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
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