Shida 01 Rack / 2 shelf

rack is often treated as something that simply holds the equipment. At Shida, we see it differently. The structure supporting an audio component is part of the mechanical environment in which it operates, and that can have a direct bearing on what we hear.
 
The Shida 01 Rack was developed to control the way vibration moves through that structure. Solid hardwood forms the main structure, while high density Keruing plywood and Shida's S55 elastomer system are used to control the transmission of energy between the equipment, the rack and the floor.
Each top board is isolated from the supporting structure using S55 pucks. Their behaviour under load allows the isolation system to be tuned to the equipment it supports, rather than simply providing a generic layer of damping.
 
The aim isn't to eliminate vibration altogether, but to control it in a way that allows the equipment to perform without the support structure imposing its own character.
In listening, the difference can be heard as greater clarity and definition, more natural tone and texture, and a greater sense of ease and separation.
 
The materials and construction are deliberately straightforward. Nothing is included simply because it looks impressive or because it is traditional. Each element has a job to do.
The result is a rack that is designed to become part of the audio system rather than simply sit underneath it.
 
“It’s a lot clearer. Space between instruments is enhanced .... there’s a clarity that wasn’t there before. Blue Monday is astonishing, as is Dexter Gordon.”
Andrew Nicoll