Glass Again

Personally I wouldn't go near glass, timber is far better. I used go use a Stands Unique rack but the minute I transferred my stuff to a solid timber unit things improved. Since then I have move on to an Oak unit with 3 oak cones under everything. Glass is practicle but not very enhancing in a system. My b in l has just realised this too and is about to move onto something far better. I will probably get a lot of flack here but this is what my ears tell me and having been in the hifi hobby for far too long and also being a musician I always believe what my ears tell me so I suggest you do a little experimenting. It costs very little to replace a glass shelf with a piece of ply or suchlike and as such is a very tempory and quickly reversible experiment.

Hi Sten -

When I had a custom Fraim glass shelf (deeper than standard) made for my WTA GTA, I was advised to use ESG - the same type of fully tempered glass used in tabletops. The glass maker was able to match width, bevel and tint perfectly.

My understanding is that TVG is used in applications like car windows. It is two sheets of glass adhered to a middle layer of sticky elastic film.  When broken, the glass pieces remain stuck to the film.

No clue if there is a difference in sound quality, but I have been very happy listening to my turntable on the top shelf of a Fraim stack for the last 4+ years.

Good luck!

Hook

I used a Franke glass chopping board under my CDS2.

Turned upside down on an IKEA corrus, the improvement in SQ was not subtle. It didn't improve the SQ of my less capable CD players. I put it down to the fact the CDS2 has none compliant feet and internal suspension for the main PCB, where as the cheaper players had compliant feet and no internal suspension. 

+1 Hook,

ESG is what is required.  There is a difference in mechanical properties, ESG glass is more rigid than TVG at any given thickness.

Hi Sten, 

We should all try things out for ourselves so any experimentations has to be good at introducing ourselves with the various tuning tips as long as long as  we can easily remove said tip for any A/B ing. I have found that certain things seem to improve things whatever the equipment and that other things only work under certain conditions. Most things I have done over the years still work like RF screened mains leads over supplied leads and other things like a 50mm thick slate slab on spikes under my spiked rack which only improved things for me in a previous room but not in my present home even with the same equipment though now I have almost totally replaced my whole system I am now thinking its time to try it out again. I have always 'played' with things and always will, fine tuning things etc as its part of the fun of our hobby. Enjoy your experiments.

I've followed with interest the various discussions on glass + nut's & balls over the last year or so and have finally taken the plunge due to a new shiney Hi-Fi rack.  

I went for glass to the exact spec of Naim Fraim in a sandwich with three 10mm stainless steel ball bearings sitting on Audio Serenity spike shoes. 

It's very early days but my 1st impression is the sound is crisper and cleaner than before. However I'm not comparing the rack with and without but to my former Future Glass rack so I guess thats not very helpfull. Is it the rack, the glass or a combination. To be honest it's too much of a faf to remove the glass and try with and with out but overall I'm very happy how my kit is sounding. 

Not the greatest picture but you get the idea.

Nuttyboy, your rack looks nice, and apparantly sounds nice as well.  Are there spikes under the bottom level feet, into the floor below the carpet?  

Charlie

Thank you and yes I'm very happy with the way it looks and sounds.

I know it's heresey to say this on the forum but I'm not a fan of the Naim Fraim look and cost so I've followed the spirit of it's philosophy and I'm delighted with the result.

Yes the bottom feet are spiked into a concrete floor under carpet.