Price: $2945
Website: www.wwmake.com
Design: 80″W × 20″D × 24″H, solid oak finished with clearcoat.
Why I chose it: In line with my desire to make my system more “livable” than your average high-end rig, I knew that I had no interest in a traditional, vertically oriented audio rack. Regardless of the materials or the technology, it’s just not something I had any interest in. Atacama’s Evoque Eco 44-16 Design Edition Rack, fashioned from hardwood and much wider than the average rack, did appeal to me, but I didn’t like that I’d be able to see my system’s wires. I like clean, minimal arrangements and quickly realized that I really should be looking for a media console. Given the 77″ Sony A90J OLED television I would be placing at the top of the unit, I wanted something roughly 80″ wide that was fashioned from wood and metal. I searched for months looking for just the right unit and eventually stumbled on an Illinois-based company called What We Make that designs and builds furniture from old reclaimed barn wood sourced from the Midwestern United States.
I instantly fell in love with their Stoic Media Console and reached out for a quote on a custom version, as their standard offerings topped out at 60″ wide, and at 28″ high, they were taller than I wanted. I also requested an extra brace in the center so I could comfortably rest a 100-pound amp on the top of it with no issues. The final product was pricy, but I’m obsessed with it, as I have three drawers in which to store extra audio cables, movie and videogame discs, and blankets for my basement setup. The aged oak is beautifully finished with a layer of clearcoat, and the blackened iron frame and hardware give it a nice contrast. And the best part is that I can fit up to six full-size pieces of electronics on it if need be. I couldn’t be happier with my choice; it’s beauty meeting function.
. . . Hans Wetzel
hansw@soundstagenetwork.com
