Audio Video News

It’s not every day you come across an equipment rack made of concrete, but if you’re into industrial design, the stark, angular look of the Thorax Lowboard might be just the ticket. Made by Thorax of Bochum, Germany, the rack is modular and comprises a series of 3-inch-wide concrete squares held together by screws and 1- to 2-inch-wide stainless steel or aluminum brackets; each square weighs about 33 pounds and measures 20.4 x 20.4 inches with a thickness of 1.5 inches.

Thorax offers three types of concrete building blocks—four-sided, three-sided, and three-sided with a component shelf in the middle—which makes possible a number of mix-and-match configurations: with or without component shelves, with the open area facing the front or side (pictured), and with the concrete elements aligned straight (pictured) or in an arc. The rack shown here measures approximately 20 x 62 x 20 inches and comprises five concrete elements on either side of a central section made up of five shelving units.

Designer Rafael Cichy says the heavy mass of concrete makes the rack ideally suited for audio gear—especially a turntable setup. In other words, you won’t have to worry about vibrations interfering with your musical enjoyment. Thorax racks are designed to be assembled on the spot, and you can count on getting a thorough workout while assembling one.

Racks are priced at $476 per concrete element, so the rack shown would cost $7,140 (plus international shipping). E-mail inquiries are welcome.

Thorax • info@kompatibeldesign.de • kompatibeldesign.de