Bought some new racks for the gear

mantis

Ron-P wrote: »

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I've never put much coin into racks, of course, I've never had a problem so until I do, I won't dump a lot of money into them.

The nice thing about these racks is the threaded feet. I can get some spikes to screw into the bottom of the legs instead of the rubber feet supplied, doing this should really cut back on vibs that may get to the gear.

Just finished getting the bulk of the gear on the racks and wired up. I need to buy one more set so I can get a couple more shelves. Lots of clean up and wire management to come but for now, it's time to watch Van Helsing on Blu...

If you like it Bro well thats all that matters, I would not use them either. I'm with Madmax on this one.
I take great pride in my racks , when people make me use these types of things for gear , I lose interest in the job.

If you do good wire management then they should look ok. Good luck with that.

Sherardp

Agreed with Mantis, as long as you are happy with it, then that's all that counts. Personally I figure since I spend a ton in gear then I at least want some nice shelving to hold it all. Sure I agree with not spending a ton of cash to do so, I'm with you on that level. However something a tad bit better would definitely make that setup stand out more. Again not crashing your party, but something to consider, while still staying relatively cheap.

http://www.racksandstands.com/VTI-BL404-VI1001.html

Ron-P

Hey, like I said earlier, it's not for everyone.

But it's cheap, functional and faster (and cheaper) then building new ones. Unlike you guys, I don't care about racks or having my gear stand out. Heck, if I was able to I'd do like I did before and hide it all behind a false wall so none of it can be seen, but that won't work with this set up too well, I still may try at some point though.

I'm one who'd much rather have all my gear hidden away and unseen.

Got the screen rehung and some more work done. All I really need to do now is get some black split-loom and do some wire management and I'm done.

Face

Mickey looks kind of lonely over there.

Ron-P

Like that? Being a huge Disney fan, I had to throw in a semi-hidden Mickey.

sTiLlLeArNiNg

So can someone shed some light on how vibration's affect digital audio equipment? please?

lightman1

sTiLlLeArNiNg wrote: »

So can someone shed some light on how vibration's affect digital audio equipment? please?

A bunch.....WOW's and Jitter POTENTIALLY can distort the 0's and 1's from pick up to analog convert.

Any variance in projector, source, pick up can .......maybe...sorta.....kinda..... should...couldn't make it sound better...but it shouldn't.....;)

lightman1

Fluid transport suspention....Heavy **** bases.... 60 lb CDPs .....








Your ears......

Sherardp

Hey Ron-P are you still using the Epson 1080 pj? How has that been working for you?

nguyendot

I used the same ones


Unfortunately I never got around to mounting the tv so I took the whole setup down and never really used it.

Sherardp

nguyendot wrote: »

Unfortunately I never got around to mounting the tv so I took the whole setup down and never really used it.

I was just about to ask about the TV on the floor.

mantis

nguyendot wrote: »

I used the same ones


Unfortunately I never got around to mounting the tv so I took the whole setup down and never really used it.

That takes the cake , my god.:(

ben62670

madmax wrote: »

If it had a 1" layer of mdf under each component I would be happier. I see noise galore vibrating through each component.
madmax

That's what I was thinking. I thought he was kidding about the rack. Not trying to be a dick Ron. All those multi length wires develop harmonics at different frequencies.

Ron-P

That's what I was thinking. I thought he was kidding about the rack. Not trying to be a dick Ron. All those multi length wires develop harmonics at different frequencies.

Fluid transport suspention....Heavy **** bases.... 60 lb CDPs .....








Your ears......

I'd be willing to bet any of you guys that none of you could tell a difference if I did a blind movie clip with the gear on my new racks or my old mdf racks.

For watching movies, I highly, highly doubt myself, or anyone else would be able to tell a difference. There's so many other factors that go into good sound other then the racks the gear sits on.

In fact, just last night I watched "Master and Commander" on Blu for the second time, but this time on the new racks, sounded exactly the same as it did sitting on my old mdf racks.

Hey Ron-P are you still using the Epson 1080 pj? How has that been working for you?

I am still blown-away by the PQ from this PJ every time I turn it on, seriously. It's an amazing machine for the money. I could not be happier with it. I got a free extra bulb so I swap between the two every six months.

ben62670

While working on some of the amps and pre's here I have tapped on the transformers and could hear the "thud". I know you are not doing it on these racks, but just a note any bulb with a filament would die prematurely. You could make some very easy cheap DIY spacers to put under the feet of your components. People use different recipes for these. You can take some vinyl flooring tile, 1/4 thick or better cork, cheap mouse pads, and just cut some squares to make some sandwiches to isolate the vibrations from the rack, or just from stacking gear on top of gear. I know from experimenting with different racks using a signal generator you would be amazed how much vibration can actually make the wires, and steel bands in my case move. I do need to step up and get a PJ like yours. I am still running a 480 Epson that I have had going an average of 2 hrs a day! It's still running, and the kids love it so it will not be replaced till it starts getting annoying to me:)
Have fun and enjoy.
Ben

Conradicles

nguyendot wrote: »

I used the same ones


Unfortunately I never got around to mounting the tv so I took the whole setup down and never really used it.

Wow...nice TV on the floor man.:)

ben62670

Conradicles wrote: »

Wow...nice TV on the floor man.:)

I like the stacked gear...

One thing I actually really like about the wire racks is plenty of air flow;) Now if I could just incorporate the bakers racks into my racks for just the amps with a few isolation pads I think that would be a great thing.

Ron-P

ben62670 wrote: »

While working on some of the amps and pre's here I have tapped on the transformers and could hear the "thud". I know you are not doing it on these racks, but just a note any bulb with a filament would die prematurely. You could make some very easy cheap DIY spacers to put under the feet of your components. People use different recipes for these. You can take some vinyl flooring tile, 1/4 thick or better cork, cheap mouse pads, and just cut some squares to make some sandwiches to isolate the vibrations from the rack, or just from stacking gear on top of gear. I know from experimenting with different racks using a signal generator you would be amazed how much vibration can actually make the wires, and steel bands in my case move. I do need to step up and get a PJ like yours. I am still running a 480 Epson that I have had going an average of 2 hrs a day! It's still running, and the kids love it so it will not be replaced till it starts getting annoying to me:)
Have fun and enjoy.
Ben

What about putting some DIY spacers under the feet of the racks instead of each piece of gear, that would have the same affect, right?

Toolfan66

If it works for you guys and your happy... "GREAT". I my self could not use them, Hell I am ready to change out my DIY rack, I liked it at first but as time has gone on I am not very happy with it and I am ready for something to make my gear shine.

And get the TV off the floor, I would have never posted that pic if I was you.

With that said, it is your money and your gear to do as you please.

So rock on!!!

Toolfan66

Ron-P wrote: »

What about putting some DIY spacers under the feet of the racks instead of each piece of gear, that would have the same affect, right?

NO!! Do you have your speakers spiked? SAME CONCEPT. you can have a little vibration from any piece of gear more then others sure (CDP,TT,DVD,BLURAY.) but even your amp will have some. Isolate them all you will notice a difference. I am working on doing mine now.

I have my TT and CDP isolated. when I get a new rack I would love to have one with spiked shelfs.

even though I have my 2 preamp's stacked on each other I hate it, it might be me just being anal but I don't like gear stacked on top of each other. I like each piece to have it's own home..

mantis

Ron-P wrote: »

I'd be willing to bet any of you guys that none of you could tell a difference if I did a blind movie clip with the gear on my new racks or my old mdf racks.

For watching movies, I highly, highly doubt myself, or anyone else would be able to tell a difference. There's so many other factors that go into good sound other then the racks the gear sits on.

In fact, just last night I watched "Master and Commander" on Blu for the second time, but this time on the new racks, sounded exactly the same as it did sitting on my old mdf racks.


I am still blown-away by the PQ from this PJ every time I turn it on, seriously. It's an amazing machine for the money. I could not be happier with it. I got a free extra bulb so I swap between the two every six months.

WOW , dude are you mad? I for one didn't want to offend you in any way. I just have different standards for where I place my gear. I would have taken all the gear out of your room and place it in a closet in the house. I would load up a movie before I went out into the Driftwood room. I would have RF control for everything including the lights.
Enjoy your system man, who cares what people say about your cheap **** racks.:p

ben62670

It's the rack wires that really pick up the vibrations from the air. I never would have thought that they would pick them up as much as they do. When we were messing around with sine waves it really surprised me how much gear and racks picked them up. You can take a section of the rack shelf and hold it in mid air while playing something, and you will see what I mean. I was on the fence a while ago about Dynamatting my transports, and my TT, but after some listening tests I have stepped over to the other side of the fence. The gear that made the most improvement was my Sony 200 disc CD changer. The top cover is very large and light gage. I thought that the distortion I heard from turning it up was just my system, but after running a much tighter Denon 2900 as a transport I decided to tighten up my changer. You could just place some pieces of rubber under the legs of your racks. Those DIY isolation pads cost next to nothing to make. The reason why you use a few different kinds of material is all materials transmit vibrations at certain frequencies. If you use a few different materials you are blocking nearly all the vibrations from what your gear is sitting on. Keep in mind that your gear will still pick up vibrations, but reducing them in components like CDP's and TT's really helps.

ben62670

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

NO!! Do you have your speakers spiked? SAME CONCEPT. you can have a little vibration from any piece of gear more then others sure (CDP,TT,DVD,BLURAY.) but even your amp will have some. Isolate them all you will notice a difference. I am working on doing mine now.

I have my TT and CDP isolated. when I get a new rack I would love to have one with spiked shelfs.

even though I have my 2 preamp's stacked on each other I hate it, it might be me just being anal but I don't like gear stacked on top of each other. I like each piece to have it's own home..

A real quick spacer for now is a mouse pad between the pre's;) I cut up one for my TT. Huge difference. They squish way too quick if the feet are not flat, but like I said they are a decent temporary fix till you make some, or buy some. I prefer to make them. $20 will isolate all my gear.

Toolfan66

I never thought about dynamatting my CDP.

ben62670

With those big SDA's and that 5802 charging the air. Well just do it;)

nguyendot

Conradicles wrote: »

Wow...nice TV on the floor man.:)

That was all my extra stuff, so it sat on the floor.

I was planning on mounting that tv one day but sold it instead (it was just an EDTV plasma... great for dvds but that was it).

All the other equipment was just stacked there, nothing was really hooked up

That was the 'office/equipment' room. hehe

The tv had no stand when I got it so it couldn't really go anywhere but the floor.

Ron-P

mantis wrote: »

WOW , dude are you mad?

No, no, not mad at all, sorry if my post came off that way.

I had all my gear on spiked, 3/4" mdf racks (racks only had 3 legs, not 4), every shelf was isolated from the legs, every piece of gear had it's own shelf, and on Vibrapods. Between that set up and this, I cannot tell a difference, none.

Maybe the technical data can show the difference, but I cannot hear it. I do want to protect my gear from vibrations so I will isolate them all with the Vibrapods I have and with some additional mouse pads that I'll pick up.

I also think a lot more goes into better sound and will affect sound a lot more then cheap racks vr expensive ones. Room acoustics, the type of gear you're using, the type of cables, the type of speakers...so much more then just vibs that get to the gear.

Just curious, a question to those so concerned about vibrations. Do you isolate all your interconnects and speaker wire as well, say, to the point that it does not touch anything without isolation treatments?

madmax

Ben is right about the sine waves. If you did a sweep today you would hear different parts of your system rattle at different frequencies. You could actually see the wires in the rack vibrate when you hit their resonant frequency. If nothing else you are subjecting all off the equipment to an enviroment which will cause premature failure. PC boards, capacitors, coils, connectors and solder joints do not like uncontrolled vibration.

Ron-P

Do any of you guys do sweeps and not hear a single rattle? Rattles can come from anywhere, not just the racks. Even if you eliminate the rattle according to your ears, it doesn't mean you've eliminated the rattle completely. Just because you cannot hear it doesn't mean it's not there.

madmax

Its not about hearing the rattle, its about what the constant vibration at the resonant freqency does. Being able to hear it just means its really bad. It fatiges parts, especially if they are vibrating against something or worse, soldered to something.