____ Adventures in HiFi: IKEA Edition

A few weeks ago I discovered the IKEAhacker blog, which is all about tweaking IKEA furniture and other items for alternate uses. The concept is right up my alley. Too bad none of the stuff posted so far is all that great. Well . . . the use of IKEA wardrobe doors as a room divider looks pretty smart [if you're into that whole modern thing].

One of the hacks I've always wanted to try is this hi-fi stand made out of IKEA Lack side tables, sometimes referred to as the "Lack Rack."

So this particular job may not look all that hot. [I have seen much better examples of this hack.] But you should see some of the god-awful hi-fi furniture that's out there--lots of expensive, shiny metal and glass monstrosities. If executed correctly, the Lack Rack can be effective, inconspicuous but attractive, and relatively inexpensive. The few rack systems out there that are effective and halfway attractive to me [Hutter; Isoblue; Quadraspire] cost about $700 to $1,000. For the hardware and 3 of the style of Lack tables pictured above, you'd probably spend about $100. With about 2 hours of hacking and assembly, you'll have something that is about as effective as the high-dollar options.

So what do I mean by "effective?" I don't know how to explain it without getting too geeky. Let's just say that what you place your audio equipment on may have a negative effect on the performance of the equipment. This effect is most obvious with turntables, but it can also make a difference with CDP's and amps. The IKEA Lack side table has long been heralded as one of the best [and cheapest!] stands for Linn and Rega turntables. Apparently the light-but-rigid construction of these little tables allows them to quickly disipate extraneous vibrations that could mess up your tunes.

Beyond the alleged sonic benefits of the Lack Rack, I'm just looking for something small and not ugly [but cheap] on which to place my hi-fi gear in the corner of the room where it won't be noticed. Right now, I've got everything set up on this "cabinet" thing I got at Goodwill 6 years ago.

blah. I gotta get rid of that thing.