Equipment Rack/Shelving

inspiredsports

I have always had good quality veneered MDF entertainment centers located between my speakers to hold my audio components.

They have been large, resonant, and hard to get behind to manage speaker cable and IC connections. I'm doing more and more experimenting and would like something more "open".

I want high quality, something heavy and non-resonant, and open shelves so I can move components and connections easily.

As first glance, something with casters seems appealing, but I believe that would sacrifice sonic integrity.

So, knowing many in the group have probably already figured it out, what brands/models should I start considering?

Note: location is in my space so style does not need to be wife friendly, but I do want a decent, finished look.

concealer404

How much space do you need? I can try to find where i got mine.... it's all tempered glass shelves, 3 legs. 2 front, 1 back, easy to get at all connections, and i can fit anything on it.

inspiredsports

concealer404 wrote: »

How much space do you need? I can try to find where i got mine.... it's all tempered glass shelves, 3 legs. 2 front, 1 back, easy to get at all connections, and i can fit anything on it.

Sorry, I forgot to add that. More is better.

My system is a bit bloated right now with:

Power Conditioner
Pre-amp
Amp
CD player 1
CD player 2
Turntable
Tube turntable pre-amp, 2 Tube Buffers

Dual Well Cassette
Receiver

The turntable pre and buffers are small enough to share 1 shelf and one CD player, the Cassette Player and Receiver do not need to be involved if space is limited.

A couple of the components could also be stacked on one shelf if need be if the shelf height was ample.

Space is not an issue and I have seen some 45" (double shelf width) options that would also work.

concealer404

Alright.... let me look around then.

Right now i've got on mine:

Preamp
Preamp
Tuna
CDP
Amp
Receiver
Power conditioner

Space for probably another preamp-sized thing on top of the amp and space for something else where the power conditioner is.

I'll look around, but here's pics of it in this thread:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88947

mshan242700

DIY Flex-i-Rack: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=67&threadid=2294045&FTVAR_STKEYWORDFRM=&STARTPAGE=6&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

Rods - 7 of part 90034A035
= $30.66

Hex Nuts - 2 of part 90473A233
= $20.24

Acorn Nuts - 1 of part 90532A300
= $7.47

Neoprene Washer - 2 of part 90133A056
= $27.54

Flat Washer - 2 of part 90126A035
= $5.70 (would be $37.29 with the washers from the linked guide)

Chair Feet - 1 of part 2517T72
= $5.19

The total is $96.80 + whatever shipping costs (I'm not seeing a shipping estimate?)

Note that this does not include MDF cost nor any sort of MDF finishing / painting items.

concealer404

Well this is vexing.... i can't even find any identifying items on my rack... no company name, no nothing. WTH?

concealer404

Never mind... found it.

http://www.frys.com/product/4893490?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I have nothing but good things to say about this rack.

TouchOfEvil

I just recently picked up one of these. Pretty nice unit IMO.
http://www.racksandstands.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=VI1005

hearingimpared

TouchOfEvil wrote: »

I just recently picked up one of these. Pretty nice unit IMO.
http://www.racksandstands.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=VI1005

I second the VTI racks. I have mine filled with #9 lead shot.

vc69

hearingimpared wrote: »

I second the VTI racks. I have mine filled with #9 lead shot.

Am I to understand that you filled the legs with #9 shot? That's seems like a great idea!

TouchOfEvil

hearingimpared wrote: »

I second the VTI racks. I have mine filled with #9 lead shot.

Mine are not filled atm, i have seen people post several times to fill racks and the such with lead shot but where would i find this?

vc69

TouchOfEvil wrote: »

Mine are not filled atm, i have seen people post several times to fill racks and the such with lead shot but where would i find this?

I'm sure most outdoor supply and gun stores would have it. Used to be even hardware stores would have it.

inspiredsports

concealer404 wrote: »

Alright.... let me look around then.

Right now i've got on mine:

Preamp
Preamp
Tuna
CDP
Amp
Receiver
Power conditioner

Space for probably another preamp-sized thing on top of the amp and space for something else where the power conditioner is.

I'll look around, but here's pics of it in this thread:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88947

Thanks! I followed the link to your images and your rack looks ideal. I also love the idea of tempered glass versus mdf.

inspiredsports

TouchOfEvil wrote: »

I just recently picked up one of these. Pretty nice unit IMO.
http://www.racksandstands.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=VI1005

Thanks! The www.racksandstands.com website is a great resource. If a person can't find something suitable there, you'd have to build it yourself like the guy did in the fine link mshan242700 provided.

inspiredsports

hearingimpared wrote: »

I second the VTI racks. I have mine filled with #9 lead shot.

I'm debating whether or not to mount my turntable on a separate heavy iron frame attached directly to the brick wall, or to use the top shelf of a rack.

If I go for the top shelf of a rack, the ability to fill with shot will be very important, and I am leaning more toward the rack idea at this point in time.

the VTI system looks expandable. Can 2 be "piggybacked", meaning combine more than 2 for more shelves vertically?

concealer404

inspiredsports wrote: »

Thanks! I followed the link to your images and your rack looks ideal. I also love the idea of tempered glass versus mdf.

Here's the link in case you missed it.

http://www.frys.com/product/4893490?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

bsoko2

This one from Studio Tech http://www.studiotech.com/products/component_racks/performance_series_ps-6/index.html comes up once in awhile for 149 plus free shipping. I got one last month and it is one good deal.

Bill

TouchOfEvil

inspiredsports wrote: »

I'm debating whether or not to mount my turntable on a separate heavy iron frame attached directly to the brick wall, or to use the top shelf of a rack.

If I go for the top shelf of a rack, the ability to fill with shot will be very important, and I am leaning more toward the rack idea at this point in time.

the VTI system looks expandable. Can 2 be "piggybacked", meaning combine more than 2 for more shelves vertically?

I don't see a reason why you couldn't, they sell extra shelfs in varying heights to add to the unit so stacking two shouldn't be any issue i would imagine.

phuz

Salamander Synergy.

/thread

hearingimpared

vc69 wrote: »

Am I to understand that you filled the legs with #9 shot? That's seems like a great idea!

The legs and the crossbeams.

hearingimpared

inspiredsports wrote: »

the VTI system looks expandable. Can 2 be "piggybacked", meaning combine more than 2 for more shelves vertically?

Yes indeed.

inspiredsports

Lasareath wrote: »

This one is cool:

http://www.racksandstands.com/VTI-BLS50-VI1064.html

Absolutely!

I like both of the models below and am leaning toward black for the color. If I go with the 3 shelf double wide variety, I think I will buy an additional 9" high shelf to make it 4 high X 2 wide.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VTI-RGR-SERIES-6-SHELF-AUDIO-RACK_W0QQitemZ150363200279QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2302585b17&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/VTI-3-Shelf-Audio-Video-Rack-in-Black_W0QQitemZ400076823031QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d266fd9f7&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

inspiredsports

bsoko2 wrote: »

This one from Studio Tech http://www.studiotech.com/products/component_racks/performance_series_ps-6/index.html comes up once in awhile for 149 plus free shipping. I got one last month and it is one good deal.

Bill

At $149 it would have much greater wife appeal than the VTI models I am eyeing and being vetoed on.

2 Questions:

Are the main support tubes hollow to where they can be filled with lead shot?

I was considering glass shelving as it is hard to scratch. How tough is the finish?

bsoko2

inspiredsports wrote: »

At $149 it would have much greater wife appeal than the VTI models I am eyeing and being vetoed on.

2 Questions:

Are the main support tubes hollow to where they can be filled with lead shot?

I was considering glass shelving as it is hard to scratch. How tough is the finish?

Yes, tubes are hollow but they have iside baffles with about a 1/2 hole in the center to drop shot through and the shelving is dark cherry melmaine. I have mine loaded with the 6 shelves at 2 items per shelf so it is hard to move without casters on the bottom.

Bill

inspiredsports

bsoko2 wrote: »

Yes, tubes are hollow but they have iside baffles with about a 1/2 hole in the center to drop shot through and the shelving is dark cherry melmaine. I have mine loaded with the 6 shelves at 2 items per shelf so it is hard to move without casters on the bottom.

Bill

I just discovered their silver and black 4-shelf unit is reduced from $249 to $119
which is a smoking hot deal. You could buy two for less than most single 4-shelf units, and 4 shelves X 48" wide is what I really think I am after anyway!!

http://www.studiotech.com/products/component_racks/performance_series_ps-4/index.html

The only problem I see is that the spacing on all of these racks is less than on the VTI's where in many cases you can stack one component on top of another if need be.

The Studiotech seems like it would be more comfortable as a "one component per shelf unit " with measurements of :

Shelf Spacing (bottom up): 7 7/8", 7 1/2", 6".
Dimensions: (H x W x D) 31 1/2" x 24" x 20 1/2".

Conradicles

I had a wal-mart gift card and got this one on the cheap:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9193532

Not a fan of glass, but for the price and the fact I had a gift card made me pull the trigger.

hearingimpared

Conradicles wrote: »

I had a wal-mart gift card and got this one on the cheap:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9193532

Not a fan of glass, but for the price and the fact I had a gift card made me pull the trigger.

You could line the underside of each glass shelf with Dynamat and that would greatly decrease the ringing and resonance of glass.

inspiredsports

Conradicles wrote: »

I had a wal-mart gift card and got this one on the cheap:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9193532

Not a fan of glass, but for the price and the fact I had a gift card made me pull the trigger.

Can you fill the tubes on that unit with shot?

That rack actually looks really decent, and even though I started this thread ages ago, I never followed through because I spent the funds earmarked for a rack on tube gear. :eek:

kcoc321

You might want to read the reviews. Several ppl complained about build quality. It does sound like the legs are tubes, so you could add shot if you want.

headrott

I recommend this one. I own one and have had no problems with it. It has plenty of space for equipment: height, width and length. The top and bottom shelves hold up to (I believe) 75lbs. Wood and tempered glass shelves with great build quality. They make 3 different colors.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BMZPTM/ref=s9_simp_gw_s0_p23_t6?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=15E8ARYKWTNHA9B2FVRV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

janmike

Another vote for the VTI rack. Very solid after tubes are filled.

If I had the bucks, here is what I would own.
Harmonic Resolution System