AG Lifter Crescendo Stackable Isolation Rack

Many manufacturers of high-end audio electronics, digital sources and turntables have repeatedly expressed that you have never truly heard a component’s sonic capabilities unless you hear it when it has been effectively isolated. Such are the effects of resonance within music systems that by simply adding isolation devices to your hi-fi system can instantly and completely transform the sound.

The Crescendo Modular Rack is the premium rack produced by AG Lifter and it incorporates technologies that deliver supreme performance through the use of layers of isolation and decoupling.

AG Lifter considers isolation feet to be superior to other solutions such as spikes or cones. For this reason, they utilise their Dulcet 20 Isolation Feet at the base of each AG Lifter audio rack. Further to this, each shelf is supported by Dulcet 19 Isolation Feet (with available options of Original or GOLD). The Dulcet 19 Isolation Feet are distance settable with 2 options of placement on the horizontal parallel rails at the front and back of the rack or the perpendicular rails for perfect placement according to the size of the electronics placed on the shelf. The perpendicular rails are adjustable from left to right, tuning the chassis of your rack for the best performance. Each module is then decoupled using a stainless steel bearing assembly sitting in a billet CNC machined cap pressed into the vertical custom extrusions and this system is then repeated at each layer all the way to the top of each Crescendo Modular Rack.

The frames of the AG Lifter racks are constructed out of a custom designed proprietary aluminium alloy extrusion (ISO 9001) with polished and anodized custom billet caps which have been designed with dampening properties. This special extrusion resulted from extensive research and development which modelled and tested various profile designs. A proprietary fastener is used to further apply tension to the extrusion resulting in a frame which is perfectly balanced – dampened but live enough to provide an exciting sound. The AG Lifter Crescendo Rack incorporates two levels of audio isolation and includes a frame designed to move the isolation points on each shelf individually from left to right and from front to rear. This provides greater tuning potential for the isolation of each audio component, which is achieved by tensioning the complete frame and which delivers sonic advantages as a result.

After extensive research, AG Lifter decided that the most consistent product to use for their audio rack shelves is acrylic. The lower shelves are 15mm thick acrylic and the lower shelf design is CNC-cut to be captive within the rack frame. This means that audio equipment can be installed without the shelves sliding out. The top shelf is 20mm thick acrylic with greater thickness being incorporated in order to accommodate heavy-weight audio equipment (eg. turntables). In the standard set-up, nitrile bearings support the Crescendo Modular Rack top shelf. However, special Turntable Dulcet Isolation Feet can also be used as an additional upgrade if desired by the user. This three-layer isolating system floats the plinth of your turntable.

This design objective was to produce an audio rack that performed at the highest level but was also easy to assemble and install in all types of listening rooms. Some brands provide audio isolation solutions through the use of high mass and weight. While this method can be effective, it does however make the finished rack extremely heavy to ship and to move. Instead, AG Lifter has treated the art of audio isolation like a tuning fork, using a lighter weight structure in order to isolate your audio electronics. The end result is an ultimate-performance rack that is much easier to install and move. The understated, elegant design is also aesthetically pleasing to behold.

What is unique about these rack systems is that they use the Dulcet Isolation Feet technology throughout the rack whereas a more common approach is to use spike or cone technology. This difference is immediately palpable when comparing AG Lifter Racks to other brands and as a result, the AG Lifter Crescendo Rack system outperforms other competing offerings which come at a considerably higher price. In terms of outright performance and value for money, the AG Lifter Crescendo Modular Rack is exceptional.

Why do isolation devices improve sound quality?

The presence of vibrations of various frequencies, also known as ‘resonance’ or ‘harmonics’, can be very harmful to the performance of audio components. In a music system, resonance can be ground-borne (be transmitted into the system up from the floor), air-borne (be transmitted into the system from the air surrounding the system) or originate from the actual audio equipment. Factors such as transformers, power supplies and electronic components resonate at various frequencies and these vibrations spread throughout the component internally and then out to the rack and through the rest of the system, mixing with vibrations caused by other pieces of equipment.

The performance of audio components are affected by these vibrations and in some cases they micro-phonically pick up these frequencies and repeat them, causing reverberations. The presence of resonances in a music system can result in a higher noise floor, ghosting effect, low level hum, a smearing, or lack of clarity of sound, blurriness or hard, glassy edge to your music.

Isolation devices mitigate these resonances, thus allowing the equipment to operate the way it was designed and to perform optimally.

What is the effect of introducing isolation devices to a system?

The addition of an AG Lifter Crescendo Rack can have the following effects on a system:

• The sound becomes tonally correct and with increased weight, scale and authority.
• Sound stage height, width and depth is expanded.
• Quieter background, lower noise floor.
• Imaging improves and the sonic presentation ‘snaps’ into focus.
• A deeper, tighter bass performance with increased definition.
• More ‘organic’, or natural textures.
• An increase in detail across all frequencies.

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