A wall shelf? For my turntable? I thought I was reading a Hi-Fi blog, not the 1985 Habitat catalogue! Fret not dear readers, we haven’t gone all Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen on you, this is still an audiophile blog!
In today’s blog, we’re looking at the often overlooked, yet essential element of Hi-Fi Furniture; specifically that of the Turntable Wall Shelf. Now, before you run off to read an article on the latest phono pre-amp or pick-up cartridge, stay with me. Decent furniture, especially when referring to turntables and vinyl, can have a significant impact on what comes out of your speakers.
Still with me? Paying attention at the back? Good! Let us begin…
I’m picking up BAD vibrations
No, it’s not an unreleased Beach Boys song, it’s a permanent potential problem we as vinyl enthusiasts have to cope with. Hanging a highly sensitive pickup cartridge on the end of a suspended tone-arm is of course how the vibrations from the vinyl grooves are communicated to our equipment. Unfortunately, it’s also how the sound of footsteps, desktop fans, and almost anything which vibrates can be transferred through to your speakers.
There’s another more obvious problem, with having your turntable placed on top of a side-table or regular Hi-Fi rack; it places it within reach of children and pets. Whilst we’re not advocating getting rid of members of the family, wouldn’t it be great to lift your turntable up and out of the way of all of those problems?
The Turntable Wall Shelf – A Roundup
At Audio Affair we offer a range of Turntable Wall Shelves by Apollo, Quadraspire, and Audio Suspension (to name a few). Let’s take a look at a few key models in the range.
APOLLO
We’re going to take a look at Apollo’s offerings for a Turntable wall shelf here; the WT-1 and WT-2. The WT-1 is a single shelf, whilst the WT-2 is a double shelf; ideal for multi-turnable owners, or those with a turntable and receiver combination perhaps?
Both shelves feature a stylish, ‘crackle’ type powder-coat finish in either silver or ‘silk black’ finishes. A choice of either glass or oak veneer shelving is offered. Straightforward, solid, metal construction puts one’s mind at ease about the security of one’s precious equipment. At £114.95 (WT-1) and £164.95 (WT-2) respectively, neither of these options will break the bank.
QUADRASPIRE
Moving up in terms of price and features, come the Quadaspire Q4 and SVT shelves. As the brand name implies, Quadraspire shelves use a plinth, mounted to its base upon four ‘spikes’ for enhanced isolation (it happens to look rather nice too).
The Q4 Evo comes in at £190 whilst the same shelf, but with a Bamboo option, costs £225. For those wishing to push the boat out even further, there’s the beautiful SVT Bamboo at £340.
AUDIO SUSPENSION
Finally, for those looking for a real statement piece, and the ultimate in isolation from a wall shelf, comes the Audio Suspension ASU 100 Special Edition at £380. Crafted from a solid chunk of perspex, and hung from the wall by two wire cables, the ASU 100 really is an eye-catching design.
The solid perspex plinth is a highly inert material, free from most any resonance. The Perspex plinth hooks into two chromed shelf supports with silicone damping. Using the inbuilt spirit level, the whole shelf can then be adjusted to be perfectly level.
The ASU 100 Special Edition features frosted perspex edges, which when combined with the integrated LED lighting (switchable between a range of colours) creates a dramatic statement piece in any home.
