I never guessed the rack between my speakers would have an impact. I had a stack of 4 pieces of gear on a pangea rack. I spent hours getting the speakers just right. I sold a couple of the pieces and set the remaining gear up on a small table between the speakers leaving the speakers unmoved. When the amp warmed up and I started listening to music again the difference in imaging was obvious, an unexpected and marked improvement.
I Was Stunned
For years I have resisted a rack for the front end gear because of concerns of the effects of hard vertical surfaces at or near the same height as the tweeters and midrange drivers affecting the center image and the illusion of a soundstage.
My gear sat on the floor.
And then I got an idea.
A few weeks ago I visited with a friend who is also a craftsman and artisan.
The rack I designed and he built is made from 1" square steel tubing.
All tubes are filled with sand before being welded together.
It has two shelves made from 1.5" butcher block. They are 18" deep and 48" wide.
The top shelf is 20" high.
The tweeters are 48" high, the midrange 40".
The shelves are isolated from the frame with silicone.
It is non-resonant, heavy, solid and gorgeous.
It sits on a wood floor, over a concrete slab.
I wasn't expecting what I heard. Amazing transformation. Greater clarity, cleaner highs, mids and lows. More natural timbres. Better dynamics.
You get the picture.
I was stunned.
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- 61 posts total
- 61 posts total