Advice please - Recommended amp stands for shindo power amps
 

Hi everyone,
I'm thinking of moving the amps out of the main rack and placing them behind the speakers on amp stands... Previous threads have mentioned Shindo amps having s preference for wood shelves, any suggestions (bear in mind this will need to be a global or European offering)

Thanks in advance,
Paul.

I'm also in the market for racking for my gear - both Shindo and otherwise. The 2 main options I'm looking at right now are The Box, which is kind of a standard rack for Shindo, and the vented bamboo version of the Quadraspire racks.

Based on what I read...the Box is an excellent match to Shindo gear, being effectively a plywood rack with wood legs. I don't think I could get a double-width Box rack down the stairs to my listening room however - so the cost for a 4-high single rack plus amp stands would be quite the barrier to buying them.

The vented, fairly substantial bamboo version of the Quadraspire rack is also made out of plywood, but it's mounted to metal legs, which I would assume will sound different than the Box's wooden legs. Different better or worse, I have no idea. But the Quadraspire has 2 significant benefits: it's half the price of the box rack, and is infinitely configurable (and reconfigurable) so it can be used as amp stands, tall rack, 2 side-by-side racks, etc. just by ordering different leg kits.

So...with all that in mind...I continue to do nothing as I can't seem to get any level of comfort that the money will be well-spent on either option...I'll be following this thread for any ideas!

Okay I'm going to throw few things out there from super cheap to box furniture (distributed by Shindo dealers). Curious what you find out. =)

1) Ikea APTITLIG bamboo cutting board
2) John Boos butcher block
3) MapleShade maple platforms
4) Box Furniture amp stand

You can axe three of those, butcher block, maple and bamboo are not recommended for Shindo. High mass is important. Plywood is the right material. Isolation, especially when a turntable is used (you all use one, right?), is very important.

If you could hear the dramatic differences even the glue used to bond the plywood makes, you'd be shocked. Everything matters- screws, glue, orientation of the layers, type of ply, manufacturer of the ply (glue again) etc etc.

It takes a massive amount of R&D for something as "simple" as a rack. Tons of time, labor, materials, listening etc. not a fun product to design.

Jonathan

What about the idea of putting just the Shindo gear on a Box rack (or on Box amp stands), and having a separate (and thus isolated) rack for the rest of the gear? I'd think that a trio of amp stands or a 3-shelf stand for the Shindo gear, with a less costly choice for the less sensitive non-Shindo gear with an isolation shelf on top for the turntable, could be a workable solution.

But would a mix of shelf material have any adverse impact on things? I am a believer in general of going "all the way" in one direction rather than going with a mish-mash of equipment - but I also want to spend the dollars where the difference will be the biggest.

Ultimately a Box rack for all my gear would be great, but isn't in the cards right now...

Just wanted to mention that I was referring to the amp stands here and not main rack.

So Jonathan, is the Box amp stand the go to product then if one had monoblocks? And just match them up to one of the Box racks?

Jonathan,
So your recommendation would be.....

junker,
Thanks for the ideas. I'm installing thick French butcher blocks some time tomorrow. I will let the forum know how they sound (third should be interesting)....

Timber Nation does great work. I have 420 lbs of solid walnut from him. It is massive and beautiful at a fair price.

Lingolab.