HRS MXR Double Wide Audio Stand

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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Dealer delivered my HRS rack today that I waited 23 weeks for. 12 wood boxes and 2 cardboard boxes for a total delivered weight of 1200lbs!

Unfortunately I have to wait another 2 or 3 days for him to come back and help put it together. HRS says it takes about 3 hours to construct. Too heavy do do myself.

View attachment 12008
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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Can't wait to see it setup. Congrats...the Mac daddy of stands. By the way, what's going on with your XS 300's ?

Dealer picked both up this morning when he dropped off the rack. Smelled something burning and got some noise through the speaker. Pass said to send both back.
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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Dealer picked both up this morning when he dropped off the rack. Smelled something burning and got some noise through the speaker. Pass said to send both back.

Isn't this the second time you had an issue with these amps ? I hope you are not w/o them for long....what a pain.
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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Isn't this the second time you had an issue with these amps ? I hope you are not w/o them for long....what a pain.

Yes, second time. Dealer gave me XA100s to use.
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
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Poland
Wow, 12 crates ! That must be a monster rack ! Can't wait to see the pictures.
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
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New York City
dealer delivered my hrs rack today that i waited 23 weeks for. 12 wood boxes and 2 cardboard boxes for a total delivered weight of 1200lbs!

Unfortunately i have to wait another 2 or 3 days for him to come back and help put it together. Hrs says it takes about 3 hours to construct. Too heavy do do myself.

View attachment 12008

omg!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,376
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Dealer delivered my HRS rack today that I waited 23 weeks for. 12 wood boxes and 2 cardboard boxes for a total delivered weight of 1200lbs!

Unfortunately I have to wait another 2 or 3 days for him to come back and help put it together. HRS says it takes about 3 hours to construct. Too heavy do do myself.

View attachment 12008

Smokes! Nice one...good luck and look forward to reading all about it...particularly in light of the fact that you have been running a small army of Ultra 5s. BTW, for what its worth, I have totally reworked my entire isolation program tonite...now a mixture of HRS M3/nimbus-couplers and Ultra 5s:

- Power Conditioner: Ultra 5 with Nimbus Couplers
- Transport PSU: Ultra 5
- Transport: Ultra 5
- CJ GAT: M3/Nimbus Couplers
- DAC PSU: Nimbus Coupers...may change up to Ultra 5s
- DAC: M3/Nimbus Couplers

Essentially, I have discovered in my system that the power, PSUs and Transport react extremely well to Ultra 5s...ultra stable, and ultra ultra clear...but on signal components...the Ultra 5s shave about 15% off the weight of treble and mids all the way thru upper bass. By adding nimbus couplers to the Ultra 5s...I get the weight back in the treble and mids...but at around 150hz...snare drum territory...its too weak...keep wanting to turn up the volume...a bad sign.

I switched the signal components to HRS M3 plus nimbus couplers...[so far] the perfect balance. Again, I may switch the 1 PSU (DAC) to Ultra 5s...but I have not got any left to use. But we're talking a possibly fine tune...which I may/may not go for.

I will thus be most interested to hear your findings on the full-on M3 rack. As always: my experience, my ears, my system...which by the way is quite finicky having a few tubes in it, and also being in the case of the Zanden hand-made and finicky.
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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Huge improvement! Across the board. The noise floor has disappeared. More weight to everything. Soundstage is bigger and more defined. Everything sounds CLEANER, CLEARER. This is with Pass XA 100.5 amps as my XS300s are back to Pass for repair. The system now sounds better than it did when the XS300s were in but the HRS was not. If I wasn't sitting here listening to this I wouldn't believe it.

To be clear, while I was waiting for the HRS to arrive, my system was sitting on an old Billy Bags double wide rack. I was using Ultra 5s under everything but the SME 30/12. The only Stillpoints being used now are under the MIT speaker network boxes.

The end panels and center panel are not walnut veneer. They are massive, solid blocks of walnut. The assembled unit weighs approximately 1100lbs! It's a thing of beauty.

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jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
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Austin
As a owner of 2 grand prix audio silverstone f1 stands...i can absolutely believe your comment on stands is better than the amps...

You're system is really amazing looking...and that HRS stand is a beauty !!

I tried my Typhon stacked on my Triton...and it had to go back to it's own shelf like you have....
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Congrats Frank! Really glad to hear about the improvement. From your description and my own experiments with HRS M3/Nimbus Couplers vs the Stillpoints Ultra 5s, I am not surprised. Particularly your comments about the HRS adding 'weight'...it is why I don't use the Ultra 5s in my main signal components (Preamp and DAC), preferring the M3/Nimbus Couplers instead. Where I use over half my Ultra 5s are speakers (8 Wilsons, 4 Velodyne)...have you tried them under your Fenice? I know the Fenice has a very specially designed base...still curious.

In any event, given how close the M3/Nimbus Couplers are on pure clarity/noise floor overall compared to the Ultra 5s, I could only imagine what the full monte MXR Rack must be like! Congrats again!!!
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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Frank, Congratulations. It sure looks beautiful. That's a very interesting comment about the overall improvement with the XA100.5 in the system instead of the XS300. I have two observations about the SME 30/12: Did you defeat the suspension in the towers? I notice no 1/4" gap, so they look like they are locked down. Also, the motor controller is real close to the motor. You may find a slight reduction in noise if you move the motor to the right side of the table.

I found a tremendous improvement when I further isolated the SME, especially the motor controller. So this may be responsible for a good portion of the improved sound you hear. Really looks great. I'd love to hear it someday.

And your dealer is earning his good reputation. I've met him and he seems excellent.
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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I have two observations about the SME 30/12: Did you defeat the suspension in the towers? I notice no 1/4" gap, so they look like they are locked down. Also, the motor controller is real close to the motor. You may find a slight reduction in noise if you move the motor to the right side of the table.

You have a great eye! I did lock down the suspension as I was moving the table around over the past couple of days. I actually forgot I had locked it down until you just mentioned it.

As for the motor controller, I tried it on both sides and couldn't notice a difference so I put it on the left side to give myself a better spot for the light I use over the turntable.

As soon as I finish watching the Red Sox polish off the Rays tonight I plan on going down to unlock the suspension and have a good listening session.

Thank you Peter for your observations.
 

Kingsrule

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Feb 3, 2011
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Why did it take 23 weeks?
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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Why did it take 23 weeks?

I never really got a good answer. I was quoted 9 weeks. I did make a change about 2 weeks in. I went from their recommended configuration of the turntable side of the rack at 21" shelves and the other side at 19" shelves to having both sides at 21". The actual shelf holding the turntable is custom made at 27" specifically for the SME 30/12. Other than that I have no idea why it took so long. I thought there was very poor communication. Especially for what they charge and considering I had to pay in full up front.

I was not happy and expressed that on many occasions but it didn't seem to make a difference. My dealer had just signed them on and I was his first customer although I don't think that should have made a difference.

In the end, at least I'm very happy with the final product so it makes the long wait a little easier to take.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,598
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23 weeks? Sorry, that's unacceptable, no wonder how good this equipment sounds. I had to pull the plug on a phono stage order that went into the 4th month with no sign of delivery. Too bad, it sounds great, and I like to support cottage industries. But I went elsewhere - 2 weeks and my new equipment arrives!
My Symposium Isis/Rollerblocks items took a month from order to delivery, to incl the companies summer break! And with constant email updates on progress.
Together with mega$s cables that aren't cooked prior to despatch, and a million other high end hangups of mine, it's no wonder the summit of audio has a shrinking customer base.
I'll NEVER accept such disdain for customers, no matter how good this stuff sounds.
Rant over!
 

rsorren1

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
365
131
348
Dallas area
OK, I'll admit it; I have rack envy! Absolutely drop dead gorgeous and the fact that it works as you described is the most important fact. I've heard systems on HRS racks several times at three different dealers but one can't do a comparison. But to hear from someone who has just added an HRS rack of this caliber and can describe the differences you hear is valuable input. My local dealer has an SXR double wide on display in black. I just stand over it and drool! CONGRATULATIONS! Outstanding system. Enjoy!
 

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