Which Rack Is Better?

Everyone--check out the Sistrum rack by Starsound Technologies (email me for Robert's phone no. in Ohio). There are reviews available also. It is stunning looking and suspends all equipment on top of brass Audiopoints. The rack itself is carved metal shelves bolted to stainless steel rods filled with minute steel particles (like black sand, it will destroy your carpet so fill the rods outside, and don't breathe the dust!), with Audiopoints screwed onto the bottom of each rod. This rack sounds like getting a new component. Bass and detail are articulated, background is utterly silent. I bought a pair of their smaller stands designed for floorstanding speakers as well, for my Genesis 500s, and the bass and detail in recordings were even further enhanced. I think the Sistrum stands and platform and going to get a LOT of positive press, try them before the prices skyrocket. 5-shelf stand, including all Audiopoints and the steel fill, is approx $1600. I was using a Bright Star Rack of Gibraltar and a Solidsteel 5 shelf rack before the Sistrum. Big, big improvement.

Dan, if you could be convinced the Salamander Synergy is not a sonic compromise? I had a devil of a time with my second system, sybillance, brightness, smear. When my Salamander Synergy stand finally arrived, all the problems disappeared. I had already committed to selling my little mini-monitors and replacing them with a slightly tubby larger speaker bythe same maker. After the Synergy, the little minimonitors were smooth and sweet. With the new (used) speakers, there is so much warmth, I want to walk up to them and touch them to see if Im hallucinating.

So if smooth and warm constiute sonic compromise, stay away fromt the Synergys.

Thank Paul!

I have an update on the equipment rack that I am now using. Audio Advisor finally responded (following my 3rd email which was rather threatening). They would not replace the faulty parts due to the sale being older than 30 days old (even though the rack had only been is use for less than a week), but they did forward the telephone of the manufacturer. The rack that I have is a Studio Tech PA-04 which retails for $249 and they have a 6 shelf version, the PA-06 that retails for $379. I had 6 (out of 16) support posts fail, but the rest of them are fine (I tested then with a substantial amount of weight, 80 LB, and they all held up), so this was just an isolated incident. The good thing is that I spoke with John at Studio Tech on Monday and received 16 replacement parts this morning via UPS (this was less than 24 hours after our telecom). I randomly tested the replacements in a vice with a torque wrench and they tested fine as well. This is a bolt together unit with 4 upturned spikes that support each shelf (not just the top shelf). I had mine mig welded into a one piece frame, but this may have been overkill as the fit of the parts and the sturdiness of the rack when bolted together was excellent. The design of the rack (the upturned spikes) is very desirable to use with after market shelves and the stock shelves are good as well (just not up to the performance of the Neuance shelving for my source and tube amp). Anyway, I feel that the rack is a steal, due to its design features and price, plus knowing that the manufacturer is great to deal with is an added blessing. I only know of one retailer in the Santa Monica, CA area (Audio Video City), but the direct number for Studio Tech is 1/800/887/8834 if you would like to find other dealers and I would guess that they will do direct sales if there is not one in your area.

The PA line is discontinued, alas.