Expensive Hifi Rack any diff?

[admin_exported]

I would like to know whether expensive Hifi rack really make a big difference in sound quality. Currently using just a normal universal hifi rack. Will be change one soon as the current width is too long for my living room. I'm looking at Quadraspire Q4Evo if i going for expensive ones. Anyone can share your experience or source of infomation?

 

[d4v3pum4]

I can't say I've ever compared AV racks, how can you? I've simply bought one that I like the look of, simple as that. I don't believe that they can 'colour' the sound as much as some people would make you believe and to this end, I would only ever choose a rack based on the looks and build quality i.e. like any other piece of furniture. You can read the reviews HERE

 

[Messiah]

I would certainly demo something like this before you buy it if you can.

From my own experience I have swapped a £70 stand for a £300 5 star rated Soundstyle rack in the past and can not say I noticed a difference.

 

[Big Aura]

This is one of my HiFi review bugbears. I think a rack can either wobble and make stuff sound off, or be steady and neutral. Once it's steady, surely it can have no further impact.

Saying a particular rack "serves up a muscular sound that times well, and is able to handle production dynamics and subtleties with ease" seems a bit odd to me.

However, I've never tested a rack, so what do I know? They only hold ones and zeros, you know.

 

[idc]

What I can say is that moving my hifi separates from being piled ontop of each other ontop of a cheap cupboard to a Target rack with metal frame and wooden shelves made a big imporvement., But, if I still had separates, I dont think it would be on my list to upgrade.

 

[Raniator]

I'm sure improvement in sound quality is some sort of arrangement that the manufacturers of expensive racks cooked up along with naive bribable reviewers... it must be the only way they can justify a rack costing £800 being better than one costing £80 that looks as nice. OK, so the build quality might not be the same, but really?! Come on... it can't make any difference...

 

[idc]

Post evidence by your own experience Raniator, particularly before you accuse others of naivety and corruption, or please dont post.

In my experience equipment support does make a difference which I am sure is due to micro vibration, the effect of EMI between kit and ventilation issues.

 

[professorhat]

Raniator:I'm sure improvement in sound quality is some sort of arrangement that the manufacturers of expensive racks cooked up along with naive bribable reviewers...

Yeah, I don't think the site owners would be too happy with that accusation given these...

 

[True Blue]

A good hifi rack has to do the following:-

1. Fit your budget

2. Be rigid

3. Isolate your equipment frrom outside vibrations

4. Look good

Whether you spend £40 or £4000 pounds to achieve this, that is personal preference, each to their own

 

[True Blue]

The most important things when siting your hifi are:-

Making sure it is level

Making sure the equipment is adequatly ventilated

Ensuring isolation from external vibration

simples

 

[Scissor_digits]

True Blue:
The most important things when siting your hifi are:-

Making sure it is level

Making sure the equipment is adequatly ventilated

Ensuring isolation from external vibration

simples

Careful there TB. Posting practical, common sense advice on this forum is often not tolerated ;-)

 

[True Blue]

Scissor_digits:True Blue:

The most important things when siting your hifi are:-

Making sure it is level

Making sure the equipment is adequatly ventilated

Ensuring isolation from external vibration

simples

Careful there TB. Posting practical, common sense advice on this forum is often not tolerated ;-)

LOL cheers.

 

[Che1]

I would be curious to find out the manufacturers design process. Aside from of course minimising vibration in the design, do they tweak and listen to the sound from equipment on the stand they are designing? Do they slightly refine their stand design before production to sweeten the treble, widen the soundstage or create a 'fast' sound and how would they go about that?

 

[JoelSim]

Different materials sound ...er different. Funnily enough glass will give a more glassy sound, wood will give a more natural sound. It does make a significant difference in my experience.

 

[idc]

Che1:

I would be curious to find out the manufacturers design process. Aside from of course minimising vibration in the design, do they tweak and listen to the sound from equipment on the stand they are designing? Do they slightly refine their stand design before production to sweeten the treble, widen the soundstage or create a 'fast' sound and how would they go about that?

Different materials have different damping propoerties for vibration, three legs instead of four may be more stable, but less practical, material costs and over all look are probably the main considerations. Glass, wood, metal, plastic and whether extra damping is put into the stand will be important. My old stand had its top wooden shelf on brackets with ball bearings in them for the shelf to rest on. The other shelves made do with little rubber feet. The top shelf was for a record player.

An Ikea AV stand is designed for cost and looks. A Townsend record player stand is designed all out to reduce vibration. The Townsend is specialist and will cost a lot more than the one from Ikea. Yet Ivor Teifenbrun, the founder of Linn which started with record players, was happy to use Ikea Lacks tables to his demo kit on.

As for tuning, they will have an idea regards glass vs wood first off and then build it and see.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Raniator:I'm sure improvement in sound quality is some sort of arrangement that the manufacturers of expensive racks cooked up along with naive bribable reviewers... it must be the only way they can justify a rack costing £800 being better than one costing £80 that looks as nice. OK, so the build quality might not be the same, but really?! Come on... it can't make any difference...

Here we go with the same old chestnuts: your logic - such that it is - falls apart since, if the reviewers were that naive, the manufacturers wouldn't have to bribe them.

But as ever, if you have evidence of such bribery, put it up. Otherwise...

Oh, and when we had some Forum members in for one of our Big Question features a month or few back, they heard differences when the same equipment was placed on different supports.

Were they naive? Or had the manufacturers entered into a pact with them, too...?

 

[Anonymous]

I changed a couple of years ago from glass & metal to oak and it sounds a bit bassier(if thats a word).
I was actually bribed by "her indoors" to do it to match the revised decor in the room.

I have to say, bribery worked in that instance, nudge nudge, wink wink, eh, say no more.

In the end, whether it sounds good or not and if it costs a quid or a million, if it looks pants then you probably won't be able to live with it anyway.

 

[Sizzers]

Well, this may sound naieve but to my logic as long as it's solid, stable, and sturdy, that's all that's required. Sure, if your speakers are parked right next to the rack then I can appreciate there probably are some vibration issues, but otherwise?

 

[caddyhound]

I had a glass and metal rack and couldn't listen for more than a couple of hours at a time.Changed it to a rack with wooden shelves and can now listen all day.Smooth not glassy.The quadraspire is a good rack.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Sizzers:Sure, if your speakers are parked right next to the rack then I can appreciate there probably are some vibration issues, but otherwise?

Of course, as long as you are confident vibration can only travel through air...

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Sizzers:Well, this may sound naieve but to my logic as long as it's solid, stable, and sturdy, that's all that's required. Sure, if your speakers are parked right next to the rack then I can appreciate there probably are some vibration issues, but otherwise?

What about speakers stands filled right up or half filled or not filled at all. Some heavy, some not so. Some made of steel, some made of wood. All offer a different sound. No different with your rack. Granted, a lot of people won't notice a difference in that they are happy with a decent sound and are not curious at being able to improve it with accessories. At the end of the day, surely, surely people are not all stupid to just buy because they are told to? What other industry hoodwinks people into getting punters to part their cash when there is no difference in the products they sell? Ok, apart from mineral water...

 

[Che1]

Gerrardasnails:Sizzers:Well, this may sound naieve but to my logic as long as it's solid, stable, and sturdy, that's all that's required. Sure, if your speakers are parked right next to the rack then I can appreciate there probably are some vibration issues, but otherwise?

What about speakers stands filled right up or half filled or not filled at all. Some heavy, some not so. Some made of steel, some made of wood. All offer a different sound. No different with your rack.

Speakers vibrate doing what they do... equipment on a rack doesn't.

Would zero-gravity be the ultimate solution? Just have everything suspended in mid-air.

 

[professorhat]

Che1:Speakers vibrate doing what they do... equipment on a rack doesn't.

My Blu-Ray player causes so much vibration that it actually rattles the PS3 which sits next to it. Guess what - they're both currently sitting on a cheap rack whilst I'm in the process of upgrading to a new one...

 

[Anonymous]

Well when my partner and I first set up home my Hi-Fi sat on an old wooden cabinet. When finances allowed I bought a Soundstyle metal and glass rack with spiked feet, yes to be honest partly because of what i'd read about how decent racking could make a difference in sound quality but also partly because her indoors wanted something nice and modern looking for it all to sit on.

All I can say is the difference in sound was remarkable. Open and airy not muted and congested. Not wooley but clearer more precise even punchier. It was like before i'd had a big duvet covering the hi-fi and now it had been lifted away.

Now was it just the fact after spending a couple of hundred quid I was determined to hear a difference as justification? Well I don't think so, because when my partner came in not knowing the racking had arrived and I had set it up, she remarked even on hearing it from the hallway how very different the Hi-Fi sounded, in her words 'simply clearer'.

I've no doubt different materials may have different affects on the sound but all I can say is something solid, robust and sturdy with spiked feet does make a difference.
I've even put my spiked floorstander speakers on black painted cut to size concrete slabs as I have suspended floors and again the sound improved.

In the summer I am looking at converting the opening in the fireplace to take all my Hi-Fi/AV gear and will plaster it out and cement in some granit shelves. Solid, hopefully vibration free it should sound fine......unless anyone can convince me otherwise.

 

[Craig M.]

pompey, make sure the shelves are absolutely level and that might be a good idea, particularly if the concrete hearth stone thingy (technical term) is still there and so seperate from your wooden floor. and there are some differences of opinion on this one, but you're right to isolate rather then couple your speakers to a suspended wooden floor. as you say, can really improve sound - i'm guessing tighter bass?