks.  They are very well made, very sturdy and won't break the bank.

Sound Anchor - if you want something that is solid, indestructible, well damped (internally with sand), and easy to level and adjust (using their lockable threaded spikes).  I made a quartersawn wood top shelf for mine, which dressed it up considerably.   If you desire, you could make a wood platform, or use a constrained layer damping platform, for each shelf.  However, SA believes setting equipment on the adjustable steel bars they provide to be the best option, for both sonics and stability.

I have gone back to a furniture-type option using the combination of a large, well-braced, oak cabinet and the bottom shelf of an oak coffee table with extra bracing underneath.  My SA stand is too short for you and I haven't brought myself to consider selling it yet since it worked so well for so long.  If you ever scratch one, there are methods of refurbishing the black finish that make it look essentially like new.  One potential downside of SA is that the shelf heights are not adjustable...so make sure you have the size you want because they are what they are.  The trade-off to the lack of adjustability is that the shelves and the whole rack are more solid than racks where everything comes apart and adjusts.

Huh. Sound Anchor.  I sold their speaker stands years ago but not racks. They sell racks prefilled?  What must they weigh/cost to ship?  

Good thoughts everyone!   Anyone else have a suggestion?

Jperry, I realize amp cost is a decent qualifying price point question, but I prefer to just look for good value - great sound suggestions and go from there

dishman442,

If you can find a used Star Sound Sistrum SP-101 rack, let alone with 5 platforms on the used market, you could have a sensational sound improvement to each component placed on it. I happened to luck out and have all my equipment on 2 Sistrum 101 racks--a 2 shelf and a 3 shelf, one of which is their larger TT shelf. I use it to put both a phono preamp and the power supply for a Modwright 5400 CD/SACD player on it, plus enough room behind to put the most common used items for my TT setup.

The sound is immediately more involving, dynamic, more live sounding like real instruments. Putting my speakers on SP-101 platforms did the same thing allowing me to take out my 4 bass traps in the corners because they no longer made any difference.

All the 101’s were purchased used with the one demo TT from Star Sound out of the 5 component shelves. I doubt there is a better sound improvement from putting your stuff on a rack than a Sistrum, other than their own more expensive racks. These were the top of the line. I really doubt I will ever get rid of them from upgraditis.

If you did this, and got lucky enough to be able to find RTS couplers to anchor them to each shelf, as I did getting most of them used, the sound improvement basically doubles in quantity.

Good luck in your quest,
Bob