Foundation Audio Rack

The Symposium Foundation Rack

The Foundation Rack is the building block for excellent sound.  Featruing the basic, founding principle invented by Symposium over 20 years ago of using multiple constrained-layers organized in a density-ordered progression from higher to lower density. This construction technique is the “foundation” for Symposium's seminal shelf and platform technologies. This is the starting point of a rack design in which the sum of the high-quality features far exceeds its price point.

The Foundation Rack’s shelves are affordable yet sophisticated solid shelving. They consist of an attractive black anodized aluminum top layers, an intermediary high density layer, a thick neutral composite center, and a bottom high density layer. This balanced, symmetrical construction assures 1) freedom from resonance 2) good damping of vibratory energy from components 3) an optimal interface for aftermarket cones and footers, and 4) ensures that the shelves will remain flat and not warp or otherwise deform over time. Textured black vinyl edgebanding and a precision chamfer completes their appearance.

Standard shelf size is a full 20” width (between column posts) and 20” depth which accommodate most components, but deeper shelves are available by special order. These extended shelves are compatible with the standard leg footprint. The Foundation rack's four-post design offers high levels of rigidity, unparalleled strength and stability, as well as easy access to the side and rear panels of components.

Foundation Rack shelves are strong enough to easily accommodate most components, however, for very high weight components (80Lbs+) Symposium offers reinforcement brackets of heavy duty, 3mm thick stainless steel, which are easily added to the bottom of each shelf to increase its specific weight capacity to well over hundreds of pounds.

The critical importance of any rack’s leg or frame system cannot be overstressed. The Foundation Rack uses the same high quality solid 6061 aircraft aluminum legs of their premium Osiris Rack. This leg system aluminum alloy is sonically superior to steel, wood, brass, etc, delivering superior mechanical transmission speed. Solid aluminum also offers excellent self-damping (aka non-resonance), stability, an excellent mechanical grounding path, and enormous strength. The legs securely attach to and grasp the shelves for superb mechanical damping and grounding.

The Foundation Rack is modular and may be expanded at any time, or changed to accommodate different spacings with different length legsets. Stock lengths are 5”, 8”, 11” and 14”, however, custom lengths are available via special order, but will add significantly to  the lead time.

If greater low frequency isolation is desired, patented Rollerblock Modules are compatible with and can be added to the frame system at any time to provide effective isolation to some or all shelf levels.

The Foundation Rack offers extraordinary value in today’s often high-priced world and creates a “sound foundation” for any fine music system.

The Foundation rack is available with an optional Ultra top shelf, which should be considered a must-have upgrade for any source (analog or digital). The Ultra upgrade provides superior dynamics, improved bass extension and definition, with a huge improvement to black levels and very deep background silence.

The Ultra version offered for the Foundation rack is modeled on Symposium's legendary Ultra Platform, which has been a high-end mainstay since its introduction in 1997. The Ultra top-level features double-section, constrained layer shelves with a 1.5” thick center foam section for optimium isolation and damping. 

Adding the Ultra Top Shelf has a secondary benefit, in that it also includes a set of four Symposium Precision Couplers. These may be used as spike footers for the rack if it will be installed on a hard surface (e.g. Wood, Stone, Vinyl, Concrete). However, if the rack will be used on carpet (where the Couplers would not be necessary nor recommended) the Couplers may instead be used under the component on the Ultra Shelf to further couple that device to the Ultra shelf and greatly improve vibration reduction.

A 2-Shelf Foundation rack configured with standard 11" shelf spacing will be 16.25" tall, give or take 0.5".
A 3-Shelf Foundation rack configured with standard 8", & 11" shelf spacing will be 25.25" tall, give or take 0.5".
A 4-Shelf Foundation rack configured with standard 8", 8" & 11" shelf spacing will be 34.25" tall, give or take 0.5".
A 5-Shelf Foundation rack configured with standard 8", 8" & 11" shelf spacing will be 43.25" tall, give or take 0.5".

Dimensions for Standard Top and Shelves (WxD)
     Exterior: 23.75x20"
     Interior: 20x20" (Usable)

Dimensions for Ultra Top (WxD):
     Exterior: 23.75x20" (Usable)
     Height: Adds 2.5" to overall rack height