I suspect that any rack that sways from side to side is not sitting on a concrete floor/slab. Almost all sub floors that I have seen have some degree of movement...even if minor. As to racks, the one I use is very rigid...a Sound Anchor three post ( no longer made) and it does not sway from side to side. Today, I would look at the Grand Prix racks and stands...I think they are excellent.
Which rack do you use with your components?
- Thread starter tjwm338
- Start date
are you saying you can push on the side or front and the TT doesn't move a bit ? It's easy to see, the TechDas will jiggle on its air feet. Im not talking swaying from side to side...It's a very small movement. Try it and see if the AFO moves at all when you push/bump into the rack.
The horizontal issue is related to my use of an active isolation table (Herzan) where on occasion a horizontal resonance is occurring in my rack causing some oscillation in the TS-140 horizontal plane (H3). I was told by Herzan and the manufacturer...Table Stable that non rigid stands in the horizontal plane may undermine maximum isolation performance of the device. I think the only solution is to get a heavy duty scientific microscope stand to support the TS-140 active isolation shelf. They are made of rectangular steel and welded in almost a cube like manner. The strange thing is, for the first two years I have not had an issue. I even sent the unit in for service twice and they could find nothing wrong. It is a random, intermittent problem.
Push it hard enough and CMS platforms will move because they are on cup and bearing interfaces between the filters and the superstructure.
Hey Christian did you hear? Motor and firmware updates to the AF1s have been announced. Price ain't bad and no need to ship anything back. Give Bob a call. Ooops. Sorry for the OT.
Hey Christian did you hear? Motor and firmware updates to the AF1s have been announced. Price ain't bad and no need to ship anything back. Give Bob a call. Ooops. Sorry for the OT.
My original rack was a four shelf Zoetecus. It wobbled terribly and was not stable. I have seen even taller ones with turntables on the top shelf.
When I decided to buy a much heavier turntable and add a steel ballast plate and Vibraplane (286lbs plus 110lb turntable) to the top shelf, I designed and built my own rack. It has 3" birch ply shelving and 2.5" cherry legs. It is extremely rigid. It only moves when hit hard from the side. There are two lolli columns under the front two legs going to the bedrock in the basement. There is no deflection in the floor and all is very stable. Isolation is achieved with individual Townshend Seismic Sinks and a Vibraplane under each component. Turntable energy is drained via ball bearing footers to the steel ballast plate and Vibraplane. I have not directly compared this solution to any other, but I am pleased with the results. The design and aesthetics were chosen to match my birch ply speakers. Individual amp stands below additional Vibraplanes match same aesthetic.
When I decided to buy a much heavier turntable and add a steel ballast plate and Vibraplane (286lbs plus 110lb turntable) to the top shelf, I designed and built my own rack. It has 3" birch ply shelving and 2.5" cherry legs. It is extremely rigid. It only moves when hit hard from the side. There are two lolli columns under the front two legs going to the bedrock in the basement. There is no deflection in the floor and all is very stable. Isolation is achieved with individual Townshend Seismic Sinks and a Vibraplane under each component. Turntable energy is drained via ball bearing footers to the steel ballast plate and Vibraplane. I have not directly compared this solution to any other, but I am pleased with the results. The design and aesthetics were chosen to match my birch ply speakers. Individual amp stands below additional Vibraplanes match same aesthetic.
Last edited:
For maximum rigidity, you must have triangulated cross bracing in all three planes.
Rectangles alone don't do it.
Rectangles alone don't do it.
Yes. I considered having solid end sections for ultimate rigidity, but wanted a more open design. When I tested a prototype of my design, the joints were so rigid that the wood broke before there was visible deflection in the rack. I agree with Rockitman, for max rigidity, welded rectangular cross section steel tubes are probably the most rigid at this scale.
There are many good solutions for racks with different designs and at various price points. One decision is whether or not the shelves should be coupled or decoupled from the frame. I think it depends on what you are trying to do with a particular design.
Last edited:
carolkoh
[Industry Expert] Member Sponsor
You know... Gary has designed a rack - and many of our dealers/distributors use it. As well as some discerning customers. 
It is not cheap since it's custom manufactured - The stands are the same HMWA (high molecular weight cast acrylic) that we use in our speaker and amplifier platforms and similar asymmetrical design. The posts are carbon fiber and direct couplers on the base are specially designed cones based on his knowledge of coupling/decoupling and precision machined for us here in Washington.
It's modular - i.e. you can get any number of shelves and posts are 6", 8" or 10" and designed to provide component-to-component isolation.
We don't talk a whole lot about it as profit margin is thin (a lot of labor goes into the QA - making sure it is perfect, fits perfectly and packing) - we didn't plan for it to be a commercial product - it grew organically from a need and when our dealers/distributors saw us use it at shows - had to know where it came from.
Pricing - well, a standard rack with 4 shelves & 6" + 8" + 10" posts run $12,000. Lemme see if I can take a good picture of the one in our listening room.... It is pretty! I love the carbon fiber and clear acrylic shelves!
It is not cheap since it's custom manufactured - The stands are the same HMWA (high molecular weight cast acrylic) that we use in our speaker and amplifier platforms and similar asymmetrical design. The posts are carbon fiber and direct couplers on the base are specially designed cones based on his knowledge of coupling/decoupling and precision machined for us here in Washington.It's modular - i.e. you can get any number of shelves and posts are 6", 8" or 10" and designed to provide component-to-component isolation.
We don't talk a whole lot about it as profit margin is thin (a lot of labor goes into the QA - making sure it is perfect, fits perfectly and packing) - we didn't plan for it to be a commercial product - it grew organically from a need and when our dealers/distributors saw us use it at shows - had to know where it came from.
Pricing - well, a standard rack with 4 shelves & 6" + 8" + 10" posts run $12,000. Lemme see if I can take a good picture of the one in our listening room.... It is pretty! I love the carbon fiber and clear acrylic shelves!
Last edited:
Christian asks an excellent question. I usually try to surreptitiously perform this sway test on every rack in front of me. (Don't worry Steve -- I did not do this on your CMS rack, although I really wanted to!)
The Absolute Sound reviewed many years ago the custom rack of Mike Fredericksen, an engineer for an aerospace company who built heroic audio racks in his garage in his spare time. I ordered from him a rack to match the feet of a VPI TNT Mk. IV.
The rack is all steel welded into a one piece structure. There are no screws, bolts, fasteners or connectors.
My rack is 27" wide by 21" deep by 35" high. The legs are 3 inch square vertical columns. I think I filled the legs with steel shot. The rack weighs at least 300 pounds. This monster is the only rack I have ever found which does not sway.
carolkoh
[Industry Expert] Member Sponsor
This also shows the turntable platform (which you can see has 3 layers - constrained layer damping) which comes with isolation legs and coupling spikes.
Before anyone asks... yes, the legs/spikes next to it on the left is the old design..
*Edit* We don't sell the turntable cover - Gary is happy to give that design away - and I think he has... on a thread here somewhere.
Yes, that is the type structure that is needed to be most rigid. I was talking to Herzan who distributes table stable isolation devices and they indicated they build custom welded support structures to customer spec. So they are another option. I am currently experimenting with stiffening my current rack using two compression ratchet straps around the legs. It's improving the rigidity a bit. In the end though, one must weld the joints for best strength.
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Initially when my rack was installed I noticed shaking, so much do that I spoke to Joe about it he suggested I check that each post as well as the spikes are screwed tightly all the way in. It didn't even require the components be removed to check this. Sure enough just about every post could be tightened as could the spikes. Once I did this I've noticed noticed nothing obvious. I'm sure as Jack and Ron say there's movement. Im just saying nothing that I hear.
Something like this for my TT with the TS-140 on top. Very rigid.
Attachments
That rack is essentially a Sound Anchor with the Herzan. The Sound Anchor i utilize is exactly like that but with three posts instead of four. VERY rigid and stable.
I'm going to check them out.
http://soundanchors.com/products/2045/component-stands
Not sure that is rigid enough. Not all joints are welded it appears.
Christian, according to the Sound Anchors web page, all of their joints are welded. I know that on my rack all of the joints are welded and the three point structure is incredibly rigid.
Okay, I stand corrected. They do not seem as rigid as something custom like this though...I think if I am going to replace my TT stand, something similar to this will be it.
Attachments
Similar threads
