No button to switch on, no terminal to connect a cable and yet they are of immense importance for sound quality: hi-fi racks. The neglect of this topic is of course also due to the fact that nobody can imagine the effort that goes into the development and construction of audiophile racks. Most people already know where the electronics are to be placed before they buy them. In most cases, the criterion is appearance. If you have DIY skills, you can have a carpenter cut a few boards or a stonemason cut a few stone slabs. However, what happens in terms of sound quality remains a game of trial and error. It can certainly be done more professionally, as some specialised providers have been demonstrating for decades. But the placement of high-end devices is not a top priority for customers or for us in the editorial team, although this is against our better judgement.
Consequently, the invitation from the Italian high-end manufacturer Bassocontinuo to visit the production facility in Grassobio, a few kilometres south of Bergamo, is met with an open ear, but the level of enthusiasm is limited. What is there to see on site? I can't remember ever being so far off the mark with a preconception. The effort that goes into Bassocontinuo surpasses anything I have ever experienced in this context. It is therefore exciting to learn how this company came about. Lorenzo Belloli founded his company Bassocontinuo in 2008. Today, only the rack systems are assembled at the actual company headquarters before dispatch. Real leather-covered, resonance-optimised shelves, metal components of all kinds, fabrics and the carbon components come from over twenty local suppliers. All of them are specialists in their field, ensuring that five series are currently being produced.
In addition to the selection of materials, the Milan Polytechnic also plays an important role in the development. With the help of accelerometers, Bassocontinuo developments are tested there for their effectiveness in converting vibrations into heat. This is probably the exception in the field of racks. Company boss Belloli also gives us the reason for this: each of these measurements incurs a five-figure cost. Other companies shy away from this, or are unable to make such an investment in the first place. For the company boss, the visual and technical aspects are of equal importance, because only their compatibility results in a product that makes sense for customers and that is precisely the secret of success.
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