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.

Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter

@o_holter Is your phono pre also solid state like my EAR 324?   When I used the EAR 864 and the 912 which are both tubed phono and preamp combo, they sound best on the granite on their own feet.   My HW19-4 is used for 78s now and it has a superior spring and rubber footer (a sprung table) compared to the lousy Delrin VPI VI feet (unsuspended).

@pindac - thanks, I have the original Meade tripod, with no internal damping that I can see. Snake it around the body - you mean the telescope? And - what is IS concept design?

@fleschler - my Aesthetix Io is a tube phono. I think the newest version comes with HRS footers. I cannot experiment with feet under the main unit, due to lack of height in the rack, so it is nice to know that tube phonos can sound best on their stock feet on granite. When I get the Nobsound springs, I will test them under the two power supplies of the Io (there, I have enough height).

'IS' is in relation to optics - Image Stabilisation

Yes - The Telescope 

For Static Tripod, I adapted a Hollow Tube Civils Engineer Surveyors Tripod.

I stripped the Tripod back to singular parts, plugged the bottom of the Tubes/Forms and filled with a Liquid Rubber.

The deadness of this design is substantially attractive, but quite heavy, hence the remain in one place usage.   

@o_holter There is a pretty good reason Jim White uses HRS… lose your feet and try 3-4 short HRS Nimbus couplers under your Aesthetix….. i’m up to about 20 of them across 2 systems….

For those who dislike Granite, try two 1” or so slabs w green glue between…. welcome to constrained layer damping….on the low end $.

One thing leads to another...

@pindac - thanks, interesting, I'll try to check out some more when I go to the cabin with the scope in some weeks. Must also find some way so it can stand outside even with rain. Image stabilisation - yes, even my phone camera has it...

@tomic601 - yes I know J White prefers HRS and I have reasons to believe him. Problem is, unless I change my rack setup, the Io only has space for very short (stock) feet, to get enough ventilation above the chassis.

Constrained layer damping - well, I have adhesive damping mats under some of the stone shelves. Result? In the "yes maybe" direction - no harm, but no big positive effect either. Typical of my attempts to improve the rack.