ugi

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Audio Advisor

Summary:
I have been using the Archetype 5 rack for seven years (!) and it has served me well. Yes, it looks like a giant erector set, but that's its utilitarian charm. Mine still looks quite new, and the only scratches it's picked up were when someone transported it over a brick wall. The shelves are very supportive and can handle most components you throw at it. It did get somewhat wobbly when I set an old 20" TV set on top, but that's probably not the best use of the top shelf. It is time consuming when setting up the first time to get every shelf level, so if you are work-averse you should stay away. But the basic principle of construction is simple. And the versatility is undeniable.

Strengths:
versatile, customizable, stable

Weaknesses:
time consuming to level the shelves

Price Paid:  $150.00 from Audio Advisor

Summary:
I bought a pair of these on a closeout or someting like that at AA. They must have been like D- stock or something. I could not assemble the unit because the rails were machined so badly that the nuts would not travel down them and got stuck. AA gave me no problems about authorizing the return, but I never sent them back because the return shipping was so high, the units are very heavy (I live in NYC -- you can't just back your car up to a shipping center around here), the boxes hard to reseal without steel bands, and I ended up just eating the loss. Also, be aware that you will have to spend hours twiddling nuts to put these together. It is much more tedious an annoying to build than the usual types of assembly-required furniture. In the end, I found that some of the big box retailers and mom and pop furniture retailers have audio racks that are as good as the lower end racks sold through "audiophile" channels at less than half the price.

Price Paid:  $100.00 from DIY

Summary:
I am writing a review for this rack because i made my own (DIY) clone of this rack, although mine is taller and the shelves are like an inch bigger on each side., its pretty much the same thing. Mine uses 5/8" rods and 3/4" birch plwood shelves, So, it performs like the store bought one anyway... This is a very good rack its very sturdy and can hold MUCHO weight.mine does anyway... I havent tried but im sure i could stand on it no problem . and i aint a little guy either. When fully loaded you can move the top around and it will sway a bit, not much but with heaver rods this would not happpen. And i really think you should try the DIY approch. i got all the materials for less than 100 bucks and only took a day to build+ assembly and its better than the store bought one, And WAYYY cheaper.

Strengths:
good sturdy

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Audio Advisor

Summary:
My wife suggested this rack after looking at an Audio Advisor catalog. We had been using a custom LP storage/equipment rack but we are contemplating the purchase of new speakers and needed vertical rather than horizontal space.

Strengths:
I suppose the first strength of this thing is STRENGTH; the shelver are realtree and Salamander claims the shelves can hold 150# ea. My 65lb. amp serves as a nice low center of gravity, other than that it just sits there solid as a rock. The "infinately" adjustable shelves are a fair trade for the threads on the supporting columns. Perhaps the nicest touches were the spanner and level provided with the kit. One seldom sees anything that requires assembly that doesn''t begin the instructions with a list of tools needed for the task. There were also a number of extra nuts and washers provided.

Weaknesses:
The threaded legs are not too estheticaly appealing, but they''re black, and the ease and convience make up for any shortcoming in appearance.

Similar Products Used:
Concrete Blocks, Costom Made.

Price Paid:  $500.00

Summary:
I have a 3.0 and a 2.0 joined together. Not difficult to assemble, but time consuming. In cherry, looks much better than those black metal stands. If you tighten the nuts down hard, it's very strong and stable. Infinitely adjustable, and you can add shelves, so you can add components at will and not have to stack them or buy a new rack. You also don't have wasted space between shelves. Salamander's cable organizers are a waste - don't mess with them.

Strengths:
Adjustability, looks, strength, stability

Weaknesses:
Assembly time