With 32 years’ experience behind it, Italian manufacturer Solidsteel continues to improve its ranges of furniture, always discreet and very classy visually, although their main characteristic remains that of supporting the best hi-fi components with the greatest possible stability. Divided into two series, S and Hyperspike, the hi-fi shelving range starts with the S2, followed by the superior Solidsteel S3, the latter favoured by music lovers and the focus of this issue.
Founded in 1990 by Moreno Conti, Solidsteel was Italy’s first hi-fi furniture brand. Sold in 2013 to its two sons, Gaetano and Manfredi Conti, it is now divided into two series. The first is more extensive and includes a wider range of products, from the NS and SS speaker stands to the VL vinyl cabinets, which allow a large number of discs to be placed on the lower level, while the upper level(s) are dedicated to hi-fi components, with the same quality of design as the Solidsteel S3 series.
Following on from the S2 series, the entry-level models of which are necessarily black in colour, the S3 series already boasts superior perceived quality, not only in terms of its finishes and choice of colours (notably walnut, a slightly more expensive option than the black and white versions), but also in terms of its ability to better absorb vibrations. Made almost exclusively from Italian materials, the S3 range starts with a simple floor-standing amplifier stand, known as the S3-A or S3-B, which vary slightly in size from one to the next, developing from the S3-2 to the S3-5, the second number indicating the number of shelves available. From the S3-2 upwards, all the shelves are 30 mm thick, 430 mm wide and 584 mm long, enough to accommodate the vast majority of appliances, while maintaining a real compactness compared with many competing products.
The painted tubes are made of anodised aluminium, cushioned by absorbent materials and screwed at both ends to the trays, which are protected on each side by plastic circles. The other elements, including the spikes, are made of stainless steel or zinc-treated iron to eliminate any oxidation, while the floor plates are made of MDF, medium-density fibreboard covered with laminated polymer. Often used in high-fidelity applications, particularly for loudspeakers, MDF supports a high mass and reacts very well to vibrations. The S3 is therefore a highly effective piece of furniture for improving the quality of a hi-fi system, as well as remaining discreet and even classy, depending on how it fits in with both designer and antique furniture, whether you choose black, white or, above all, walnut.
The set up
Supplied in a relatively compact box, the Solidsteel S3’s design makes it very easy to assemble. All you have to do is remove the protective covers from each tube and plate and screw them together, for rock-solid stability that leaves no gaps, and therefore minimises any effect of vibration or non-horizontality. The size of all the tubes is the same for each model, but different for each version, and gets shorter as you choose more stages. For example, the S3-2, which has only two stages, has tubes 325 mm high, while those of the S3-3 are only 245 mm, those of the S3-4 225 mm and those of the S3-5 205 mm. In the case of a large amplifier, such as an Accuphase or Luxman, you’ll have to be very careful, because a huge E-800 measures 239 mm or a Luxman M-10x 224 mm, even if in both cases, with such top-of-the-range products, it would be advisable to upgrade to the brand’s Hyperspike range, whose stages are higher and, above all, even better for the sound.
Once the cabinet has been assembled, you still have to decide, depending on the surface on which it will be placed, whether to use spikes or counterspikes, although it is generally advisable to add them, once again to dissipate vibrations. For our test, we compared each element on the floor before placing it on an Ikea cabinet, then on a Norstone entry-level hi-fi cabinet, and finally on the S3-4.
The sound of the Solidsteel S3
As with accessories and cables, testing a piece of furniture is always a challenge, the results of which could prove more limited than in the case of testing amplifiers or sources, although a concise physical explanation can justify that every vibration lessened tends to reduce unwanted noise, and therefore improve the musical rendering. And indeed, it didn’t take more than a few minutes with the Solidsteel shelf to realise the difference compared to an inferior piece of furniture.
Let’s be totally transparent: we had already had an S3-4 for two years, and the impression of superior listening was so obvious to us that we never again tried to test a device other than on it, even during tests where it would have been much easier for us to place one of the elements on the floor, particularly in the case of large amplifiers.
However, by starting the analysis from scratch, we immediately realised just how much the Solidsteel had gained, not only over an Ikea cabinet, but also over an entry-level Norstone cabinet, which was already superior to a product not made for hi-fi. Placing the amplifier on the S3 opens up the sound and concentrates the sound, opening up the soundstage and refining the detail. For the best possible calibration, the amplifier should be placed on the bottom floor. For the sake of practicality, we initially placed the Luxman on the 3rd floor, but during our final tests of the device, it was moved back to the first floor, with the result that the sound was even more focused and the magnificent silkiness of the device developed a little further.
Already evident with the amplification, the gain in balance is even more marked with the addition of the sources, which further reduce noise and therefore clarify the image, while at the same time better nuancing the timbres. The gain in space and colour is obvious as soon as a DAC-streamer is added to one of the shelves, but the result is even more obvious with devices with rotating mechanics such as a CD/SACD player, and even more so with a vinyl turntable.
Our conclusion
With its elegant design, Solidsteel S3’s cabinet can be integrated discreetly into almost any type of furniture and will allow all the elements of a high-fidelity system to be finely positioned, with the result of a substantial musical gain. The S3 is very easy to assemble and modular, with the option of choosing a precise number of stages from the outset, then adding more as an option at a later date if required. What’s more, it’s still an affordable product, priced at around €500. For those more concerned about sound, this series was redesigned in 2020 to mark the brand’s 30th anniversary, giving rise to the S5, whose base is similar, but whose stages are immediately offered in different sizes, with a counter-platter at each stage, directly placed in the first main stage to create a significant decoupling, even better against vibrations. All the more to whet our curiosity!
Author: Vincent Guillemin
Technical sheet: SOLIDSTEEL S3
- Origin: Italy
- Price :
- 220 € (S3-A/B)
- 350 € (S3-2)
- 495 € (S3-3)
- 649 € (S3-4)
- 800 € (S3-5)
- Dimensions :
- 583 x 430 x 125 (S3-A)
- 584 x 430 x 475 (S3-2)
- 584 x 430 x 670 (S3-3)
- 584 x 430 x 905 (S3-4)
- 584 x 430 x 1060 (S3-5)
- Weight :
- 7-6 kg (S3-A/B)1
- 5 kg (S3-2)
- 22 kg (S3-3)
- 27 kg (S3-4)
- 35 kg (S3-5)
- Materials :
- Solid anodised aluminium
- Stainless steel
- Zinc-treated iron
- MDF wood, polymer laminate
