I can't help asking: why is maple so prevalent in audio racks and platforms? The common answer is: because it is a tonewood, which has been used for hundreds of years for making the best string instruments in the world. This is certainly true, but in a somewhat restrictive way. Maple has been used and is being used for contstructing the base plate of violins, violas, cellos and various guitars. . . but so has poplar, and cypress. Maple is more exclusively used for making bridges on string instruments. Yet the tonally crucial top plate is never made from maple, but is made mostly from hard spruce, usually felled from the northern side of Alpine hills. Bow sticks are made from Brazilian pernambuco, Brazilian Rosewood, Ironwood or even snakewood, while tailpieces are from Ebony, Rosewood or even Zebrawood. And the preferred tonewood for woodwind instruments is African Blackwood (or Mpingo) by far. Just try two otherwise identical recorders, one made from maple and one from Mpingo. . . I already know which one you will choose. . . the maple one will stay in the store. So, in the end. . . why only maple in equipment racks and platform? Are audiophile being blindsided by oversimplifications of historical mythologies? Or have all these other wonderful tonewoods already been thoroughly tested. . . and found to be sorely wanting? Or is it just a simple matter of price and availability in North America?
Maple platforms
Hi
I was wondering if anyone has used maple platforms under their turntable and if so what were the results. An exmple of the platforms I'm refering to can be seen at: http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/tweaks/platforms.php
My rack is MDF so I'm wondering if puting something harder between it and the turntable will improve sound. In other words, does the mdf have a damping affect on the turntable--in this case a Rega 3?
Thanks
I was wondering if anyone has used maple platforms under their turntable and if so what were the results. An exmple of the platforms I'm refering to can be seen at: http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/tweaks/platforms.php
My rack is MDF so I'm wondering if puting something harder between it and the turntable will improve sound. In other words, does the mdf have a damping affect on the turntable--in this case a Rega 3?
Thanks
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- 43 posts total
- 43 posts total