Its gone! The over large, over intrusive and over heavy cabinet that has been the thorn in my OCD side since my listening room was put together. It served as the support for my electronics and storage for my records, the ones I listen to, my HiFi bits and pieces and other stuff.

To replace this with an equipment rack was theoretically simple but logistically enough to give me something to procrastinate and agonize over enough for it to be the final, maybe, piece of the puzzle.

I wanted the records to remain in this room so I needed suitable storage. I couldn't believe how difficult this was to achieve.

 

Ultimately a fairly cheap and simple solution from DJ City for $150 a piece. However they were designed to sit on, well something.

I wanted, needed them to be elevated so I wouldn't have to make noises when I bent down to select them in future. This also posed an issue. What would look ok but not clutter or be too expensive. Enter metal table legs from Bunnos! They even look like I meant to do it.

 

 

 

With record storage settled I could now decide on the rack. The Solidsteel jobs seemed to represent decent value and of course with Black Friday 20% off it was 100% on. I took the discount to allow me to step up to the S3 model with additional support instead of pocketing the savings. Its reasonable without being a work of art but I figured Id be adding additional isolation feet etc so Id settle for this.

Now all there was to do was to remove the cabinet. This is catastrophically heavy and all I could remember was that when I moved it into this room it injured me permanently. 12 or so years later and older I expected hospitalization. So calling on two other geriatric mates and equipped with a rolling platform we attacked the job. It was hilariously easy. Who knew? Now I only have to get rid of it.

 

 

And there we are. Looks a lot more like a legit HiFi set up and the removal of the cabinet has given everything space to breath. I think the record boxes will probably provide a little element of sound absorption and diffraction, at least better than a solid wood cabinet.

So a little cable management is still required and somewhere to store the HiFi bits and pieces and I satisfied.

Edited December 1, 2025Dec 1 by crisis

I bought a S3-5 rack in the sale too.

 

I was surprised at how heavy it is.

 

Looking good.

15 hours ago, Darryl said:

I bought a S3-5 rack in the sale too.

 

I was surprised at how heavy it is.

 

Looking good.

Cheers.

Yeah my son commented on the weight as he took delivery of it while I was at work. A fair amount of MDF. 😁

Construction is pretty good until you get to the top caps which are a bit hard to tighten down. Overall pretty happy with it and a better solution to what I had before. I think I will replace the secondary MDF plinths with my old IKEA bamboo jobs though.

I built mine upside down starting from the top. I had no reason for doing that, it just happened that way, but it meant the top caps were easy.

The instructions are rather vague though.

10 minutes ago, Darryl said:

I built mine upside down starting from the top. I had no reason for doing that, it just happened that way, but it meant the top caps were easy.

The instructions are rather vague though.

Good idea. Yes they are not exactly Ikea spec. 

With a struggle, and some help from Jnr, I think the butcher blocks are better. Kinda morphs with the speakers too. Too much? 😁

Edited December 2, 2025Dec 2 by crisis

23 minutes ago, crisis said:

With a struggle, and some help from Jnr, I think the butcher blocks are better. Kind morphs with the speakers too. Too much? 😁

Whatever sounds the best to you, and it’s not too much!

Just a quick story regarding Solidsteel and me, after adding a Solidsteel rack I thought it sounded better, lower noise floor etc, but……. The music seemed to lose its sparkle, it sounded clearer but flat, which I thought must be the way it should sound. Well after a few years of chasing fixes elsewhere in my system to no real avail, I added the Stack Audio isolation and the sparkle was back in a big way, so a better rack doesn’t always provide a better sound/ experience.

16 minutes ago, awayward said:

Whatever sounds the best to you, and it’s not too much!

Just a quick story regarding Solidsteel and me, after adding a Solidsteel rack I thought it sounded better, lower noise floor etc, but……. The music seemed to lose its sparkle, it sounded clearer but flat, which I thought must be the way it should sound. Well after a few years of chasing fixes elsewhere in my system to no real avail, I added the Stack Audio isolation and the sparkle was back in a big way, so a better rack doesn’t always provide a better sound/ experience.

Yeah have Stack footers under the Rega 8. Will probably get them under the Pre amp and CD player eventually. Despite what the rack does in regard to isolation etc , removing the huge wooden block between the speakers has had a significant effect on sound stage. There is real depth and the speakers completely disappear. 

The changes, and significant expense, Ive made over the past three or so months have transformed my system from something that sounded great into true hi fi. Its not frequency response or bass, its everything else. 

My terrifying year in HiFi – purchases.

I blame Stereonet classifieds almost entirely because I can’t bare to admit I have no willpower or restraint. Can’t pass up a bargain. That said, not all of this list is from the classifieds (which at least do not represent the actual retail price!) I’ve put an X next to the purchases not from the classifieds.

Here is what I’ve bought this year… (almost or as much as I can remember) 🫣

Flux HiFi Sonic Stylus Cleaner

Solidsteel Display Stand Vinyl Display Frame X

Audiosost 2 sets of Isolation Footers

Rega Planar 8 Turntable and Tonearm Package

IsoAcoustics Bronze Isolation Devices

Pass Labs XP 12 Pre Amplifier

IsoTek EVO3 Initium Power Cable Power Cable X

AudioQuest Cinnamon RJ/E Ethernet Cable

PMC Speakers 23 Twenty5 23i Floorstanding Loudspeakers

PMC Active twenty5 Upgrade Kit X

Airpulse A100W Bookshelf Loudspeakers

Chord Electronics Qutest Digital Analog Converter (DAC)

EAT (European Audio Team) E-Glo Petit Phono Preamplifier

Marantz - CINEMA 60 - AV Receiver X

Rega tungsten weight X

DX iso plus EMI filter X

Stack audio Seren Mat X

Stack audio Serene stabiliser X

Monitor Audio Silver AMS 7G X

Nordost Blue Heaven RCA X

Wiim Pro X

Solid Steel S5 – 5 rack X

AUVA Equipment Isolator X

I did manage to sell my SRM turntable, Primare I35, Arcam rPhono and Monitor Audio Silver 8s to lessen the financial impact. 🙇‍♂️

21 minutes ago, crisis said:

I blame Stereonet classifieds almost entirely because I can’t bare to admit I have no willpower or restraint

You're welcome! 🤣

But seriously, that's an impressive list!

Hope you are learning and enjoying the journey.

57 minutes ago, Marc said:

You're welcome! 🤣

But seriously, that's an impressive list!

Hope you are learning and enjoying the journey.

I’m not so secretly grateful for the opportunity to avail myself to some aspirational and otherwise unobtainable, for me, kit. I defend myself to my non audiophile mates vigorously by telling them I didn’t pay what it really costs. 😁

I've had a similar year but will be back to normal next year now that the money is spent!

Like you I tell myself I got some bargains, and I've handed on some nice gear to family members so that helps justify it all right? :)

Edited December 24, 2025Dec 24 by Darryl

After the successful implementation of the Auva system isolators under the turntable I've taken the not inexpensive leap of faith at the Serene Mat and Stabiliser.

 

Once ordered the Mat and Stabiliser was dispatched very quickly and arrived similarly, punctually.

 

Despite many glowing reports and reviews I was still a little skeptical as I have tried some different mats with my SRM Arezzo and the differences were minimal. Having them on hand along with the Rega felt job gave me some fuel for comparison.

 

Other than a second hand Mitchel clamp I mistakenly bought which is the wrong size for my spindle, I've not pursued clams mainly because I didn’t want a heavy one that  might damage the bearing and I didn’t want one that made me have to stop and start the record each time as I consider this puts unnecessary stress on motors and belts. In this respect the Stack clamp couldn’t be more perfect for me. Its not heavy and it just drops on and off. Good start.

I compared the felt Rega mat with the SRM silicone mat and the SRM seemed to provide a slight degree of clarity over the felt mat. Not huge but things felt a little “cleaner”.

The Serene Matt (only) over the SRM seemed again, initially, to provide a slight improvement. Bass seemed louder but tighter and dynamics were improved. In fact, after listening to a few tracks, bass and dynamics was probably the most noticeable without any negative effect on high frequency resolution or tonality. Nice.

I added the Stabiliser and again, I initially noticed slight differences but along the same lines as the mat. I don’t know if I was playing at a higher volume but things sounded louder but with no confusion or mush.?

After a listening to a couple of albums my conclusion was:

In my opinion these products do make a difference. Perhaps with a better revealing system than mine they may provide more significant results. In any case there is enough here for me to pass up on the trial period, which frankly, few people would really take advantage of. As stated bass and dynamics is the stand out at no expense to detriment to other frequencies or detail and clarity.

 

I was luke warm. As stated Id read many glowing reviews but I didn’t want to be seduced by this pre conditioning but I also wanted to give myself a chance to get used to these products and listen a little more completely.

 

That said, I had started listening around 2pm Sunday. By just after 7.30  I decided I should make order dinner. I had been happily going through my albums for over 5 hours, at a higher volume that I would normally listen. While trying to be analytical and listening for minute detail improvements and other HiFi things, which I value, what I had discovered was how enjoyable the music was. It sounds like a cop out but I cant explain it any other way. Well, ok a few glasses of wine…

 

Nevertheless I abstained from rashly uploading to listen a bit more.

 

So Tuesday and playing Roxy Music Flesh and Blood. A record I bought second hand that day and ultrasonic cleaned. I don’t know this record and didn’t know what to expect. It is in pretty good condition. I played side one and decided to deliberately turn the amp down so as to try to alleviate the louder is better effect. It still sounded good especially in the presentation of bass. Tight and punchy.  Then I turned it over for side two and realised I hadn't had the clamp on. The immediate reaction was that side two was more punchy, tighter and more dynamic. As though it was also louder?

 

This reinforced some of the previous experience about dynamics. After another three albums the dynamics, “extra” (?) bass and general enjoyable sound was evident.  

 

Are they “worth it”?  Well what else could I have bought for my system for $480 that would have given me this “improvement”? Perhaps save the money towards the purchase of a better cartridge. Perhaps some more room treatment. Perhaps iso feet for my speakers. All of those are going to happen anyway. Outside of that I'm pretty much done , for now, really. So as an exercise in complete-ism, I've got an expensive mat and for the first time  a clamp, but enough of an improvement to be satisfied. If one has a reasonable sum invested in turntable, cartridge and phono amp I guess the cost is not a lot but if you already have a mat and clamp there may not be enough going on to buy more.

 

After 2025s frivolous spending spree I made a resolution to curtail my spending on my system and concentrate on more responsible and actually important necessities. Since my significant upgrade to my record playing system I have been ultrasonic cleaning, and playing, my records almost exclusively to the exclusion of my much loved digital system. My record playing system is doing what so many enthusiasts have long celebrated.

Already within the first month of 2026, I decided this system deserved a new cartridge. The Audio Technica sounds brilliant hence my enthusiasm for the record playing system but, “could it be better”? I have set a budget and pretty much settled on the candidate but am going to wait a bit before making the splurge. So much for the resolution..

Last week I turned on my CD player and was initially a little disappointed. There was a “brightness” which in comparison to the Rega system was a little unsatisfying. This from someone who does not subscribe to a “warm” sound. The more I listened the better it got. Maybe the CD player was “warming up”? I doubt it. Maybe it took a bit of time to re acclimatize myself to the CD system. All said it wasn’t that bad but it was not delivering the same enjoyment as my record playing system now was.

Adding the Chord Qutest to the CD35 was a revelation and took that part of the system to a level that I am impressed with. I've looked at and coveted the Chord Upscaler but its retail price is beyond my justification in my humble system. Several have surfaced in the Stereonet Classifieds but still beyond what I could justify.

I've read and watched plenty of reviews of this component and reactions and opinions are varied. It seems to be fairly well a recommended addition to the Hugo TT2 which it seems is its intended partner. It is compatible with the Qutest which accommodates the dual BNC inputs. Some reviewers have commented on how it improves the Qutest but that it is a value conundrum in that it may well be better to just upgrade to a Hugo TT2 than buy an Upscaler for the Qutest.

From my system the Qutest is the right match, I don’t need the pre amp nor headphone amp of the Hugo.

So it seemed an ultimately unobtainable final piece to my digital puzzle.

Well its obvious what happened. One finally presented in the classifieds for a price that I was unable to ignore.

So my resolution is in tatters.

A bit of component juggling to get it in and some listening sessions ensued.

As previously I have refrained from immediately posting how much I love it and have taken a few days to hopefully, more critically, analyse what is going on.

 

Day, and actually into the evening, 1.

On my reference CDs there was initially a sense of clarity on the Max setting. There wasn’t a punch you in the face difference but something was going on. Or was it?

The remote allows you to change through the settings from pass through up to max. So I closed my eyes and cycled through until I didn’t know what setting I should be on and had to simply listen. It was obvious when I was on pass through. A little less obvious to nail the max up-scale level however I was able to pick it on a couple of occasions.

Blind test? No. But enough to confirm I was hearing some change.

Was the change an improvement?

Yes. It was similar to when I added the Qutest to the CD35 but more. More timbrel cues to instruments, deeper silence where there should be and better bass handling. To reinforce the noise reduction I swear I could hear further into the run out of tracks that soft faded.

Day 2.

Monks Dream CD. Obviously a re (at least 1x) master onto CD. Everything is delivered in such a carefully delicate way. The sax on Bright Mississippi is a sax. It sounds like a sax is playing. The sparsely delivered drums are as detailed as can be. And the piano has all of the cues to make it sound like a piano is playing.

The car of the century is a test CD but with some cool music. As it says on the tin its designed to test your system. It works equally well in hifi systems. There are tracks that test bass, depth and accuracy. Female vocals, instrumentals etc. In every case it sounded better than ever.

And so on..

George Winston Winter into Spring. Solo piano. The sound is so delicate and seems to float in the air.

 

Conclusion.

The Upscaler will stay. Its something that once you’ve tried it you cant go back. It’s the icing on my digital cake which is almost certainly going to be my “end game”.

 

Oh and a special thanks to the two heroes of this system. The Pre amp and speakers. They have diligently revealed every change I've made since their inclusion. They improved everything by their inclusion and allow the source components to do their very best.