advertisement


Equipment stands - here we go again ;-)

Rack Kit

Rack Kit

pfm Member
If your kit is located well away from your speakers, which is going to be around 4m on the same wall in my case, just how much of a difference will a dedicated stand make over say and a sturdy sideboard (with some DIY ventilation added)? I'm thinking of using something that the kit can be hidden away in apart from the TT which would be a on wall shelf above and maybe a CDP on the sideboard itself.

Just trying to integrate the kit into the room instead of it dominating it - if you get my meaning and just wondering if the speaker/kit distance can provide the isolation of a dedicated stand.

Cheers,

Rack.
 
Oh Jesus, here we go.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
Welcome to the latest in an endless round of pointlkess internet debates, to take place here over the next several evenings, the everyweight championship of something nebulous, completely subjective and immeasurable:

In the Blue Corner:
"If you use a dedicated stand then the differences will be apparent, your musical enjoyment will be greater. This can only be detected when you know the special stand is in use because the very act of imposing 'test' conditions affect your ability to listen, so any hope for an objective test is futile"

In the Red Corner:
"Bugger all in the real world, do a back-to-back if you want but we are dealing with solid state components but you won't hear the difference."

Settle back ladies and gentlemen, only time will tell if this one runs for 24 pages of vitriolic personal attacks or peters out after 8 posts."
 
...but seriously, it's good point to keep your kit some distance from your speakers. Mine is in a separate room, behind a solid wall and I don't care what it's sat on as there's minimal vibrations getting to it. I can remote as I use my wireless network so line-of sight not impt. Isolation must be most important with a nice turntable, other kit, much less so or unimportant. Make your house look nice and forget it.
 
Rack Kit said:
If your kit is located well away from your speakers, which is going to be around 4m on the same wall in my case, just how much of a difference will a dedicated stand make over say and a sturdy sideboard (with some DIY ventilation added)? I'm thinking of using something that the kit can be hidden away in apart from the TT which would be a on wall shelf above and maybe a CDP on the sideboard itself.

Just trying to integrate the kit into the room instead of it dominating it - if you get my meaning and just wondering if the speaker/kit distance can provide the isolation of a dedicated stand.

Cheers,

Rack.
Click to expand...

Why don't you try it and see then you can tell us. Some may then follow your comments and find it isn't true for them.

Think of all the combinations of room (size/shape/floor covering/wall covering, equipment) and equipment the difference would vary for each. At best most likely be less than changing a cable, unless your equipment is hypersensitive to vibration then maybe more than a cable.

Which is more important to you the music or the equipment (getting the best from)
 
I'm just about to put my front three 'speakers on a wooden top I've had made that sits on and spans the gap between my two equipment racks. There'll be some sorbothane feet to support it and it's fairly thick and dense. It'll be fine - for me.
 
My lounge system has the equipment rack beside the speakers. My second system has the equipment in a different room from the speakers but uses similar quality equipment to my lounge system. I use Nordost Pulsar Ponts extensively in the lounge system and they make (to my ears) a big difference. Pulsar Points in the second system make an audible difference, but the effect is much smaller than in the lounge system (presumably they are "absorbing" the vibrations from transformers) ... hardly a surprising result.

Nic P
 
If the equipment is above a suspended floor chances are good that isolation will help whether a good stand or anti-vibration hardware above the shelves.
Solid floors should be less problematic.
There you are - not an unpleasant word :)
 
ive tried my system on both wooden floor board (upstairs) and solid concrete (down) and i preferred the sound on the wooden floor. Feel it had a lot more control with the bass. May of also been to do with the rooms i chose downstairs.
 
Take all your gear (except the turntable), Plonk it down on the floor, maybe on a blanket or pillow. Don't try to "arrange" it. Keep it haphazard. Connect it all up & play some music.
OK, how different does it sound to when it was all placed on your sideboard?
If the difference is significant, then you've demonstrated to your self that having some sort of support is worthwhile. That can then possibly spur you on into looking at stands/racks specifically for hifi.
If you can't hear any difference, or negligible difference, then you have shown that spending significant amounts on racks isn't worth it for you, & the money could be better spent elsewhere.
As others have said, keeping the gear, especially the T/T away from the speakers can be worthwhile, except the speaker cables will have to be longer,= more expensive/more intrusive visually.
For my money, the T/T is more sensitive to placement (speakers excepted) than other gear & is therefore worth spending money on a rack/wallshelf that supports it well & works visually.
Matt.
 
walakalulu said:
If the equipment is above a suspended floor chances are good that isolation will help whether a good stand or anti-vibration hardware above the shelves.
Solid floors should be less problematic.
There you are - not an unpleasant word :)
Click to expand...



well done that man!!!
 
Rack Kit said:
If your kit is located well away from your speakers, which is going to be around 4m on the same wall in my case, just how much of a difference will a dedicated stand make over say and a sturdy sideboard (with some DIY ventilation added)? I'm thinking of using something that the kit can be hidden away in apart from the TT which would be a on wall shelf above and maybe a CDP on the sideboard itself.

Just trying to integrate the kit into the room instead of it dominating it - if you get my meaning and just wondering if the speaker/kit distance can provide the isolation of a dedicated stand.

Cheers,

Rack.
Click to expand...


I woiuld suggest not
 
manicatel said:
Take all your gear (except the turntable), Plonk it down on the floor, maybe on a blanket or pillow. Don't try to "arrange" it. Keep it haphazard. Connect it all up & play some music.
OK, how different does it sound to when it was all placed on your sideboard?
If the difference is significant, then you've demonstrated to your self that having some sort of support is worthwhile. That can then possibly spur you on into looking at stands/racks specifically for hifi.
If you can't hear any difference, or negligible difference, then you have shown that spending significant amounts on racks isn't worth it for you, & the money could be better spent elsewhere.
As others have said, keeping the gear, especially the T/T away from the speakers can be worthwhile, except the speaker cables will have to be longer,= more expensive/more intrusive visually.
For my money, the T/T is more sensitive to placement (speakers excepted) than other gear & is therefore worth spending money on a rack/wallshelf that supports it well & works visually.
Matt.
Click to expand...

Nice idea, better yet make a before/after recording to playback at your leisure. Another thing to keep in mind is the change in sound experienced after powering down your kit and refitting the plugs. If anything I would expect a degradation in performance if the gear had been powered up for weeks before the initial power down and the connections have been plugged and unplugged in the last few months. Might be a first interesting test. ;)
 
Tony L said:
There is a good thread over on ZeroGain about microphonics etc that may be relevant.

Tony.
Click to expand...


With repect, I haven't this thread you refer to and certanly don't have time to.

The sceptics we will read what they want into the results (their loss etc etc ).

Most people regard microphonics as a well respected subject.

I think the response is sufficiently strong from the this forum to prove that point....if it needs proving!!

Anyway, guys use your ears, they are boss!


http://www.creative-audio.co.uk/HDLIST.php?CAT=HIFIRACKMAIN
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top