Which support has the best looks and sound combined?

Smike

This is a thorney old subject because it is so judgemental.

IMO

The best looking and sounding is the Fraim. But it is expensive in comparison with all others but it is a quality product and radiates pure class.

The second best is Hutter which again is a quality product and has a good neutral sound. The web site is frankly plain bloody awful and undersells the product. I live in Swindon and you are welcome to take a look at mine, also Phonography at Ringwood and Audio T at Reading have some on display, but best to check. Naim used Hutter before the they sold the Fraim. It is a fairly large piece of equipment. The quality of finish is superb.

Ash Design (also once used by Naim) looks good and sounds nuetral.

Mana is angel iron and glass, it looks dated and ugly. The impact on sound is very bright and forward sounding. Best to hear before you buy because you are either going to like it or hate it. It looks like an oil rig so your wife / partner needs to be consulted or you risk some domestic upheaval. There is a buy and try for two weeks thingy and you can return it for a refund. However it is a bastard to repack making a return less than easy. So please hear it in someone elses system before you take the plunge. If you go to the Mana forum, there are plenty of pics of the stuff but view it by yourself before subjecting it upon your missus.

Base is small and good sounding and relatively discreet. It seems to blend in anywhere.

Without wishing to repeat myself, your best bet is to try and scrouge an invite from some other forum member in your vicinity...thats what I did.

Generally speaking, a TT can be placed on the top shelf of a good quality rack providing you have a concrete floor. If you have a wooden floor, then the wall mounted variety becomes the best option.

Regards

Mick

Hutter

Hutter no Question and good value for money

Should you choose to go the Fraim route - you can do it in stages, migrating the more sensitive boxes onto the initial Fraim base and shelf and then add more shelves as you can afford them - at the end of the migration your existing stand will be ready for sale (or for adding more stuff onto)

See other threads for which components should go onto the Fraim first.


Derek

I've been using a cherrywood 10mm Stands Unique for several years and find it works very well for me. Even on a suspended wooden floor my LP12 works fine on the top shelf without the footfall problems I previously suffered from.

I really can't find any fault with this support system in terms of sound or appearance. It never goes out of tune or needs tweaking and I've not found the need to enhance it any way. The ideal equipment support really!
David

Imho, there's no doubt about it,... the one and only Fraim. (for the happy few, swimming in money)

On a more affordable budget limit, say between 500,- and 900,- euro my vote would go to: Quadraspire.

Personally, I think Hutter looks like some piece of Ikea furniture. (ok, with a slightly better looking veneer as a bonus)
and Mana,well.... horrible.

So, if money is no object, the Fraim would do it for me.

regards,
Alco

Better the 2003 Ikea look of Hutter than the 1973 MFI look of QS.

Alex

quote:

---

Originally posted by Simon Connell:
I have to say that Quadraspire is the best loking support out there, regardless of money. Nice of Mick to solve the dilemma of why Mana is so expensive, its because its made out of Angel iron :-)
Simon

---

Mana support works very well for my Naim. The support may have an industrial look but very well made and it gives an impression that would last for 100 years to come.

I haven't priced any options indeed I have never seen a Fraim price list - is it a case if you need to ask the price you can't afford it??

If you haven't polled please do so - it looks like the poll just drops off the list as it doesn't time stamp in the same way as a reply.

Thanks

Smike

Smike

Some people have spent a long time working out, how to get 100% out of Naim kit.

And the winner is:-

quote:

---

Some people have spent a long time working out, how to get 100% out of Naim kit.

---

Probably the most sensible statement of the week and this does not just apply to supports.

Music Line, anyone?

For sound AND looks it has to be Hutter.

Are my wife and I the only ones who think that the Fraim looks pretty dismal from any view other than full frontal?

As our room is arranged we see the side of the racks more than the front and visually, in our opinions, the Fraim wins few points seen sideways on.

The Hutter looks very good from any angle.

Mick refers to the Hutter as being large but there are two versions, the smaller one, which we have, looks superb with Naim. In fact I believe it was scaled for Naim kit. Sounds pretty good to me too.

Cheers

Max

JN

What about the curtains?? Do they help with the sound or do you keep them so that you HAVE to look at the FRAIM?

sonofcolin

You're the third person on the forum to take the piss out of my curtains.

They were chosen by someone, who is no longer here and I just can't bring myself to spend money on replacements; as they are good quality and lined.

I'm working on the basis, that they will eventually be fashionable again!

Max

I agree with you and so does my wife.

We have Hutter in the lounge and we view it at 45 degrees. The Hutter completely covers all the side and rear end views of the kit as well as hiding the cables. It just looks great.

The system in the dining room is viewed straight from the front and it would look great with a Fraim. This system is 32.5 + hicap + 250 based and I don't know if it justifies a Fraim.

Regards

Mick

Mick..
If you have an amp as good as a 32.5/HiCap/250 in your dining room I have one question..
Why aren't you using it in your living room??


redeye

Redeye

I have a 52/135 based system in the lounge.

Regards

Mick

What about pARTicular?

http://www.particular.com/

quote:

---

What about pARTicular ?

---

You must be joking, right?! ...ehm, right
Imho pARTicular are one of the most horrible looking stands available.

Which, I guess, makes this topic quite useless, because the 'looks-part' of a system support all comes down to personal preference.

regards,
Alco

But is it ART or an equipment support
Kind of resembles flimsy three-legged M***
Nah! go for the Stands Unique at least it's fundamentally solid and stable.

David



"Opinions are like belly-buttons, everybody's got one"

[This message was edited by David Stewart on SATURDAY 19 April 2003 at 14:43.]

Here's something a liitle different.

It seems to work as far as the sound dept is concerned and does'nt look too bad in my opinion.

At approxm. 700 euros it's not bad value. From a company called ALDENKAMP (Belgium)

regards GEOFFP

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alco:
You must be joking, right?! ...ehm, right
Imho pARTicular are one of the most horrible looking stands available.

Which, I guess, makes this topic quite useless, because the 'looks-part' of a system support all comes down to personal preference.

regards,
Alco

---

Hi Alco,

I have read a number of comments about pARTicular being ugly but i have also friends who commented that the rack looks fanstastic, so i guess its pretty (no puns intended ) subjective.

Nonetheless, i thought i just highlight it as an option.

finite elemente pagode...?

pic1