When placing and presenting hi-fi separates in your home, it’s natural to want them to look smart. Hi-fi racks from dedicated manufacturers are designed to deliver stable support and keep vibrations at a minimum so they don’t affect your system’s overall performance, but it also helps when these bits of furniture look good in your home. 

Blok Stax 2G is a modern, modular hi-fi rack that aims to offer contemporary and stylish support furniture for your separates system. Designed and engineered in Essex, UK, the Stax 2G rack features isolation properties built into the structure, clever and user-friendly assembly, and even specially built tools just for this task.

Price

Each rack order comes with a base shelf (£275 / $375 / AU$569), which includes all the tools and accessories needed for assembling. You can get shelves in three different heights, but the width and depth remain the same. The modules include a Shelf 120 (£225 / $325 / AU$469), a Shelf 170 (£250 / $350 / AU$529), and a Shelf 220 (£275 / $375 / AU$569). There is also an “LP” vinyl storage module for £300 / $425 / AU$629.

You can buy individual shelves as you see fit for your hi-fi system, but Blok also offers two 'collections' to help you get started. The three-shelf collection packs in one shelf base and two Shelf 170 modules for £775 / $1075 / AU$1599. The four-shelf collection consists of a shelf base, two Shelf 170 and one Shelf 220 for £1050 / $1450 / AU$2149. In the photos in our review, you'll see the base, Shelf 170 and Shelf 220 assembled.

Build

The Blok Stax 2G is a smart-looking set of shelves. You can get the shelf material in veneered plywood or tempered glass – we’ve opted for plywood for this review – while the side supports are made out of MDF. There are three colour combinations: our review sample’s black ash plywood shelf with natural (dark) wood supports; natural ash plywood shelf with white satin supports; and black glass shelf with high gloss black supports. 

It’s a minimal design that we imagine will blend into many living or listening rooms. The shelves and supports are well built, and each shelf can support up to 40kg of weight. That’s ample enough for most conventional stereo amplifiers, CD players and turntables, although it’s worth noting that rival racks from Atacama offer thicker shelves and higher maximum loads. We like the clean, modern lines of the Blok, but the finish isn’t quite as seamless as we’d like at the edges of the supports. We run our fingers across the surface and find a couple of very small rough patches. 

One of the most appealing aspects of the Stax 2G is how easy it is to put together. It takes less than 30 minutes and IKEA could take a few tips from Blok about assembly; there is also a helpful video on Blok’s website to aid you. Each shelf comes with its required fixing bolts, and there are silicon isolation pads under each support’s legs with grooves that fit snugly over each bolt/screw head when stacking the shelves. For the top shelf, there are four sleek magnetic caps that cover the screws. It’s a fuss-free set-up and we like not having to watch out for multiple sharp spikes as we've found in rival designs.

Even more useful is the specially made tool that helps attach and screw on each fixing bolt – it’s like an Allen key on steroids. There is also a cleverly-made floor spike adjustment tool that allows you to easily adjust and level the spikes once set up. Rubber feet are cleverly integrated into these feet, too. 

The sturdy silicon pads between the shelves have been carefully engineered to optimise isolation; they are designed to reduce the unwanted resonances and vibrations carried through the shelf from affecting the products placed on them. There are also hidden rubber bungs in each shelf that further help to support the weight of the shelves and your system.

If you need more damping, there is scope to fill the shelves with inert acoustic materials (such as Atabites) or dried sand. Blok says any appropriate inert filler material available on the market is acceptable to use, and can be funnelled in through the removed bungs in the supports. They should have the desired effect of adding more mass for greater damping, should you need it. 

Performance

We place a variety of products on the Stax 2G during testing, including the Cyrus CDi CD player, the Rega Planar 3/Nd3 turntable and the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition streamer. We also have the Award-winning Atacam Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 and the pricier Atacama Elite ECO 24 Reference hi-fi racks (both five star recommendations) for comparison. 

With the Cyrus CDi placed on the Blok Stax 2G, we are treated to a spacious and large scale sound. Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood album sounds more relaxed than ever, and we experience a more open soundscape where it’s easy to place and differentiate individual instruments. We find that our system sounds a tad rich in the bass, making the whole sound fuller. If your hi-fi system is particularly lean-sounding, then using the Blok rack should help to add a bit more body.

We switch to our long-running Atacama Evoque rack and find that, while the resulting sound from our system is smaller in scale, we feel there is a better sense of grip and drive with songs. In our opinion, there's more nuance, detail and emotion being revealed in Katie Crutchfield’s singing on 365, while our system sounds more solid and rhythmically agile here. With our kit placed on the Award-winning Atacama rack, the way our system delivers the basslines on Jamiroquai’s When You Gonna Learn is more defined and articulate, and there’s a greater sense of cohesion and solidity to songs.

Switching back to placing products on the Blok, we notice there is a slight loss of definition and drive to our system’s sound compared with using either of the Atacama racks. Overall, though, the Blok provides a stable platform, and the way it allows our system’s performance to deliver greater space, richness and ease of sound is appealing.

Verdict

The Blok Stax 2G is a thoughtfully put together hi-fi rack. We can’t stress enough how easy it is to assemble, not to mention how clever the bespoke assembly tools are. This is a modern-looking rack for modern systems and users, and one that offers an appealing blend of stable support and lifestyle appeal. 

It’s perfectly fine for most kit if you’re after sturdy support that also looks nice, and it’s a good alternative to traditional-looking hi-fi racks. But if you want to get the best performance out of your hi-fi kit and are happy to sacrifice a bit of visual style, the more traditional Atacama racks will be the better option if you prioritise sound quality above all else.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 

Also consider the Atacama Elite ECO 24 Reference

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If you're a long-time reader of What Hi-Fi?, you know we always recommend placing hi-fi – such as turntables, CD players and amplifiers – on dedicated hi-fi racks to give your products a stable support so you get the most performance out of your system.

It's not every day we have cause to celebrate a new hi-fi rack range, but that's exactly what we're doing here. Blok has been around the proverbial block for many years (we last reviewed a Blok rack in 2011), but the company has recently been acquired by the Monitor Audio Group and the first range of furniture under its wing is the Blok Stax 2G.

The new range is available in three combinations of finishes for the shelf and supports: natural ash plywood shelf with white satin for the supports; black ash plywood shelf with natural (dark) wood supports; and black glass shelf with high gloss black supports. The range is modular to suit your system's requirements, consisting of shelves in three different heights, a shelf base and an "LP" version for storing your records. 

Blok says the shelves and supports are designed to offer "optimal isolation" for your hi-fi system from resonances and you can further fill the structure with inert acoustic material to achieve even more damping and reduction of unwanted vibrations where needed.

Designed in the brand's headquarters in Rayleigh, Essex, the Stax 2G range has been developed to be as simple as possible to assemble, with hidden fixings and concealed rubber bungs that sit flush with the material of the supports, which in turn carry the weight of the shelves. There are silicon isolation pads between each shelf to further offer greater absorption of unwanted resonances and vibrations carried through the shelves that might affect your hi-fi set-up's performance. The feet are adjustable and you get the option of spikes or rubber feet.

The Blok Stax 2G range is available from today, with prices starting at £225 per shelf, while the base costs £275. We have a review sample of this new hi-fi rack range in our test rooms that we'll be putting through the full review process in due course.

Full pricing is below:

Stax 2G Shelf Base: £275| $375 | €350

Stax 2G Shelf 120: £225 | $325 | €285

Stax 2G Shelf 170: £250 | $350 | €300

Stax 2G Shelf 220: £275 | $375 | €350

Stax 2G Shelf LP: £300 | $425 | €375

Stax 2G 3 Shelf Collection: £775 | $1,075 | €950 per collection (consists of 1 x Shelf Base, 2 x Shelf 170) 

Stax 2G 4 Shelf Collection: £1,050 | $1,450 | €1,300 per collection (consists of 1 x Shelf Base, 2 x Shelf 170, 1 x Shelf 220) 

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Hi-fi equipment racks have to do two things: be a sturdy, reliable support for your hi-fi kit to sit on, and look good enough as a piece of furniture to blend into your living space. 

In both cases, Atacama’s new Elite Eco 24 Reference range succeeds with flying colours.

Atacama has form here. Its bamboo-made Evoque range of equipment racks has been our go-to recommendation in recent years, with the current Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 model a multiple What Hi-Fi? Award-winner. 

Atacama hasn’t found fit to sit on its laurels, however; it’s decided to redesign the way its hi-fi rack is constructed to deliver better support as well as offer a new-look design.

Build

The new Elite Eco 24 Reference range continues Atacama’s use of bamboo, which now extends to the legs as well as the shelves – there are no metal legs here like in the Evoque range. Both the construction and look of the new shelves have been revised, with interlocking panels of wood slotting together neatly to create a more rigid and seamless structure. 

It looks rather lovely once assembled, too; we really like the naturally textured tones of the bamboo wood. The Elite Eco 24 looks even more like a premium piece of furniture than the Evoque rack does.

As part of the top-of-the-range Reference Series, the Elite Eco 24 series consists of four shelf modules costing £300 each. That’s £100 more per shelf than the Evoque range, and the pricing is consistent for all shelves regardless of height. The natural bamboo finish comes as standard, while the dark bamboo option is an extra cost of £20 per module.

Each shelf is of a uniform 600mm width and 400mm depth, but the height of each shelf differs, so you can choose and stack them according to your hi-fi system’s needs. The available modules are the 70mm base, 170mm, 220mm and 270mm-height shelves.

Each shelf can accommodate up to 80kg of weight, and Atacama advises that, if you’re stacking multiple modules on top of each other, the maximum total rack weight doesn’t exceed 250kg, to ensure the lowest shelf doesn’t get overloaded.

There are more distinctive grooves cut into the underside of each Elite shelf now (including the base shelf), and these are designed to channel the flow of mechanical energy and unwanted standing waves away from the hi-fi product it’s supporting. Atacama says these grooves direct the unwanted resonances away in a more efficient manner down through the legs to the floor, while the inverted frustum cones on the feet further help isolate the base shelf from the floor itself. 

The solid panels on the sides leave a more closed structure than an open one. But the back panel leaves plenty of room for cables and Atacama says there should be enough ventilation thanks to the gap in between each shelf, raised by the brass/nickel-plated isolation spikes at each corner under the shelf. 

If you have a turntable system, you can swap out the base shelf for a vinyl storage module (starting from a rather expensive £600) to store your records. To address a previous complaint, Atacama has now made cable management panels (in portrait and landscape orientations) that can be fitted to the back of any assembled shelf across its range (£99 for panel, £39 for extension).

Performance

We placed a variety of products on the Elite Eco 24 rack during testing, from the modest Cambridge Audio MXN10 streamer to the more premium Cyrus CDi player, and the limited edition Naim Nait 50 amplifier. We also have the Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 shelves at hand for comparison. 

It’s a stable, sturdy arrangement. With the Cyrus CDi placed on the Elite rack, the resulting sound from our system is solid, dynamic and well-organised. We immediately hear just how big and open our system sounds when playing Jamiroquai’s Travelling Without Moving album; the Elite rack seems to allow the system to breathe more freely. We hear a tauter, more rhythmic bass performance too.

When listening to the same kit placed on the Evoque rack, that sense of openness is less apparent. More obvious is that bass is a touch lightweight in comparison, too. This top-heavy focus means there’s a touch of sibilance to the higher frequencies, which disappears as we move back to the Elite. Virtual Insanity flows with fluid musicality and dynamic ease, and we hear ample texture to instruments and voices when going back to using the Elite rack.

That’s not to say you should swap out your Evoque-range rack instantly; our system still sounds stable, zippy and engaging on this rack. But the new Elite Eco 24 allows for a step-up in performance that adds up incrementally, offering a more grounded, nuanced and larger-scale presentation.

Verdict

Paying £300 per module is a pricey sum. If you have a budget hi-fi system, you’ll likely be more than happy with your products placed on general furniture like a table or sideboard. 

But if each unit in your system costs upwards of £1000, then it can be worth investing in a specialist equipment rack that is designed to eke the ultimate best out of your products’ performance (and can even be an alternative way of updating your system’s sound without replacing individual kit).

The cumulative upgrades in absolute audio quality that a rack like Atacama’s Elite Eco 24 Reference offers is worth it to our minds and ears. And it all looks rather nice, too. 

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 

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At first glance, there seems little difference between Atacama’s Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 and its Award-winning predecessor, the Evoque Eco 60-40. But if you think that means Atacama’s engineers have been twiddling their collective thumbs over the past few years, you’d be wrong. 

Take a closer look, and you realise that there have been a whole host of tweaks to eke out even more performance from this rack.

Build

Place the two generations next to each other, and the most obvious difference is that the bamboo shelves on the SE2 version have slightly curved sides. This helps to reduce the build-up of internal standing waves, something reinforced by the revised shaping of the distinctive cut-outs on the underside.

Great care has been taken to control the flow of mechanical energy in the rack’s structure. This energy could originate in the hi-fi components (vibrations caused by their mains transformers or CD transports, for example) or be generated by the speakers and try to work its way back into your electronics through the floor. 

To deal with these vibrations, each leg is decoupled from the shelf it is attached to. The legs (which come in standard length options of 165, 215, 265 and 300mm) also have an internally mounted weight that controls how it resonates, and is terminated by a slightly rounded brass spikes to offer a degree of mechanical grounding between layers.

There are three shelf finish options – the standard finish is natural Bamboo, but medium finish bamboo and a dark version are also available at a £20 premium per shelf. The legs are only available in one colour, and that’s satin black.

The Evoque Eco 60-40 SE2 arrives flat packed, but it barely takes 15 minutes before we’re up and running. It feels well engineered and is nicely finished. If we do have a complaint, it’s that we would like Atacama to give some attention to cable management. The lack of it means the resultant spaghetti of cables from our system looks a little messy.

Compatibility

There are some people who don’t believe that an equipment support can make much of a difference to the sound of their system. But as we try a range of products on both the Atacama and our well used Hi-fi Rack Podium we’re left in no doubt as to the improvements such supports can make.

While a rack is obviously not in the signal path, if it handles all that vibrational energy well, the system can do its job better.

Performance

We try a Cyrus CDi CD player first and are struck by how much more agile and dynamic it sounds when used on the Atacama. We play Hans Zimmer’s Like A Dog Chasing Cars, from the Dark Knight OST, and are aware of more detail, coupled to a greater separation between the dense instrumental stands.

We’re equally pleased to note that both Rega's io budget integrated amplifier and Burmester’s 088 preamp respond in a similar manner. Both these amplifiers sound clearer and better organised when used on the Evoque than when sat on a typical sideboard or table. 

The comparison with the Hi-fi Racks Podium proves instructive. Both are a notable step ahead of non-dedicated alternatives, but it’s the Atacama we keep returning to when we want to hear exactly what’s going on.

While lacking the attractive weight and warmth that the Podium encourages in our set-up, when used on the Evoque, our electronics improve when it comes to dynamic expression, precision and rhythmic coherence.

Verdict

Paying this sort of money for a three-tier Evoque Eco SE2 is hardly a trivial sum of money, but if you really want to hear just how good your system can sound, it’s an investment worth making.

Review published: 2019. Review updated: November 2024.

SCORES

• Performance 5
• Compatibility 4
• Build 5

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The Omnium8 is about as configurable an equipment rack as we’ve come across. Our review sample is pretty much the vanilla option, apart from the black uprights, but if it isn’t quite to your tastes don’t worry, there’s plenty of scope for adjustment.

Build

This support is available in two standard widths, one just short of 57cm and the other a metre wide. Both options have a depth of 46cm. That should be enough for most requirements, but Hi-Fi Racks is nothing if not flexible, and can make bespoke sizes should you need.

There’s a choice of eight standard finish options and no less than four different types of uprights – round uprights are available in 31mm and 46mm widths or there’s square in 32mm and 46mm. Other decisions include the number of shelves you want, their spacing and whether the uprights are bolted or spiked. You get the idea – this rack can be configured to taste and can accommodate just about any set-up, no matter how complex.

Our review sample is bolt-together design and it takes us around 15 minutes to build. The instructions could be a little clearer, but it’s still more straightforward than assembling most flat-pack furniture. Once made, the Omnium8 feels solid and the overall quality is good. A couple of the threaded inserts in the uprights weren’t quite put in squarely, but with a little brute force it is all aligned.

This rack looks smart and we like the cutout at the back of the shelves to help keep cables tidy. In our experience, equipment racks can affect the performance of equipment strongly. It’s to do with the way the support deals with vibration from the environment and how it handles stray mechanical energy from the products themselves.

Sound

We try a range of products on the Hi-fi Racks from the Cyrus CDi and Marantz CD6006 UK Edition CD players to our reference Gamut D3i preamp and Rega’s Brio integrated amp. In all cases, putting the equipment on the support adds sonic weight and warmth to their presentation compared to the award-winning Atacama Evoque 60-40 Special Edition.

The Atacama counters by improving the equipment’s agility and precision, though both enable our various set-ups to render similar amounts of detail. We play a range of music from Jay-Z’s 4.44 set all the way through to Debussy’s Clair De Lune and have no issue with the overall balance dictated by either support.

Verdict

That the Ominium8 can be compared directly to our current Award-winner and come out of it with pride intact says much for the quality of the product. If its style suits, and its flexibility appeals, dive right in. You won’t be disappointed.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 4

MORE: How to build the perfect hi-fi system

See all our Hi-Fi Racks reviews

As Hi Fi Racks’ managing director Bradley Walters explains, “it's all in the name! ‘Omnium’ is the Latin word for ‘all’, or ‘all-inclusive’, and that’s exactly what the new product range represents… We have designed 8 key features in one rack design – which is where the ‘8’ in the product’s name comes from.”

These eight features include modular tier construction, hexagonal openings for cable management, the choice of two sizes (32mm or 46mm) and shapes (square or round) for the legs, and either the bolting together of tiers (as pictured) or their isolation with spikes.

Like all of the company’s racks, the Omnium8 is made from solid oak, with each part handcrafted in the company’s workshop in Leicestershire. Each tier is 27mm thick.

The Omnium8 comes in two standard tier sizes: 56.7cm wide by 46cm deep, and 100cm wide by 46cm deep. However, the Omnium8 can also be built to any size and any number of tiers, with any leg length available at no extra cost.

There is a choice of finishes, including natural satin, mahogany, cherry, walnut, black or white.

Pricing for the Omnium8 starts at £140.40 per tier. Full details will be available at the High End Munich Show, where it's being officially launched.

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It seems peculiar to give a product so reliant upon its stability a moniker that sounds more like a war video game franchise – somewhat akin to naming a housing association ‘Frostbite’, or an airline ‘Turbulence’.

But we are usually so enamoured by Atacama’s hi-fi racks, this one could be called pretty much anything and we’d still be excited to have it in our testing rooms.

The Apollo Storm 6 is a more affordable version of Atacama’s Award-winning Evoque 60-40 Special Edition: a modular support that blurs the lines between class-leading hi-fi component and typical household furniture.

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Build and compatibility

The Apollo Storm 6 is built from 27mm blocks of warp-resistant, solid British oak, instead of the Evoque 60-40 SE’s bamboo, but they share the same impeccable build quality and choice of four leg lengths – 135mm, 185mm, 235mm and a 60mm option used in the base module.

Atacama hasn’t quite gone to the same levels as it did with the Evoque 60-40 SE rack. For example, the nuts on which the leg spikes of the above module sit are visibly smaller and look more like a typical screw head.

MORE: Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 Special Edition review

However, it’s not a case of the Apollo Storm 6 having a sloppier construction, rather that it uses less expensive components to save the customer money.

And it’s quite a bit of money, too. Given that reliable support is necessary to get the best performance from your system, and that most people would be in the market for three or four modules, £50 less on each (£130 per module) is a significant saving.

Performance

But that shouldn’t mean a significant drop in the support and isolation it offers your system.

The performance of our reference system, using an Award-winning Clearaudio Concept turntable as our source, is bettered in every respect when using the Evoque rather than the Apollo Storm.

However, considering the price difference, we can’t complain too much.

MORE: Clearaudio Concept review

The Apollo Storm 6 still lets the Clearaudio’s innate talents shine, delivering a taut, dynamic performance that far exceeds that you’d get from resting it upon your typical living-room furniture.

It keeps the whole frequency band in check, too, offering up low end as far as the Concept can reach without letting the timing or detail suffer.

Verdict

Though it may be tempting to swerve this particular expense when budgeting for your system, a rack doesn’t have to be the most expensive component.

Atacama has consistently shown that not all supports are created equally – especially when it comes to housing your hi-fi.

That the company has created another class-leading support with a hefty saving on its Award-winning sibling is reason enough for celebration.

See all our Atacama reviews

We live in a world today in which everything seems to be labelled either family-run or handmade. What once were vernacular rosettes to be worn with pride and prestige have, largely through their ubiquity, become more than a bit preachy.

That’s why we must thank companies such as Hi-Fi Racks for safeguarding ‘handmade’ and ‘family-run’ from becoming entirely synonymous with spreading artisan pickles onto sourdough bread (whatever that is).

It’d be difficult, in fact, to imagine a more honest beginning than that of this now Award-winning business. Quite simply, Bradley Walters, now Managing Director, needed a rack for his own hi-fi system. So he built one.

Then he built more. He built bespoke racks for customers to whom he delivered them himself, sponging feedback as he developed his craft. And that, minus the personal delivery, is pretty much how it’s been since.

And that’s also why you pay £900 for a three-tier Grand Stand, but only the same pro rata for any customisation – table dimensions or leg length – and can be sure you’re getting premium hardwood.

Ease of use

Now, when we say handmade, you’ll be doing some of the making with your own hands. It’s dead easy to follow, and takes us only about half an hour, but does take a bit of stiff twisting to get the legs square and tight.

Once built, essentially it looks just like a conventional hi-fi rack. In no way is that meant to be a criticism; from the moment you lift the first piece from the box and inhale that new wood smell, you know the onus is on quality rather than gimmick.

You’ll need to factor in the size – it’s quite bulky, with the legs supporting the top tier but running along the edges of the other shelves. It means that a unit is wider and deeper than your largest shelf – but, unless you’re extremely short on space, that’s likely only to be a case of placement or system configuration.

Less easy to remedy is the fact that the legs aren’t adjustable. If you have an uneven floor, as with a wonky pub table, you’ll have to balance it with whatever you can find.

Performance

Loading the Grand Stand with a Rega Elex-R amplifier and Cyrus CDi CD player, connected with ATC’s SCM11 stereo speakers – all three 2015 What Hi-Fi? Award winners – we begin by playing The National’s Trouble Will Find Me album.

Though our gear isn’t yet fully fired, we are already able to bask in the smooth glow of I Should Live In Salt’s opening chords.

There’s a good amount of detail too as texture builds and different guitars strum and squeal, separating while issuing a charismatic, full-bodied performance. The Grand Stand particularly helps our system deliver the velvet-upholstered baritone of Matt Berninger’s voice.

Tracks such as Demons and Slipped benefit most, with delicate and tonally deep vocal lines afforded enough anchor not to let their impetus be lost. Still, despite its gloss, there is enough grit to force through more immediate tracks such as Sea Of Love and Graceless. In short, it aids the system in releasing a thoroughly engaging listen.

So where are the holes we’ve picked? Well it’s only really upon comparison. Using the same system with the Award-winning Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 Special Edition, the soundscape is clearly more open and, as we listen on, the music tends to knit better rhythmically and in terms of organisation.

Then there’s the price. While we truly appreciate the craftsmanship involved in creating a Hi-Fi Racks product, we review based on a performance per pound basis.

Sadly, £900 for three shelves is too steep a jump on the £525 we’d pay Atacama to house the same amount of equipment, which we think, acts as a conduit for better sound.

Verdict

In that sense, it’s an odd three stars to award. If the solid hardwood, craftsmanship and smooth, full-bodied sound suits your taste and hi-fi pairing, place your money here.

In true handmade style, Hi-Fi Racks says no two racks are the same – and that’s a good ethos to share when picking one out for yourself.

See all our hi-fi rack reviews

Let’s begin by praising Atacama, then we can discuss how they managed to do what they’ve done.

So significantly does the Evoque Eco 60-40 Special Edition improve upon its predecessor – named best equipment rack at last year’s What Hi-Fi? Awards, no less – its effect on our reference system was evident within seconds.

MORE: Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 review

Performance

Using a reference system of Cyrus CD i and Rega Elex-R amplifier, we played Marmaduke Duke’s Silhouettes to find crisper detail, tighter and more composed low end and better-organised instrumentation.

The differences could hardly be clearer. So what on earth can Atacama have done to take such great strides? Strides, too, that cost the listener only £25 extra per shelf.

Their aim, they say, was four-fold: “to build a hi-fi support able to dampen, direct, isolate and control sonic and mechanical resonance away from the equipment”.

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To that end, they have upgraded with longer legs, equipped with tuning counterweights for dampening, channels carved into the underside of each bamboo panel to direct vibrations towards the legs and replaced the steel feet with bronze to facilitate a steadier flow of mechanical resonance.

Being curious, we experimented taking apart the new and old Evoque Eco 60-40 and creating hybrids to test the new legs and panels separately.

They’re dead right, each time there was an improvement on the sound when using the original model, and each time not quite as good as using all components of the Special Edition.

Verdict

If you’re of the opinion all hi-fi racks are created more or less equal, the Atacama Evoque Eco 60-40 Special Edition is about to make you rethink your position.

See all our Atacama news and reviews

See all our equipment rack reviews

It isn’t often that hi-fi racks get an appreciative ‘ooh’ out of us at first glance, but Atacama’s new Evoque range wins points on design alone.

The solid bamboo shelves, the glossy black legs and the shiny steel cone caps and spikes all add up to a rather gorgeous-looking rack that we want in our homes. Build and finish is excellent too.

MORE: Awards 2014 - Best accessories

Performance

It’s a modular design: you can add extra shelves for £150, and customise the height of each tier with a number of leg-length options.

Bamboo naturally darkens with age, but you have the choice of natural, medium and dark finishes for the 40mm thick shelves. The Atacama isn’t just a pretty piece of furniture.

With our Cyrus CDi/Roksan Caspian M2 reference system, the sound is confident, insightful and hugely enjoyable. There’s a satisfying rumble to the punchy baselines, a clear and open top end, and voices are presented with nuance.

Verdict

It might not initially sound quite as immediate as some rivals, but longer listening reveals plenty of attack.

It’s pricier than its rivals, but we think the Atacama Evoque is well worth it.

MORE: Awards 2014 - all the winners

This Custom Design rack certainly lives up to its ‘discrete’ tag. The neat, slim build will appeal to many, but the shelves – made from damped aluminium – feel a little flimsy next to the wooden slabs of rivals.

Performance

We want reassuring heft. Assembly takes some work, too: the instructions are not very clear. We do some head-scratching to figure out which bits go where.

With our usual reference system on board, the sound is tight, fast and nimble. The system’s top end shines, but the rack seems to hamper our set-up’s capacity to deliver deep, punchy bass. We want more weight in terms of a more rounded and detailed performance from our system. John Williams’ orchestral theme to Jurassic Park sounds a little light on texture and detail here, and dynamically it feels a little muffled, too.

Verdict

The Custom Design allows our kit get the rhythmic structure of a song right, but at the expense of its subtleties.

The Atacama Audio Elite Eco 12.0 caters for AV use as well as hi-fi. It comprises a base unit and shelves that stack up on top, standing on isolation cones.

Each module costs £250, and you can choose from three leg lengths. You can also have cable management loops carved out of the back at no extra cost.

We were impressed by how our system performed when using this rack: our reference Roksan Caspian M2 stereo amp and Cyrus CD 6 SE2 CD player combo delivered a fluid and spacious presentation, and we heard a high level of detail, precision and authority.

It's a large unit though, so if you want to use only hi-fi, get the smaller model at half the width.

See all our hi-fi rack reviews

This Quadraspire Q4 Bamboo is one of the lighter racks we've seen, but it might be tough enough to withstand a panda attack.

Its metal and bamboo combination is simple, elegant, and easy to construct: metal poles screw into each other through holes in the platforms.

There's a little stick for extra tightening at the top and bottom, and the feet come in spiked and flat varieties.

With our kit placed on top, the sound we got was powerful, if tending towards the brash side of neutral. Nonetheless, our system produced an excellent sense of energy, with good rhythmic precision. If you have a slightly soft-sounding system, this may help.

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When the all-wood Hi-Fi Racks Podium arrived a couple of years ago, it ended the glass-shelved/metal-framed Atacama Equinox’s long-term domination of this sector, winning a couple of Awards along the way.

Atacama is hitting back, though, with two ranges of wood-baced supports. The Eris is the first we’ve seen.

MORE: Awards 2013

It’s a modular design (each layer costing £115) with 40mm thick bamboo shelves. Why bamboo? In tests Atacama preferred the results to traditional wood alternatives.

Trying a range of components including the likes of Marantz’s CD6004, Audiolab’s 8200CD and amplifiers such as Roksan Caspian M2 the results are uniformly good.

Racks don’t actively improve sound; they merely allow the system to perform better by controlling resonances and reducing vibrations fed into the electronics.

Whatever we placed on the Eris sounded more agile, detailed and dynamic than on any of the similarly-priced alternatives we tried.

The house-proud will be happy to know the frame comes in a variety of finishes, too. Add fine build and easy construction to the list of plus points and there’s much to admire here.

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Sage AV is a new hi-fi and home cinema equipment brand, launching with a range of racks and stands that are "designed for use by hi-fi enthusiasts who live in period homes".

Deliberately eschewing modern designs and stylings, the Sage AV range, which is hand crafted in the Cotswolds, aims to fit in with "traditionally furnished properties".

The company has been formed by David Free, "an archtiecturally trained designer", and the AV range takes its inspiration from wrought iron work, with products constrcuted featuring basket weave and spiral steel bars.

Two speaker stands come in 30cm and 50cm heights, and come with a choice between the "twist" or "weave" finishes. With a heavyweight construction, the stands are supplied pre-assembled and welded for maximum stability.

The 30cm Sage AV speaker stands are £210, while the 50cm model will set you back £230.

Completing the product line-up at launch is an equipment rack. A modular rack, it's supplied with seperate shelves, which can be supplied in various heights and numbers as required.

Constructed from solid steel bar, Sage AV offers wooden (oak) or glass shelves. The Sage AV equipment rack starts from £175, depending on specifications.

All products will be available direct from the Sage AV website, with the company promising to be versatile in terms of colours, sizes and style requirements. But you will need that period house...

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This dainty wood and glass rack isn’t the easiest in the world to build – there’s a fair amount of alignment to be done – but it looks good in a stylish yet traditional way.

Budget rack with bass-taming powers

The Stands Unique endowed our kit with an agile delivery and a good feel for subtlety and detail. Those seeking bass weight won’t find it here in spades, though, so this rack would work best with kit with a prominent bottom-end.

However, it offers a lot for the price, and while the sound does get confused at times, there’s no walking away from the fact its £140 cheaper than our current Award-winning Podium. If you’re working

to a budget, and want something to

do a more than adequate job, look no further.

This dainty wood and glass rack isn’t the easiest in the world to build – there’s a fair amount of alignment to be done – but it looks good in a stylish yet traditional way.

The Stands Unique endowed our kit with an agile delivery and a good feel for subtlety and detail.

Budget rack with bass-taming powers
Those seeking bass weight won’t find it here in spades, though, so this rack would work best with kit with a prominent bottom-end.

However, it offers a lot for the price, and while the sound does get confused at times, there’s no walking away from the fact its £140 cheaper than our current Award-winning Podium.

If you’re working to a budget, and want something to do a more than adequate job, look no further.

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If you’re after a feeling of permanency with your rack, then this hefty Blok system should fit the bill. Featuring thick 15mm glass (and supports that look like they would stand a Howitzer shell), this is no shrinking violet.

A big sound from a big rack

Sat on the Blok, our reference kit served up a big, stable sound. There’s much to like, including a pleasing tonal balance that features firm bass as well as well-integrated midrange and treble in its fast-paced and open-sounding delivery. It’s not all perfect though: we’d like some more subtlety and precision in the sound, just to tie things up nicely.

As it stands, though, for the money you get a lot

of product with more than ample space to take most home cinema or hi-fi components. This behemoth should definitely

be on your audition list.

If you’re after a feeling of permanency with your rack, then this hefty Blok system should fit the bill.

Featuring thick 15mm glass (and supports that look like they would stand a Howitzer shell), this is no shrinking violet.

A big sound from a big rack
Sitting on the Blok, our reference kit served up a big, stable sound. There’s much to like, including a pleasing tonal balance that features firm bass as well as well-integrated midrange and treble in its fast-paced and open-sounding delivery.

It’s not all perfect though: we’d like some more subtlety and precision in the sound, just to tie things up nicely.

As it stands, though, for the money you get a lot of product with more than ample space to take most home cinema or hi-fi components.

This behemoth should definitely be on your audition list.

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A perennial What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Award winner, Atacama’s Equinox rack was knocked off the top spot two years ago by Hi-Fi Racks’ Podium.

Now Atacama is back with an upgrade for all its Equinox Hi-Fi and Hi-Fi Celebration racks.

The Equinox modular design remains the same; the upgrade is to the shelving, which features Atacama Resonance Control (ARC) glass.

This laminated glass, featuring a dampening core, is more than 50 per cent thicker than standard Equinox shelves.

It comes in piano-black finish, costing £30 per shelf with a new rack or £40 as an upgrade. And a worthy upgrade it is.

Compared to regular Equinox shelving, we found the ARC glass pepped up the performance of both hi-fi and AV separates, adding verve and insight.

Whether you own an Equinox or are after an all-new rack, if you want more body, depth and punch to your system sound, we’d suggest trying out the ARC yourself.

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AV furniture specialist Blok has unveiled a new range of premium hi-fi and home cinema kit racks, designed to accommodate "the largest and heaviest equipment".

The Blok Pro-Stax range was inspired by the existing Stax range, but there the similarity ends, its maker claims.

The Pro-Stax range is deeper, wider and has extra-strong 15mm toughened safety glass shelving which can take up to 100Kg. Internal width is 50.5cm, and the lower shelf gap is 35cm high, with a depth of 52cm.

Sound isolating rubber washers separate each shelf, and M6 threaded acoustic spikes can be filled to replace the standard floor height adjusters.

Pro-Stax is avialable in walnut or oak real-wood veneer finishes, with either black or etched 15mm glass shelves conforming to BS6062A.

The standard Pro-Stax 400 has four shelves and costs £400; the Pro-Stax 500 has five shelves and costs £500. Both are available from www.blokdirect.com.

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The standard Podium came out of nowhere to claim our best hi-fi rack Award in 2009. Now it's the turn of its big brother to try and do the same when it comes to AV.

There are two sizes of Podium XL: the 1400mm width on test here, and a 995mm version. The difference accounts for £100 per tier, with the larger size weighing in at £350 per section.

Like the standard Podium, the XL uses a 40mm thick platform of solid oak. Shelf gaps depend on the height of feet specified: these can be from 65mm to 200mm. Finish is impressive, with the Podium XL coming across as a well-made piece of furniture.

We do have some criticisms. It's hard to assemble the legs so that they are tightly screwed on and square with the edges. Given the mass of cabling an AV set-up has, we'd also like some thought given to neat cable management.

Otherwise it's all good news - this is a great rack. We think it lets our reference kit sound even better than the smaller model, allowing it to convey a little more openness in the midrange and treble, and a touch more articulation low down.

By general standards there's far more weight, dynamics and top-end refinement to our equipment than when it's place on most alternatives we've heard.

The Podium XL's size means you can fit up to a 65in TV, three components side-by-side on each shelf, and easily accommodate a large centre speaker. If that suits your needs, look no further.

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If you believe the men in white coats at Yamaha, the average viewing height of home cinema fans in Japan is 40cm, while in the UK it's 50cm.

It might not sound much, but that 10cm could make quite some difference to your viewing enjoyment. It's a moot point now: the specification for the Yamaha YRS-1000 has been tweaked for the UK market.

More than merely a smart rack, the Yamaha incorporates a soundbar and amplification. There are three solid shelves, with a 116cm-wide glass top shelf, upon which a 40in screen looks perfectly happy.

Plenty of power on tap
The internal digital amplifier is capable of 112W total power: 62W is allocated to the 'beam drivers', which spread sound around your room, while 50W goes to the YST II downward-firing subwoofer.

Two HDMI inputs and one output can receive 1080p/24fps content and decoded HD audio in PCM form – the YRS-1000 can't decode HD audio itself.

After running through the auto set-up system with the calibration mic, we're up and running. Predictably there's plenty of left-to-right panning action, and sounds do seem to come from side walls rather than directly in front of you, but as with standard soundbars, there's little in the way of genuine surround sound.

Can do better for the cash
For maximum immersion we'd use the full '5 beam' mode, but this does leave dialogue a little recessed – switch to '3 beam' or 'stereo' and it becomes much more prominent – while there's sibilance in the midrange, too.

While it's a big improvement on TV sound, the bass rumblings need to be tighter, while explosive effects can sound harsh and bright. It's a convenient all-in-one solution but for £900 we expect the YRS-1000 to sound better.

See all our TV rack reviews

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At £800 the metal and wood Sunoko Vent-T is an expensive rack.

Larger than the £380 Quadraspire Q4, it's still clearly from the same family and features long vents cut into its shelves to provide, well, additional ventilation.

It also can pack a hefty 120kg per shelf, so it's strong too.

Our test rig really sang through this rack, serving up a refined, well-lit treble, smooth and rich midrange and a tight bass that featured superb grip and bags of detailing.

Dynamically you get a first rate performance, and the production subtleties in Dot Allison's Tomorrow Never Comes feel like a revelation. What more could you want from a rack?

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Sleepy Oakham in Rutland is the original home of Ruddles beer (now brewed elsewhere, sadly) and it's certainly pretty enough when driving through it, but the town isn't really known for its contribution to the world of hi-fi.

After looking at Hi Fi Racks' Podium rack, we think that might change. The attractive Podium is sturdily made from solid oak, with each shelf being a mighty 4cm thick.

Our sample had a smooth lacquer finish, and was easy to build, taking no more than 20 minutes from start to full assembly and needing no tools.

Can support up to 90kg
The design of this rack is rather unusual in its use of isolation spikes between solid wooden layers, but once assembled it sits firm, and Hi Fi Racks says it can easily support up to 90kg of kit.

Once placed on the Podium, Cyrus's Award-winning CD 8 SE CD player is fed the Ramsey Lewis Trio's energetic Wade In The Water.

See all our hi-fi rack reviews

It serves up a muscular sound that times well, and is able to handle production dynamics and subtleties with ease.

This is a fast-paced rack that will give your kit a full sound along with a wide soundstage. Detailing here is also more than capable, and right on the nose for the money.

Tonally, the Podium doesn't disappoint the listener either, with a propulsive, firm bass, smooth and fluid midrange and well-integrated treble.

An easy listen
You'll hear, too, that the sound isn't as hard as that you can find with some metal and glass racks, with a softer edge that helps to make listening easy. There's little, if anything, not to like here.

For your money, you get an enjoyable sound that isn't going to wear on you any time soon, coupled with a product where quality control has obviously taken centre stage.

It's time to put the town of Oakham back on the map.

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While all you see is an AV stand, albeit one with rather chunky legs and a few control buttons, there's some surround sound technology hidden away.

The RHT-G500 uses a 3.1-channel surround system, with centre, left and right speakers together with a subwoofer all built in to the stand. Sony's S-Force PRO Front Surround technology is on hand to deliver its best shot at 'surround sound' without the need for rear speakers.

The system has three HDMI inputs, capable of 1080p/24fps pass-through, plus Sony's Digital Media Port that allows further connectivity. There's also a remote control supplied.

This is a serious amount of money to spend on an equipment rack. Then again, the Sonorous N110 is no ordinary support. It comes ready-made in a heavy crate, and is a definite three-person lift.

Once out of the packaging the N110 remains a weighty proposition - there's so much thick glass involved in the design. Thankfully, Sonorous has specified castors, which help no end.

Weight has its advantages too. This rack can hold up to 100kg worth of equipment on the top shelf alone, and includes more than a passing nod to cable management.

It is wide enough to suit a 50in flat screen TV, and an extra four boxes, so most will be fine for storage.

Doesn't offer much of a step up

Our problem with the N110 is two-fold. First, it doesn't offer much of a step up in performance over cheaper alternatives such as Atacama's Equinox.

The N110's picture quality is slightly better defined and the sound gains attack, but there isn't much in it.

Second, and the main reason we've rated it at just two stars, is that it isn't built well. Few of the glass panels line up properly, giving the N110 the air of something that's just been just cobbled together.

Which isn't what you want when you've just spent a grand, is it?

Our Award winner for four years, the Atacama Equinox is stable and easy to build.

On it, our reference hi-fi kit produces a wide and fast sound that features a smooth midrange and responsive bass with a brilliantly lit treble, while detailing is handled well.

However, it's now met its match: rivals such as the Hi-Fi Racks Podium and Quadraspire Q4 are capable of offering both more subtle detail and heft.

Click here to watch our video review of the Atacama Equinox.

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We suspect there are many people who would never consider spending this much money on an equipment support. And in many ways, they'd be right not to.

The StrataBase platform only makes sense in high-end set-ups, where the price of the components is at least a couple of grand each.

That's not to say that this platform won't work in cheaper systems, but we reckon you get similar or better results upgrading the electronics, rather than the support.

However, in the right system, placing the StrataBase 1 between, say, a CD player and a conventional equipment rack delivers a massive improvement in dynamics, detail and punch.

Admittedly, the price isn't subtle, but neither are the improvements. Audition it…

We know it's tempting to park your expensive equipment on the most convenient surface in your house, but you'll only enjoy it at its best when it's properly isolated.

Keep your system away from vibration (from your feet, from other equipment) and standing as securely as possible: that means a proper rack.

The popularity of big flatscreen TVs being what it is, though, even double-width ‘AV' designs can be found wanting. There's something undeniably unsatisfactory about the way a 50in screen hangs over either end of a kit rack. Homes that can house a screen of this size (or even larger) can inevitably accommodate a super-sized rack – that's Quadraspire's reasoning, anyway.

The QAVX rack is a monster 163cm wide
This is more than enough space to put a 65in screen on top without ruining your decorative aesthetic.

Available in six different wood finishes (we tested the '80s-tastic black ash), or clear or sandblasted glass, the QAVX disguises its bulk pretty well.

Familiar Quadraspire curves help soften the looks, and the aluminium supports with integrated floorspikes add to the impression of quality and solidity. Being so wide, the QAVX will easily house three full-size pieces of equipment.

Expensive but effective
The Quadraspire does a good job with flatscreen pictures and sound. All of the picture stability that we enjoy from our reference Atacama Equinox stand is present and correct when using the QAVX, and it gives decent weight and grip to troublesome low frequencies.

In short, when tested in a two-shelf configuration (additional shelves are available at £280 a pop), we found the QAVX effective, if a little expensive.

If you've the floorspace, though, this Quadraspire support is well worth a decent audition.

You'll have to think carefully whether £1800 is too much to spend on a rack. But, if you decide to part with your money, you won't be disappointed.

The CL1552 looks amazing but it's also super-sturdy and built like an AV tank.
It's not just a pretty face either. You get an integrated cable management system, plus thoughtful mesh panels that go on the back of each shelf to help with ventilation.

Keep an eye on heat levels if you choose to run equipment with the doors closed, and remember you'll also need a remote relay to control your hidden kit.

Laden with all manner of kit, the Spectral produces, crisp, clean pictures and a very commendable sonic performance too.

If money isn't an option then you won't be disappointed.

Rather than perching your hi-fi and home cinema system on a traditional-looking dedicated rack, or designer furniture that's not up to the job, Spectral promises the best of both worlds: maximised performance with minimal ugliness.

This rack comes from Spectral's ‘Closed' range, so-named as the shelves come with doors to hide away your valuable home cinema equipment.

So what does your money buy you? Well, The stand is sturdy, to say the least. If we were rating on a lb-for-pound basis, this heavyweight would be running away with five stars. Alas, if only testing – and life – were that simple.

The cabinet for the CL1050 comes pre-built, but the optional TV bracket needs assembly. But don't panic – this is a simple job. You're also given all the screws you need for mounting a screen of up to 50in, or 40kg. You'll be thankful it boasts stylishly concealed castors.

Improves sound and picture quality
Great AV racks not only look smart but also improve sound and picture quality. Tested with a range of kit, the CL1050 produces sharp pictures and an excellent sound stage.

Some rival racks offer a slightly tighter presentation, but the sonic difference is minimal: you're only making a small sacrifice in return for the Spectrals' peerless style.

There's no denying that these are pricey ways to mount your kit, but in typically Teutonic fashion they both manage to strike an excellent balance between style and function.

To say Atacama's Equinox has some pedigree in the world of racks would be like saying James Bond gets lucky with a lady occasionally.

Both hi-fi and AV versions are Award winners, so we had high expectations for the latest addition.

In fact, we merely wanted to confirm our high expectations, as this is the same rack as the Equinox AV, though with the added inclusion of an integrated TV mount, capable of holding a screen up to 44in in size.

A winning addition to the Atacama range
Build quality and design are up to standard with the universal mount, and the ability to turn your screen up to 80 degrees either way once mounted is a clever touch.

As well as the neat features and smart appearance, the Equinox AVI does the task of providing a stable base from which a detailed, dynamic sound can be produced.

Similarly, pictures are vivid and immersive, with no sign of any faults introduced. All told, this AVI is a winning addition to Atacama's Equinox range, which looks to have the competition well and truly – ahem! – on the rack.

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Partington is better known for its acclaimed loudspeaker stands (the company has notched up several Awards in recent years), but the Minim hi-fi rack looks set to be every bit as successful as its siblings.

A typically solid, sturdy affair, it's an all-metal design with glass supporting shelves, and is available in any colour you like – so long as you like black.

Adjustable shelf heights can cope with different-sized pieces of equipment, and sonically, the Minim is true to Partington form. With a suitable hi-fi in situ, you'll enjoy deep, agile bass, a more open and expressive midrange, and treble that never sounds harsh. In the right set-up, then, a great buy.