Black ash is, well, black. That’s settled one of them for you.
3 Likes
The SL interconnect was £800 ex demo. If I can get a Fraim unit for that I’d be very happy 
What’s your opinion on the shelving unit on fleabay?
I’m sure the flea bay units are very good… you pay your money you take your choice 
That said I went for the Full Fraim myself…
1 Like
Were it as simple as plugging in a Powerline I’d probably have a Fraim setup by now…
My hi-fi is currently in the wrong room, and I don’t want to commit to Fraim/other until I sort the other room out and decide on the style.
I think it was HungryHalibut that mentioned the other day how much better everything sounded after a bit of a dust-down!
Clutter removal has to be a priority for me, though it may well ameliorate any standiong waves due to its randomness!
Yeah the Fraim rack is trickier for me to get it the room as a high stack due to the TV which is why I didn’t even consider it in the first place and was attracted to that one on fleabay…
Too much wood and the clear glass looks cheap and nasty. There is something called the Simrak that’s supposedly good. Cymbiosis have details on their website.
IMG_6594.jpeg
Okay. Wow. These are stunning.
6 Likes
The seller of these racks appeared here on the forum a few years ago, pretending that he was a DIYer wanting to make his own rack for a Naim system. He quizzed forum members for details of what to look for in a HiFi rack, then immediately proceded to manufacture and sell them, never to be seen again on the forum. I though that was rather dishonest, especially as he has the nerve to list Naim as the brand on his ebay listings.
I have my doubts as to how good they are given his obvious inexperience when he started asking questions here, and the rather bulky looking designs based on little more than a forum thread, but who knows, perhaps they work well.
1 Like
Replying to the original question - Fraim is “worth it” to me. First, I need SOMETHING to put the hi fi on. As for aesthetics, I like Fraim and it works for my wife’s tastes as well, good enough anyway. I like it a lot better than everything else I’ve seen, including what I started with (Quadraspire). I’ve never done a test listening to racks, but I’m convinced that it’s quite functional; many whose ears I trust find it quite functional too. And as for price, I’d say it’s mid-range; can pay less, but definitely can pay more.
You could put 3 IsoAcoustics Orea’s under the SN to address the shelving issue. About 3% of the cost of a Fraim.
2 Likes
It may address it but would it be effective? The 3% would be money down the drain if it did nothing. Racks are about managing vibration. The energy has to go somewhere. Adding things to an unstable base may or may not work.
The Orea is an isolation device, the Fraim is a decoupling device. Both have merits technically. And the Orea has great reviews. At 3% of the cost it’s a good alternative for people that don’t want Fraim. There is no one size fits all solution.
2 Likes
Have you tried the Orea at home?
No, we’re discussing that in the Sorbophane tread. Have you compared the Orea used on shelving with a Fraim?
Hi Mike. No, I’ve never tried them. What slightly concerns me is you stating that they are a ‘good alternative’ without any actual experience. If someone buys them on your recommendation and finds they are useless then that wouldn’t be good. They may or may not be effective and I think it’s important to remember that reviews rarely say something isn’t very good as it can affect advertising revenue.
I think most people can manage a bit of due diligence when buying stuff, just as they will take criticism of their set ups with a pinch of salt hopefully, rather than throw them in the bin or cut them in half 
Maybe, though people have bought whole systems based on my recommendations, and trying for oneself is not always possible. I’d never recommend something I’d not tried myself, unless heavily caveated that I’d been told it was good and that people should try it themselves. To do otherwise is irresponsible.
The rack that Mon posted a picture of is a poor design. It’s virtually impossible to ensure 8 spikes are properly levelled, and having the top and bottom as one piece with the middle shelves separate is just pointless. For a double width rack something like a Quadraspire SVT is so much better. Only four spikes. Proper engineering rather than something knocked up in a garage. I’m just baffled how people can spend £10,000 or £50,000 on kit and expect it to give its best plonked on any old thing.
Not recommending something you haven’t tried yourself whilst critising others systems with things you haven’t tried yourself seems a bit problematic maybe?
3 Likes
Settle down guys
Think I’m gonna opt to for the Simrak. Thanks for the recommendation 
1 Like
This does look quite classy, much more aesthetic than the Fraim.
1 Like