Cables & Accessories

Manufactured from solid oak, the Omnium8 is available in several standard configurations that should cover most hi-fi setups. The Latin-sounding name means ‘all-inclusive’ while the 8 is a nod to the number of key features within the design, which can be mixed and matched as required.  

A modular construction with the ability to add or remove tiers, there’s a choice of 32mm or 46mm width, square or round legs that are either bolted together or isolated by spikes for every level. Each tier features soft, rounded edges and hexagonal openings for the optional cable management system and is made of 27mm-thick wood available in two sizes: 567mm wide by 460mm deep (£140.40 per tier) and 1,200mm wide by 460mm deep (£297 per tier). The Omnium8 can also be built to any size as required.

Once assembled, our three-tier rack (£421.20) feels heavy and sturdy. The finish is superb, and the construction is held together by threaded rods that screw into threaded inserts in the legs, making it simple to assemble. Each leg is made from a single piece of oak. The shelves are manufactured from blocks of oak that have been bonded with the grain concave to convex in order to eliminate any risk of warping and to counteract resonances and dampen vibrations from equipment. 

Our rack comes in a natural satin finish showing off the oak colour, while mahogany, cherry, walnut, black or white stain – or a mix of any of the finishes – are available to complement your home décor.

Sound qualiy

With the Omnium8 in place supporting a turntable, CD player and preamplifier and playing an EMI LP of Beethoven’s Symphony No.4 in B flat major, there is no trace of my footsteps being picked up by my turntable cartridge as I walk around the listening room, which perfectly demonstrates that the rack is not only providing stylish support for my audio equipment, but also that it is effective at isolating it from knocks and bangs that are generated elsewhere in the room. 

The slow and tense opening adagio that’s performed by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Rudolf Kempe is moving and very pure. As the piece progresses into the cheerful allegro vivace, the performance is exhilarating, demonstrating excellent bass control while all of the stirring and majestic complexities of the music appear with effortless ease with the Omnium8 in place.

With an excellent copy of Raymond Fol’s Vivaldi: The Four Seasons In Jazz, the playing comes across as really exciting during the allegros, while the soulful guitar in the second movement (largo) of Spring is particularly captivating and moving. The trumpet solos are clear and strident, but without any trace of abrasiveness and the energy and gusto of the performance is perfectly conveyed. Bass quality can tend to suffer with poorly designed equipment supports, but here it is superbly tight and well controlled, highlighting just how good a job the Omnium8 is doing at isolating the components from one another as well as external interference – enabling them to simply get on with the business of playing music. 

Conclusion

A CD of Ane Brun singing These Days shows a great sense of depth with the deep bass notes that accompany her vocal alongside a three-dimensional image that perfectly positions the organ behind the soloist. Her diction is beautifully clear and expressive throughout and there’s a great sense of spaciousness across the soundstage. With the Jan Harbeck Quartet playing Cole Porter’s Too Darn Hot chosen to demonstrate the effect the rack has on musical timing, the swinging piece is as spirited as I could hope. The playing isn’t downgraded in any way and is delivered with great energy and excitement. Impressive stuff from a highly stylish stand. NR     

DETAILS
Product:Hi-Fi Racks  Omnium8
Price: From £140.40 per tier
Type: Support rack
Telephone: 01572 756447
Website: hifiracks.co.uk
Read the full review in November issue 441