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Improving a stone rack

Hi all, I have a large stone rack for my system, in beautiful granite, which works great for stability, but maybe not so good for other aspects of the sound. I wonder if it contributes to some treble ringing and harshness. I want to improve the sound, thinking of felt damping on the wall behind the rack, some form of cloth to cover the reflective surfaces of the shelves, and adhesive rubber type mats on the bottom of the stone shelves. Is this the way to go? Experience based advice is very welcome. My rack weighs a ton. It is not easy to compare to a wood or composite rack. I need advice on how to counter the sound problems of stone or similar polished surface shelf racks. I want to try this, before I consider a new rack or shelf arrangement.

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erik_squires
15,750 posts
 

+1 on IsoAcoustics under your gear.  Probably the easiest and most effective solution for any vibration issues your gear may be subject to.  Next, I agree that if your rack is between the speakers it can contribute negatively to the sound.  Consider yes, thick cloth but also short acoustic panels on the side and behind the rack itself.  Also, given the angles, room treatment on the ceiling between the speaker and listener is always a great idea.

ghdprentice
6,398 posts
 

I have a granite amp stand. I found it effective to place vibrapods (there are many alternatives) under the granite to isolate the slab, then springs between the component and the slab. So, micro vibrations do not get transmitted into the slab from the floor and the component is isolated from the slab. Obviously a vibration platform would be even more effective than the springs. 

czarivey
5,692 posts
 

I usually improve stone by getting more stoned. Works for me great!

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,465 posts
 

I tried a granite slab under my turntable a few years back and it had a considerable negative impact on the sound quality.  I tried it in three modes—alone on top of the concrete block pillars (see virtual system), on top of, and below, a 3" slab of maple. The poor sound was present in all three modes. It was a relief to remove it. My back was not happy. I was amazed at how poor it sounded. 

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