Which support has the best looks and sound combined?

pic2

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pic4: test in STEREO 10-01

I haven't heard any of the racks often talked about in this forum. The Arcici rack I use http://www.audiophileclub.co.uk/arcici.html sounds spectacular and looks stunning. Had I not discovered it, I'd likely go for Fraim based on its praise and great looks. I'm really curious to compare it to Arcici. Has anyone done that? Tom.

Has anybody got or heard the Finite Elements Padoge as shown in Jun Keller's Pic 2? I have seen one in a local dealer (Midland Audio Exchange) and it looks very good but I have not heard it with Naim equipment.

Willie

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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?

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If you've got the Fraims in a corner, it hardly matters.

Ken, my original rack was Zoethecus. I still use it as a secondary rack, but prefer the Arcici which sounds and looks better. Another great advantage of the Arcici is the option to add or take out shelves, and adjust the height of each one. Tom.

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I would recomend having a look and a listen to MANA,the supports dont look ugly and dated to me and now also come in silver which looks great.The last thing that Mana did in my system was make it sound bright,quite the opposite,the sound became much more relaxed and easier on the ear than the Quadraspire i was using before.

regards
Ian

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I couldn't agree more. Mana is still the best, especially if you own a record player. The Reference Table is the only support for LP12! Lookswise: What if I told you that my wife prefers the Mana over the Fraim!

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What if I told you that my wife prefers the Mana over the Fraim!

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Willem, is she wearing dark sunglasses and walking with a white stick with red bands on it ?

Just kidding, but there are indeed women that love very modern, purely functional design. incl: lots of glass, metal, chrome,etc)
Nothing wrong with that.

regards,
Alco

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Originally posted by Alex S.:
Better the 2003 Ikea look of Hutter than the 1973 MFI look of QS.

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But at least the "1973" look of QS matches the dated LP12 and Naim Olive/chrome bumper ranges (I happen to dig the look of all said "1973" equipment though )

My, ahem, "stands" aren't worth mentioning - suffice to say they need upgrading. I'm both skint AND tight, so does anyone know if QS do a 6 tier deal on the Q4? It seems like a lot of money for 2 additional shelves otherwise. In the end I really need 3 Q4s, one with 2 extra shelves, and a 3 tier Q4AV - but all this when I win the lottery!! (The number of racks needed is why I'm unwilling to spend more on the racks - this is for 2 hifi systems and AV tack-ons to one of the hifi systems btw

When the music's over turn out the lights

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Originally posted by Alco:
is she wearing dark sunglasses and walking with a white stick with red bands on it ?

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Alco - I use a short white stick (symbol cane!) so that's why glass is out in any rack I will end up with - I walk into glass shop doors and traffic light poles/ladders/bollards if the lighting is wrong...

As for the red bands on the cane - no comment re Mana Never actually consciously heard any!

When the music's over turn out the lights

I beleive that extra shelves for a Q4 cost about 1/4 of the price of the stand (c £70 each)

QS racks are modular - you just add (or remove) shelves when you need to.



Regards,

Steve.

Josh,

A poor stand will hamstring the performance of his boxes.

3 x 4 tier QS Ref will cost £2190 - that is less than a CDX or an XPS. The difference will be bigger than adding an XPS to a CDX on a budget stand.



Regards,

Steve.

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Also - the glass in Mana is surrounded by angle iron, so you can't bump into it.

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True, but one small point: the shelves themselves are in no way secured to the iron frame on which they sit, they can slide off it.



Regards,

Steve.

This is obviously a difficult area with lots of opinion.

In practice it is impossible to try out stands and as I am keen to keep my black briks (they still sound great) I think I am going to put looks (as judged by my wife) ahead of sound (I think it's called a trade off!!).

As mentioned originally my current stands are tripod based and I have always had the stack angled into the room with my turntable on a separate stand. My new listening room will allow room for three stands but I would prefer to keep it to two if I can. WIth two which arrangement is best - all power items on one and sources and preamp on the other? And where's best for the active crossover?

Smike

Mr Toy you are talking utter bollocks again.

For the price of two sets of fraim, the man could indeed upgrade his whole sistem, (i.e. cd3 to CDX) and the difference in sound would be massive.

Please stop spouting shit you have heard from others, its really bad.

I have gone throuh a fair amount of the naim range, plus a fair few racks, the racks made precisly nill difference the upgrades on boxes did. Until such time as you do them upgrades keep it shut.

p.s. A demo at a dealers two years ago does not count.

Garyi,

You been at the cooking brandy again?

Firstly, I didn't say "Fraim" which would cost about £5000 for 3 x 4 tier stands, I said "QS Ref" which would cost less than half that, and certainly less than either the CDX2 or the XPS2

Secondly, I have heard a CDX on QS Ref, and compared with it on the ordinary QS Q4 and also with my old Optimum stand.

I have heard an XPS added to a CDX, and only a couple of weeks ago a CDX2 followed a CDX2/XPS2.

The stands made a bigger difference than the XPS(2).

I am not deaf, and I express my own opinions based on my own findings, unlike someone I could mention when he's had a drink...



Regards,

Steve.

This months HiFiChoice didn't give a very good review of the QS Ref...

For a cheapy, I quite like the look of the Partington one - £169 for 4 shelves, no idea what it SOUNDS like though...

Personally I am going for an Ash Designs one too as they look nice and I have heard they are very neutral.

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For a cheapy, I quite like the look of the Partington one - £169 for 4 shelves, no idea what it SOUNDS like though...

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I agree with ya here Scott.

In Holland, the partingdon support cost exactly half the price of the Quadraspire Q4!

I recently heard a Rega Cursa + 2 Rega Mono power-amps (forgot the Name) on the Partingdon stand, hooked up to Totem Mite's.

Imho this 'humble' system sounded superb!
(Way better than my Nait-2,CDX,Kan's at that moment)

So, I guess the Partingdon stand is great VFM.

regards,
Alco