thomaschh

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $100.00 from Craigslist

Summary:
We've ust moved into a new house (from a condo) and I've been actively building a powerful mid-fi system for the past three or four months. When it came time to look for a rack I was instantly drawn to the Lovan Sovereign line because of it's looks and the great reviews I've read all over the Internet. Like usual I start my purchase search on Craigslist (if I can save $500 buying something lightly used I've now got $500 more for a much nicer pre-amp) and I didn't find anything at first. But last week I typed in "Lovan" and up popped a complete 4-tier rack with glass shelves for $100. Done deal, went and picked it up instantly.

The quality of this rack far exceeded my expectations. The glass shelves are very, very thick and even without filling the base with sand (which I'll do soon) the stand is very, very sturdy. I obviously scored a huge deal, but even for $800 I would still buy this rack.

Strengths:
Build quality, sturdy, very clean and modern design

Weaknesses:
None.

Price Paid:  $750.00 from Upstairs Audio

Summary:
Excellent stand (See previous review), but I have to add that lead should not be used as a filler to any stand due to it's toxicity. Lead is harmful to both humans and the environment, and therefore should not be used to fill any stand.

Price Paid:  $750.00 from Upstairs Audio

Summary:
I saw this rack on display at the store, and I had to have it. This was before I really started reading about the hifi world and the importance of vibration dampening, deadening, leveling, etc. The rack is beautiful with the dark cherry finish (I forget what the actual color name is). I used this rack for about 8 months with all of my source components, including a heavy Luxman receiver. I have since upgraded my components, and the rack is in storage until I move into a larger house. My current system resides in built-in shelving I built in my current house to increase my floor space. Great rack, both aestetically and functionally. I would recommend this rack to anyone who could not afford the Naim Fraim!

Strengths:
Elegant looks. Very sturdy. Lead fillability (New hifi term!)

Weaknesses:
Maybe a tad on the high side as far as price, but one could pay a lot more for a lesser stand.

Similar Products Used:
Home-built wall unit.

Price Paid:  $650.00 from Discount N Deals

Summary:
After weeks of looking at numerous audio racks, and reading the reviews here, I purchased the Lovan Sovereign 2x2 rack. I ordered the light wood shelves with an additional 10" support and shelf. The combination of the light wood and black supports is beautiful. the isolation cone system delivers in stability and sound vibration prevention.I experienced no concerns in regard to shelf scratching during unpacking or set-up.The rack cannot be moved upon set-up(unless you unstack all of your components). Make sure of where you want the rack placed before adding components and wiring everything.
I physically checked out the Bello racks and was suprised to discover how wobbley they are. $700-$1200 and they swayed with minimal force.
The Lovan system is very stable, with an architectual beauty. A great final addition to my HT .

Strengths:
Beautiful looking, Great design in stability.Modular
and expandable

Weaknesses:
A little pricey.

Similar Products Used:
Salamander, Bello.

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Individual Seller

Summary:
Casually got the idea of purchasing a stereo rack when we decided to rearrange the room in which my stereo was in.. was using a large oak armoire for my rack. I started evaluating racks and of course several things soon became important to me. One was construction quality. Other important items were durability, if the rack were expandable or not, it's relative sound isolation abilities, and in general how good it looks. There are many good racks on the market and by no means was my choice restricted to " only the best ". I was also limited by a budget which for me was set at $400.

The Lovan Sovereign series racks are normally priced beyond this price range. I also wanted the amp stand in addition to the 4 shelves and boards. I managed to find a person who sold this equipment on the side, calling it " b Stock" which suggests it has very minor problems. The rack I received to my detailed eye has no discernible defects in any way, and I bought black on black. Noting in the $400 price range in my opinion even came close to this rack.

I was hesitant to buy it due to the reviews above talking about how easily the shelves and stands are scratched. For those not familiar with the Lovan line, their racks are composed of individual "shelves" which fit on top of a lower " shelf" via 3 pointed feet, designed for further sound isolation. It gives each shelf the appearance it is almost floating on air above the shelf below it, and is a very striking appearance. The downside to this is once the shelves are stacked on top of one another, you cannot move it without taking your stereo components off of each shelf and then moving. The setup also take a little time as you need to adjust each foot to level the racks. I assembled my stereo and 5 shelves in under 30 minutes so it isn’t an ordeal by any means.

Returning to the " easily scratched" comments, my experience was just the opposite. A few times I " tried" hard to scratch the shelves and once even the metal stands. I managed to completely assemble the unit without a single scratch and don't think I could have easily scratched it had I tried.

Also for those audiophiles who really want to isolate the vibrations, the 3 legs on each stand can be filled with either lead/steel shot or sand to further weight it down. I chose not to do this and find the normal rack weight sufficiently able to make the system sturdy.

I don't have a lot of experience with other racks, and the purpose of this review is not to suggest I managed to find the absolute best rack on the market. retail on this rack as I bought it was well over $800 ( I bought the Sovereign 2+2 plus bought the amp stand, all with black boards ), so for $400 it is an excellent buy. I'm totally happy with every aspect of the rack. it does not have a cable management system so if that is important to you then stay away from this rack. However, with my equipment in place I truly do not notice the cables and have not yet even attempted to organize them. This was a concern of mine prior to buying a rack and in the end I chose this rack due to it's looks. Once it arrived and I set it up, I was even more impressed with it's sturdiness and ability to liven up the sound of my system. Of course going with new silver interconnects had a lot to do with that as well! All in all I am very pleased with this rack and have no regrets at all!

Strengths:
Appearance, Size of shelves, Isolation properties, Flexibility in arrangement, Ability to add shelves later

Weaknesses:
Doesnt both me but once set up you cannot move it without taking " apart" ( see review below )

Similar Products Used:
None, Evaluated Sound Organisation, Sanus systems EAB, Standesign