A New Friend in Bronze for the Quadraspire Q4 rack

2/23/2016

I received this little package in the mail today from Quadraspire, and in it was this

and 4 of each of these. They are bronze footers and caps for the standard Q4 EVO, an upgrade for the standard aluminum footers. They can only be used at the feet, or on the top shelf. Hence the aluminum accompanying friend, that replaces the standard top cap, allowing the bronze footer of the top plate to rest snugly inside.

this is what my babble upwards was all about. It's a great way to upgrade an already good rack. Place new bronze footers on the bottom of the whole rack to improve everything upwards, and add another set for the top plate to improve your source.

it's all rather ingenious really, a very adjustable rack ( one can always add/subtract pillars and shelves as needed.) A typical 4 shelf Quadraspire Q4 EVO will run you $876, or $219 a shelf. Shown here are a bamboo top, ($279 ea.) and standard cherry underneath. Come by for a listening test, and be ready to add that Salamander you might be unfortunately using on my burn pile. Burning is free.

11 Comments

Desmond

7/23/2016 10:26:14 am

I own the same Q4 Evo stand in cherry & was thinking of adding on a bamboo shelf with Q4 Bronze upgrade exactly as you have. How much height (from the top of the cherry shelf to the top of the bamboo shelf) did that add? Thanks! I can't seem to find any info online anywhere.

charlie

7/25/2016 06:42:02 pm

Hi Desmond!
Very good question....as you can see from my photo, I, too, was a bit confused, as nothing came with it, and lazy me didn't email Eddie at Quadraspire, who is always very very helpful with his products. Maybe I'm a bit shy or stubborn, not sure which, yet I finally got it sorted.

If you notice the error in my initial set up, I ended up taking that original top cherry board out, placed the new discs in the columns themselves, and then put the bronze spikes in the discs, then it all made sense.
So you're not losing a shelf as my photo shows, you're either replacing the top one or if you buy another set of columns you can end up with another shelf. Either way, do it, you can hear a difference instantly, and for the better. Whatever source I put on top of the bamboo/bronze was letting out more music than the cherry alone.
Now, one can also put the bronze spike on the bottom of your rack, and then supposedly all the goodness goes on up. I have not tried that yet. I'll report back when I do, with better photos so as to spare confusion.

7/25/2016 06:53:20 pm

Well I was actually planning on adding the extra shelf as you did in the last photo. Is that not optimal? Is it better to have the bronze spike go into the column or as you have pictured? I've seen it done both ways.

7/25/2016 07:15:50 pm

To me, it seems logical to remove your current top cherry board, insert the indented discs into the columns and then adding the bamboo board and bronze footers. Otherwise, you're basically losing the cherry shelf, and I don't think that's what is intended.
I'll get off my butt and find out, and write back to you.
Thanks!
Charlie

7/25/2016 07:23:35 pm

Gotcha, I don't necessarily mind losing a cherry shelf in the process if it means better stability for the 40 pound turntable going on top of the bamboo shelf. But I also don't want to take away from the bronze upgrade if somehow coupling works better directly into the columns.

7/26/2016 02:09:19 pm

Very quick reply from Quadraspire.....
the photo I show would be correct, once the cherry board is removed.
so there, logic prevails, it is as we thought.
The new aluminum disc screws into the top column, the bronze tip goes into the indentation, and there you have it, a bamboo top shelf sits waiting for your reference piece.
As long as your dimensions are ok, your 40 lb table will sit quite nicely. Remember that the top caps are there and hopefully the table's feet will be within their perimeter.

I put an Auralic Mini on the cherry board last night, and today moved it to the bamboo/bronze, and yes, it's a very nice upgrade for very reasonable money. Highly recommended!

thanks, Desmond, for the clarification. I'll post a new photo soon.

7/26/2016 02:48:38 pm

Gotcha, thanks for the time looking into this. I guess I still don't totally understand the disadvantage of having the bamboo with bronze upgrade inches above the top cherry board as you have pictured. Did you notice any sonic differences between your original setup as pictured, and going from bronze upgrade directly to columns?

7/26/2016 08:52:55 pm

Yes, it was a bit better after going the correct way.
Also, if you notice the aluminum piece that screws into the column, my original way with the cherry board in between gave little for the aluminum piece to screw in to, I could only get a slight bite on it and that was all. So it probably wasn't making the solid connection with the column to channel vibration on down, nor give solid support for the bamboo shelf, and in your case, a 40 lb table.
It does actually look ok double boarded, and I suppose would be a great place to place the record jacket of what you were playing, albeit a very expensive record shelf!

It only goes to show a great product like this doesn't become obsolete.
Why people resist buying a quality rack after spending thousands on the rest of the gear is beyond me. I have nothing against DIY, except so often the results I hear. It's a lot of work, talk, and sometimes money for sound that often errors from good, although the DIYer has too much invested in it to hear otherwise. Pity.

7/26/2016 09:01:46 pm

Got it. Now I'm understanding! Thank you so much for your time! I know I want to do the bronze upgrade regardless. I was just trying to figure out how I want to order the extra bamboo shelf and what extra column height I need. My racks stand between my speakers, and I strive to keep height below the midrange and tweeters to reduce reflections off the stands and equipment obscuring the center image.

David Wells

6/12/2017 10:05:42 am

I have just ordered the Bronze upgrade for the Q4 Evo. I am assuming that the indented discs that the Bronze "spikes" fit into are part of the package although Quadraspire doesn't actually show that on their Web site (but you have).

Also with the Bronze upgrade is it in any way beneficial to use the Bamboo finish as the top shelf over the other standard finishes. The Bambo costs more but I'm wondering if it's worth the additional investment

Charlie

6/12/2017 11:33:45 pm

Hi David,
I must have missed your order for the Bronze upgrade? I didn't receive an order as of yet. No worries, when you order from me I'll be sure to fill you in on exactly how to use it.
Looking forward to it...
Best
Charlie

A New Friend in Bronze for the Quadraspire Q4 rack

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