Equipment Racks
Comments
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The frame cannot really be rotated permanently as a solution, because there are two unsightly bolt holes on the rear of the frame which are meant to remain out of sight.
Those holes are for securing the optional rear grid panel. It's included on some racks but can be purchased separately.
Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
It's fully "modular" so I just tried to go rearrange it and it didn't make a difference. The new frame's alignment is still off.
I really thought that this replacement frame would be the ticket, as the others are lining up nicely.
The only issue with the other frames is that there's one slightly skewed/crooked spike due to another thread bur on that frame, which I could live with since it's one of the rear ones - as long as it doesn't affect the structural integrity.Ah, that makes sense. Front is front. Back is back. And the poles are messed up.
One last suggestion: Would pairing the upper and lower frames in a different order do anything or do they need to be where they currently sit for aesthetics and/or functionality?
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It is too bad it is being such a pain. It really is a nice-looking rack in SComp's picture.
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If a rack flexes from the weight of gear placed on it, it's not doing the job it was meant to do.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Firstly, I agree that you shouldn't have to massage a brand new rack to get it to perform as designed. That said, if you are determined to get it to work out, I'd get a file designed for metal to knock the burr down. Apply heavy tape as needed to prevent scratching the surrounding cap. Any other alignment issues can probably be solved with putting some muscle into it & bending the legs as needed. If that's not appealing, I'd insist that VTI yank the next replacement out of the box and inspect it before shipping. If they won't, time to send the whole shebang back.
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SCompRacer wrote: »The frame cannot really be rotated permanently as a solution, because there are two unsightly bolt holes on the rear of the frame which are meant to remain out of sight.
Those holes are for securing the optional rear grid panel. It's included on some racks but can be purchased separately.
Hey @SCompRacer what is the tube for? Hmmm.
Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
That's his unicorn-fａrt valve exhaust port. That's what makes his system sound so good. I guess the secret is out now.Hey @SCompRacer what is the tube for? Hmmm.
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That's his unicorn-fａrt valve exhaust port. That's what makes his system sound so good. I guess the secret is out now.Hey @SCompRacer what is the tube for? Hmmm.
Thanks goodness. I was thinking catheter.
Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
We have decided to drop VTI as a manufacturer we represent. After this problem with their racks, it seems the quality is not there any longer. I can understand a problem with one rack, but to have the same problem with the replacement is unacceptable. So, if you are looking for AV racks right now, we won't be able to help you. Would love to hear from you if you have suggestions about a good AV rack and speaker stand manufacturer.Sunfire Theater Grand IV
Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature
SRS 2.1TL
SDA 2BTL's
CSiA6
FXiA4
FXiA6
SDA 2A's
Monitor 10A's
http://www.douglasconnection.com -
Solidsteel might be worthy to look into: http://solidsteel.it/s-series-hi-fi-tv-racks-speaker-stands/helipilotdoug wrote: »Would love to hear from you if you have suggestions about a good AV rack and speaker stand manufacturer.
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Thank you Doug for your support through this ordeal, and for communicating with VTI on my behalf.
As you mentioned, the replacement frame still had alignment issues, as illustrated here with these photos I took of it:
Compared to a section that does line up as it should:
While Doug did his best, and VTI did offer to send out another replacement frame section, I've ultimately decided not to keep trying new frame sections and just move forward with the rack as is.
It was frustrating to have to make this decision, as I feel that for the price, the quality should simply be better. The rack itself has good engineering and design principles, but unfortunately the execution of the design is severely lacking.
The rationale behind my decision to keep it, is that I could be trying a new frame section every week, and I'm guessing that each one would have some issues with it that would need to be addressed. The sad reality is that the product that VTI is pushing out today is simply not the same as what they've put out in the past.
At this point, I'd rather just put what I have to use and get my stereo system back up and running so I can get back to enjoying my gear.helipilotdoug wrote: »We have decided to drop VTI as a manufacturer we represent. After this problem with their racks, it seems the quality is not there any longer. I can understand a problem with one rack, but to have the same problem with the replacement is unacceptable.
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I'm old and need oxygen every now and then? I do part time work for a funeral home? It attaches to a bong?
Skip is right, it's for the air bearing linear arm on the turntable. It starts in basement at compressor, exits through media plate into a filer/expansion tank that smooth's out the air pump pulses, up the back of rack to arm. I have a remote to switch compressor on so I don't have to run downstairs.
Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
Sorry to hear, maybe it was a bad batch.
I looked mine over again, everything is aligned.... I have to believe that over time VTI gets better at producing racks rather than worse.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Or they sold out and started using cheaper manufacturing to eithere a) raise the profit margin or b) account for inflation without significantly raising their prices. I just looked over my rack again and a few of my spikes are angled as clipdat’s pictures show, just not as bad. Mine lined up fine when I put it all together although. It’s a shame their quality has fallen off so much2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave
2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius -
Finally putting my equipment on the VTI rack tonight, and after I put my turntable on the top shelf, I notice the dust cover is picking up vibrations just from me walking near the rack.
Then I realized the whole rack would undulate and rapidly shimmy back and forth from me just lightly pushing on the top shelf/frame.
I made a video of me just lightly pushing against the shelf and you can see the resulting vibration undulation through the dust cover of the turntable. You can actually see the waves of vibration dissipate slowly.
Why is it doing this? I thought the point of an audio rack was to reduce vibration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBrAf6s--Xo -
The spikes are adjustable to make sure there is equal contact on all 4 corners. The spikes will most likely not all be bottomed out in order for the shelves to be solid. It seems you just don’t have contact on all 4 corners of the shelf on all shelf2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave
2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius -
The turntable weighs 30 pounds, and the other shelfs all have gear on them as well. There's absolutely contact on all 4 corners of each shelf section.
It wasn't as dramatic until I put the TT on top. I think what's happening here is that each "spike and cup" section is acting like a mini springboard. When I press against the front of the rack and create lateral vibration energy, it has to dissipate. It dissipates by rapidly going back and forth until the energy is gone.
There's actually movement happening in the rack frame itself that I couldn't easily pick up in a video.
It's basically acting like a car's suspension. The sensation when you're driving and suddenly press and hold on the brake, and keep it held - when you come to a stop, the front end suspension compresses, and then that energy rapidly travels to the rear, and then to the front, and to the rear, and on and on until it fully dissipates. Like a shimmy/undulation effect.stangman67 wrote: »The spikes are adjustable to make sure there is equal contact on all 4 corners. The spikes will most likely not all be bottomed out in order for the shelves to be solid. It seems you just don’t have contact on all 4 corners of the shelf on all shelf
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Are there felt absorbers between the shelf and the frame?Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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Found someone on another forum describing the exact same thing I'm experiencing:
"The VTI racks are nice looking and very reasonably priced, but I would caution against their use for a high-end setup featuring speakers and/or vinyl. My local dealer has 4 of the short VTI units holding some seriously nice VAC, Esoteric, and Rogue Audio gear, with a turntable on top; this configuration has no lateral rigidity. You push a little against the top shelf, and the whole stack oscillates significantly for quite a while. The worst combination ever is this rack with one of those Clearaudio magnetic-bearing tonearms up top (I hate these arms, btw) -- talk about egregious low-frequency oscillations!" -
All I can tell you is that mine is solid as a rock. I do have the shorter two wide versio though,2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave
2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius -
Maybe it's because yours is two posts in front and one in the rear, like a tripod style.stangman67 wrote: »All I can tell you is that mine is solid as a rock. I do have the shorter two wide versio though,
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Sorry to hear and see that your rack buying journey was/is so painful. To Doug's credit if the VTI stands are not meeting up w/ any standards and can not back them then he has to drop them as a supplier. I will say your photos do not lie, those spikes and end caps are far from plumb vertical and anyone who denies that is nuts... Lew2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E
H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-
Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc -
With a spike design like that you have to exactly adjust each rack so there is perfect contact on all posts. With four posts this can be an exercise in futility.
When I was trying to level my non spiked rack it was almost impossible to do on a hard wood floor (depending on how anal you are). Its easy to get it to within a millimeter, then the fun starts. I had my girlfriend push down on each corner and I checked the fit by sliding a piece of paper under the opposite post. When it was off I would turn everything upside down and adjust.......then keep repeating, adjusting one post would always screw up the post next to it. It didn't take long to realized home floors are not perfectly level. I could move the rack a few inches and it wasn't level again.
After about 30 min I eventually got it so you couldn't slide a piece of paper under any of the foot pads. But even then not the whole pad, just about 1/4 were touching (the pads are not perfectly square either).
I eventually quit and figured the small gaps would fill in with dust / dirt/ and fuzzy stuff. Who new racks have a burn in time too! -
Just checked mine, they seem very stable there is no rocking motionMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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From what I can see, there seems to be a combination of 2 or 3 issues, any or all of which are contributing to the alignment issues. If the spikes can't screw down flush to the caps, that will create one issue. If the caps aren't seated correctly, that will create another issue and/or add to the first issue. Also, based on some of the images, it seems like the frame has some kind of warping/torquing issue.
Have you tried rotating the frame 180 degrees to see if that changes anything? If the frame isn't square, that certainly should have some impact.
Agree with @Viking64 - Based on the pics submitted earlier, each piece seems to have some element of mis-alignment. Either the spikes were crooked, or the legs, or both, etc. As you stack them on top of each other, the mis-alignment is additive from bottom to top. In my world, we call that a geometric tolerance stack up.
The issue is exacerbated by the mass of each component. Especially at the top. Any tall building will have some amount of deflection (swaying back and forth) just due to the weight, especially at the top floors.
Without re-working each piece, as we discussed earlier, straightening out the legs, spikes, removing material to allow the threaded spikes to be fully seated, you may never get it corrected.
If you were closer to me we'd get that thing in the garage and fix it up!Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Might try taking it apart and reassembling. When you reassemble try putting each section on a flat, level surface and aligning it so it's true. You could also fill the tubes with shot, rice, dried sand, etc.
I bought coated shot to use for the Ushers and some speaker stands. -
One of Murphy's laws " once a job is screwed up, anything done to fix it...... makes it worse! Start over, send bad unit back, get money back, buy something else! Problem solved. NEXT?Main Rig:
Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
MIT exp 1 ic's
Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
AQ kingcobra ic's
OPPO 83 CDP
Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
ADS L1590/2 Biamped
MIT exps2 speaker cable -
Send it back
Now you know, it ain’t easy to find a good rack these daysMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
This is the wobble/oscillation I'm talking about. I'm lightly pushing on the column.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owx0bDh9fWY
