AudioNervosa
Self Medicating => General DIY => Topic started by: mdfoy on February 24, 2014, 12:51:25 PM
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I am looking into a new rack, and was considering DIY(not me on Y part!). With that, what would make the better material for the rack supports, iron, steel, aluminum or some type of wood? The shelves will probably be maple or Baltic birch.
Better yet, would a rack made of iron and wood work well in a rack? Anyone have one, or know of anyone with one?
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If you want wood surface then get thick maple shelves with packed-sand-filled metal tube legs and supports. Maple sounds better than birch ply, btw. Maple is resonant, but it has pleasing overtones and a very thick piece will not be strongly affected from other vibrations and will impart its maple tonality into the components it supports.
If you don't want color added to your components then you want a damped stand. Good description of the concept can be found on this site: http://www.grandprixaudio.com/ (http://www.grandprixaudio.com/)
They make a great sounding stand.
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There's 2 different theories for racks, which not surprisingly also apply to turntables.
- Mass
- Light but strong
For a DIY'er it is far easier to build something with mass. To build something light but strong (and pleasing to the eye) you probably need some measuring equipment to measure resonances and see if you need to add some additional bracing or dampen some part of the structure.
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Lets talk about what the rack holding the shelves is to be accomplishing first. Function ? Aesthetics ? Both ? Would the choice for function rule over aesthetics or visa versa.
I went for function and made sand boxes supported by speaker stands. Then use maple plinths set in the sand. The component depending on which one is either decoupled or coupled as required.
Now if one is using a rack with coupled shelves the shelf becomes more important than the supporting rack.
In my experience mass rules for the rack. Built a TT stand using 75% solid concrete blocks stacked on top of each other. The open cells are filled with play sand. In between the block layers is a damping sheet of vinyl runner. The top blocks with the exposed sand have tennis balls set in the sand with a 2" thick maple plinth.
One can literally jump up and down in front of it with zero affect to the TT. Ugly yes but extremely affective.
If I was to buy a rack Kansco would be my first choice. Mapleshade second.
charles
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All,
Thanks for the responses. To answer a few of the questions, aesthetics are important from the WAF factor, not the end all, but it does have to look decent. I need 5 shelves for the pre and sources. And would prefer a double wide over vertical shelves. We are trying go for a more "furniture" appearance than "audio man cave" look.
The current rack is a 5 shelf, Z thing I got from a friend. It is a fill in for now. The amps are currently on 3" maple boards on the carpeted floor and can stay in that config. I checked on the Billy Bags, Salamander, Adona, Timber Nation, Stand Design, Kanso..... but the prices start getting up there for the configuration I need. Also, price is a factor, I do not want to spend $2500.00 on a rack, therefor the DYI approach.
Mike
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Charles,
I did a search and couldn't find Kansco. Do you have a web address?
Thanks,
Nick
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If you don't mind DIY, you might wanna try something like this:
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=16244)
It is very solid and heavy, visually appealing (I think), and flexible in that shelves are adjustable. Only cost me a few hundred bux to make. And trust me, I'm no woodworker! Don't even have a shop or proper tools. I made it on my front deck with basic hand tools: circular saw, drill, belt sander, etc. But I recommend a table saw for the thick and tough butcher block!
Build details and pics here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=56322.msg492797#msg492797 (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=56322.msg492797#msg492797)
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Been thinking about racks... twhs
:yay2:
The legs and beams could be a composite of 2" steel angle, the kind with holes used to hang garage door openers, glued to MDF wood with PL urethane construction adhesive. They have very different resonant signatures and will damp each other to make a quiet support for your maple blocks. Should be cheaper than tubes filled with sand, just as strong, and easier to assemble since the steel angles have many holes.
You could make a square profile leg with the inside of the angle filled in with MDF, or you could cover the outside of the steel on one side or both with MDF, as long as all of the steel is touching some MDF on one side. PL glue is very strong and will stick to anything, and cheaper and easier to use than epoxy. Being a urethane it remains slightly flexible and so adds some plastic vibration damping.
The MDF can then be profiled to shape, veneered, painted, whatever she wants.
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Nice work toobluvr!
The link to the hardware is
http://8020.net/ (http://8020.net/)
"Industrial Erector Set!"
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Toolbluvr,
That rack is nice! The 80/20 just might work :-k
Nick B. I believe it is Kanso.
Mike
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I've had my Bello double wide rack since I bought my 250 lb Sony HD CRT way back when. Top shelf holds that much weight and bottom 3 shelves will hold another 6 components. TV is long gone so Center Channel and Power Amp now reside on top.
Black metal and tempered glass. Built like a tank and looks sharp.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTMyWDgwMA==/z/W2wAAOxyVLNS5ARD/$_3.JPG)
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Toolbluvr,
That rack is nice! The 80/20 just might work :-k
Nick B. I believe it is Kanso.
Mike
Thanks, Mike
Found it.
Nick
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Does it matter if the metal rack supports are magnetic?
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Magnetically permeable materials like steel are OK.
A static magnetic field coming from the stand would probably be OK, but probably best to avoid it. Most hifi components would not be affected by a weak static magnetic field.
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Toolbluvr,
That rack is nice! The 80/20 just might work :-k
Nick B. I believe it is Kanso.
Mike
Spelling error sorry man. Not inexpensive, extremely affective and absolute furniture quality. www.kansoaudiofurniture.com (http://www.kansoaudiofurniture.com)
The Wife will love Kanso offereings but not the price.
charles
charles
Thanks, Mike
Found it.
Nick
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You got that right! I would love Kanso or Grand Prix, but the wife personally knows her first nickel and the pennies that made it.
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You got that right! I would love Kanso or Grand Prix, but the wife personally knows her first nickel and the pennies that made it.
My Wife still has Her Communion card with the $10 in it. :duh
To be honest it just may cost you a pretty penny with DIY when "Y" is excluded.
Is a rack the only solution ? Why not a used or Antique table, cabinet etc.
If Wifey can live with an open rack. Consider making one similar to what Mapleshade offers. Threaded SS rods [ 7/8" dia.] with wood shelf or plinth.
Look at what Audio Adviser has on closeout. Audio furn is not a big selling item with this economy. Maybe you could get a good deal.
Antique tables and or cabinets can make pretty and function meld.
charles
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Charles,
:rofl:
I am going down the rabbit hole and see Cheshire cats.....
We saw some nice book case, media center stuff at Restoration Hardware and Arhaus. It looks OK, but I was worried about resonance. For example, we saw a nice steel book case with wood shelves, and I was thinking I could use something like that; with the Herbies and maple boards under the equipment, it might work. Then I start thinking about not being able to fill the posts in the book shelves with sand or shot. I have seen some really nice non audio rack stuff that might be used for the system, that is when I thought about placing this post. Maybe someone else has run into this issue, too.
Mike
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I'll repost a pic of my DIY rack. Again, all about mass. However, this is in my dedicated audio room, so YMMV if you are looking for something to fit into a living space and make the SO happy.
Personally, wood always seems to be asthetically pleasing, unless your design style is modernist. To me exposed threaded rod is post-industrial/minimalist in looks. And glass (or granite) shelves can ring like the devil, which is not what you want in an audio rack.
(http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1155818474.jpg)
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Nice work Bob. I use the sand boxes as well. You may consider Herbie's decoupling pucks under the rack. Your speakers as well.
Recently heard a demo of such and was taken back a bit as to the results. Just ordered mine.
charles
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Magnetically permeable materials like steel are OK.
A static magnetic field coming from the stand would probably be OK, but probably best to avoid it. Most hifi components would not be affected by a weak static magnetic field.
Grounding the rack is affective.
charles
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Charles,
:rofl:
I am going down the rabbit hole and see Cheshire cats.....
We saw some nice book case, media center stuff at Restoration Hardware and Arhaus. It looks OK, but I was worried about resonance. For example, we saw a nice steel book case with wood shelves, and I was thinking I could use something like that; with the Herbie's and maple boards under the equipment, it might work. Then I start thinking about not being able to fill the posts in the book shelves with sand or shot. I have seen some really nice non audio rack stuff that might be used for the system, that is when I thought about placing this post. Maybe someone else has run into this issue, too.
Mike
Think Amoire or another heavy wood piece. The interior shelves can easily be converted to accommodate the gear. It can also aide in diffusion if centered behind speakers.
Think outside the box.
charles