I guess that depends on whether any of the components sitting on the rack are particularly microphonic. If they are then I guess it could make a difference.
Some electronic components (eg ceramic capacitors) will actually get a voltage across them when subject to vibrations, which can affect the sound.
The best thing is not to use any microphonic components in the first place though
Tony.
Some electronic components (eg ceramic capacitors) will actually get a voltage across them when subject to vibrations, which can affect the sound.
The best thing is not to use any microphonic components in the first place though
Tony.
I noticed a subtle difference when I moved my componentry from a set of furniture shelving to a dedicated audio rack. The kind I purchased has removable sections, as they simply stack on top of each other via spikes on the supports. The bottom spikes pierce through my carpeting to the concrete slab beneath my listening room, so the rack even feels more sturdy than anything I've used prior. I get no feedback whatsoever through the turntable and in fact, even with the volume cranked up, you barely feel any vibration in the shelving.
The racks I really wanted were made by Atacama, but being in the UK, they did not have a US distributor at the time. They appear to be really well made (the shelves are bamboo), and use the same type of stacking system my cheaper rack has--notice how each level is "spiked."
Home Page| Atacama Audio UK
The racks I really wanted were made by Atacama, but being in the UK, they did not have a US distributor at the time. They appear to be really well made (the shelves are bamboo), and use the same type of stacking system my cheaper rack has--notice how each level is "spiked."
Home Page| Atacama Audio UK
Microphonics. Who knew. What about those subwoofer systems where the amp is inside the booming enclosure? Doesn't affect solid state?
Apparently vibrating wire also has an effect.
Apparently vibrating wire also has an effect.
Not hifi, but in pro audio we have certain concerns.
It depends upon the equipment. SOme power amps have large fields from their power transformers, and sensitive preamps or other processors are right on top of them in the rack, the field can couple into the preamps causing hum. usually putting a one space between is enough.
Also, the chassis of each piece will ground to the metal rackrails, and so has the potential to complete a ground loop, also causing hum. This applies to real racks where each piece is screwed to a common frame. Many hifi "racks" are in reality just vertical shelving enclosed. If there is no metal structure the gear is screwed to, we don;t call it a rack, and ground loops would not be an issue.
Microphonics is not an issue I run into, but I could see it as potential noise source. In live sound production there are often very high sound pressure levels around the racks of gear.
Whoever mentioned ventilation above gets a star too. Our racks usually have an open rear, or at least a rear with removable cover. This leaves room for air to move, and any fan cooled unit has breathing room. ANy thing with a fan needs to have the fan clear, but if the fan blows out the front, there needs to be open in back to allow makeup air. Especially if the back of your rack is NOT open. I once had a customer complain his power amps in a rack were overheating. He added a panel with three fans on it to help, but it made it worse. It seems the fans on the amps were blowing IN, and the fans on the rack fan panel were also blowing IN, which then fought the unit fans. With all fans blowing in, there was no net air flow. he reversed the fans on his cooling panel, and problem solved.
Any unit with vent holes on the top should not have another unit right on top of it.
It depends upon the equipment. SOme power amps have large fields from their power transformers, and sensitive preamps or other processors are right on top of them in the rack, the field can couple into the preamps causing hum. usually putting a one space between is enough.
Also, the chassis of each piece will ground to the metal rackrails, and so has the potential to complete a ground loop, also causing hum. This applies to real racks where each piece is screwed to a common frame. Many hifi "racks" are in reality just vertical shelving enclosed. If there is no metal structure the gear is screwed to, we don;t call it a rack, and ground loops would not be an issue.
Microphonics is not an issue I run into, but I could see it as potential noise source. In live sound production there are often very high sound pressure levels around the racks of gear.
Whoever mentioned ventilation above gets a star too. Our racks usually have an open rear, or at least a rear with removable cover. This leaves room for air to move, and any fan cooled unit has breathing room. ANy thing with a fan needs to have the fan clear, but if the fan blows out the front, there needs to be open in back to allow makeup air. Especially if the back of your rack is NOT open. I once had a customer complain his power amps in a rack were overheating. He added a panel with three fans on it to help, but it made it worse. It seems the fans on the amps were blowing IN, and the fans on the rack fan panel were also blowing IN, which then fought the unit fans. With all fans blowing in, there was no net air flow. he reversed the fans on his cooling panel, and problem solved.
Any unit with vent holes on the top should not have another unit right on top of it.
Have you ever heard a good sounding Hi Fi in a chipboard cabinet?
I once had a AR turntable with Merril mod kit and a Musical Fidelity pre-amp.
I isolated the turntable but had the pre-amp on a wood cabinet. I had more blurring of the sound from the preamp than the turntable. The system only really worked once I moved the pre-amp to a dedicated support.
I once had a AR turntable with Merril mod kit and a Musical Fidelity pre-amp.
I isolated the turntable but had the pre-amp on a wood cabinet. I had more blurring of the sound from the preamp than the turntable. The system only really worked once I moved the pre-amp to a dedicated support.
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I put very little trust in reviews if they are in a magazine full of paid advertisements. I tend to like looking at the colour photos and that's about it. A stand which provides a stable base for your gear should suffice - turntables and associated very-high gain pre-amps may require extra diligence. I've found the most critical item for good CD reproduction is the quality of the recording as a half-decent modern CD player will soon show up the crap that most of us own.
In my view, the best investment you can make is not the rack, not any part of the system actually (if you press me, I'd say 'speakers'), but rather having a good selection of well recorded music, a nice place to listen to it, and peace in your life so you can sit down and do the listening !
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Come to think of it most rack systems have the turntable and all equipment in one rack (or shelves).
Even with a rack, how would you isolate a turntable? Lots of surface to vibrate from low frequency sound.
Greater mass of rack and shelves so much the better.
Shelf material is also important, with heavy 50mm plywood, natural granite, natural marble or engineered stone etc all sounding subtly different.
Car engine valve springs work very well as vibration isolators under shelf and/or directly under equipment and are free for the asking from wreckers or engine repair shops.
Dan.
Shelf material is also important, with heavy 50mm plywood, natural granite, natural marble or engineered stone etc all sounding subtly different.
Car engine valve springs work very well as vibration isolators under shelf and/or directly under equipment and are free for the asking from wreckers or engine repair shops.
Dan.
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Racks
I wasn't able to find one I both liked, and could afford.
This was made from one sheet of 4x8, 3/4 inch birch plywood.
The top shelf and its supports are cut from a 72"x25.5"x1.5" laminated bamboo countertop. Three 24"x12"x1.25" granite slabs are under my turntable, linestage, and CD player. It's been my understanding from an audiostore salesman, somewhen about 1987 you want high mass under those components. These were picked up from offcuts at jobsites over a couple years.
The bamboo seems to glow, and the birch is pleasantly figured, after a couple coats of Teak Oil. It's a large rack, and I think the sound quality probably benefits from getting the power supplies far apart.
Only the top two shelves have components actually plugged in.
This was a kitchen table project, done over a couple weekends, not exactly cheap, but much less expensive than a ready made option.
I wasn't able to find one I both liked, and could afford.
This was made from one sheet of 4x8, 3/4 inch birch plywood.
The top shelf and its supports are cut from a 72"x25.5"x1.5" laminated bamboo countertop. Three 24"x12"x1.25" granite slabs are under my turntable, linestage, and CD player. It's been my understanding from an audiostore salesman, somewhen about 1987 you want high mass under those components. These were picked up from offcuts at jobsites over a couple years.
The bamboo seems to glow, and the birch is pleasantly figured, after a couple coats of Teak Oil. It's a large rack, and I think the sound quality probably benefits from getting the power supplies far apart.
Only the top two shelves have components actually plugged in.
This was a kitchen table project, done over a couple weekends, not exactly cheap, but much less expensive than a ready made option.
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"'Much ado about nothing" Aside from turntables & acoustic feedback, magnetic fields & ventilation ...there are no other issues, despite the claims some guys $750 rack "sounds better" than boards & bricks he had used before.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...