Granite = Quality?

[admin_exported]

Hi All,

I have the opportunity to have some granite (20mm thick) cut to size and polished etc for me.

I plan making an equipment rack and using this granite as the main base (my amp and BluRay would sit directly on it) and then hard wood for the remainder (sides and shelves etc) to match fire place.

In my head (a wonderful and simple world) there are only positives but can anyone think of any negatives ?

Regards.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Soulton,

I have just done the something similar with my AV setup, and I guess after buying a new hifi separate setup today I will be doing it again. I bought my slabs from Sainsbury's and Morrisons that are the correct size for hifi and AV equipment at 20mm thick.

If you are building a rack then I would consider buying spikes and isolating each shelf. Also if your a dab hand with a router, buy thin inner tubes for racers and build it in between the shelfs. Then inflate to isolate.

I can only think of positives, I found using granite on my Subwoofer to tighten up the bass no end and I am over the moon with the quality. If your CD/DVD player is not doing error correction then you will have consistent sound quality.

Sorry I can't think of any negatives.

 

[bigboss]

I can think of one negative.........it's HEAVY!!

Just make sure it doesn't form the top shelf, or atleast ensure it's properly secure. You don't want the AV equipmet kept underneath it to crush unnder its weight!

 

[the record spot]

It's solid, no question, but it won't do much for isolation from external vibration. Barry Diament (respected US mastering engineer) has some thoughts on this - check Google out - and have a look at a photo of some Genelec monitors. They have some rubber "feet" that I think would do the job admirably. You need to have a variation on either to get that effect on your kit. Either that or a substantial sideboard or the like.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies.

The granite would only be the 'plinth' section if you like and then all uprights and shelves would be hard wood.

The wooden uprights would be isolated where they sit / attach to the granite by suitable materials and the av equipment that sits on the wooden shelves again would be isolated.

It will keep me busy and hopefully will only add to my system.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Anonymous]

I think granite is an excellent material, but concur that to best isolate from vibration you'll need other elements too.

 

[ESP2009]

Very smart!

 

[Anonymous]

Looks very good 12th.

Question - how are the verticals held in place ?

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks. The bottom 'shelf' is bonded to floor, and each subsequent 'shelf' has granite spacers that are screwed and bonded. It's not going anywhere, even if I were to.

 

[Thaiman]

I don't think put electronic equipment on granite would make any different unless you transfer acoustic interference (microphony?!) out of the system. I am using Vertex AQ Kinabalu High Res platform (marble and granite stuffed with acoustic absorption material that come with coupler and de-coupler metal feets) and the different is quite shocking. I was very skeptic by the way and not until after Paul Messenger use Vertex in his personal system when I decided to keep my mind more open to this kinna gadget, it was an eyes (and ears) opening experience.

 

[theadmans]

For a cheap solution I use a combination of Tesco Finest Granite Chopping boards and Cheese boards (for smaller items). I also use Squash balls (in furniture castor cups) to help disperse vibration.

 

[RobGardner]

I use Asda granite chopping boards under my speakers, I then use a small squares of a composite rubber mat under each corner of the granite block (the stuff you see under children's play equipment down at the park, I found a large piece when I was out cycling one day and brought it home to play hifi with!). This has tightened up the bass quite nicely as the speakers are no longer resting directly on a suspended floor.