Boltz Vinyl Record Storage Racks - Initial Thoughts

Manufacturer & Model
Boltz LP Storage Rack (2 Shelves & 3 Shelves)
MSRP
$648 & $828 (as configured)
Link
https://www.boltz.com/entertainment-furniture/lp-storage.html
Highlights
Solid construction, easy assembly, industrial look, expandable
Summary
Looking for an attractive storage solution for large vinyl collections can be a losing battle. You can spend next to nothing, or you can spend thousands. The Boltz offerings are decently priced, rock solid and the will grow and expand with your collection, eliminating the need to buy additional racks or replace with something with a larger capacity.
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It's been an exciting few weeks around here, as the supply chain has been catching up with the orders we placed last fall after purchasing our new home.

One thing we left behind when we moved was the IKEA Kallax and Expedit shelving we had been using for vinyl storage. It was fine for what it was, but I felt like the honeycomb core construction was adding extra static to my records, which was a huge downside. So once we were in the new house, I started looking at options. In the interim, I ordered a couple of inexpensive Crosley-brand MCM-styled units from Target so I would have something to unload the boxes into. Quick tip - avoid these at all cost. The legs included in the package would not even install, and if they did, I wasn't confident they would hold the full weight of the records, so these sat on the floor.

On to the search. There are so many really cool products on Etsy and with various vendors made of solid wood, beautiful walnut options, etc., but the capacity was not enough. I was willing to pay a decent amount for the right product, but these were usually at about my full budget, and my collection would require multiple units. My budget and our room would not allow for taking up that much footprint.

I considered building my own, but quite frankly, I didn't want the hassle. So the search continued.

I then stumbled across Boltz via a comment thread on an Instagram post by Discogs.com. These seemed to be pretty close to what I was looking for - they were priced reasonably, they looked solid, and they were expandable, so as my collection grows, I can simply add a shelf or two and build up instead of out. Most importantly, they were in stock. So after several weeks of going back and forth and making sure there wasn't something more fitting that I would find, I placed an order for a two-shelf unit and a three-shelf unit. And then, nothing.

After a week or so of the order just sitting there, I reached out to discover the shelves were NOT in stock as indicated, but they should ship within a week or two. Guess what? They didn't ship within a week or two. Three months later, they have arrived.

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I put together a quick video with the assembly process and quick first thoughts.


After a few days, I believe I am going to return the casters - when I've had time to remove the records and take them off. They seem to be introducing a bit of a forward lean to the units, not to mention they make it almost impossible to place them with any sort of precision. They also allow for a slight wobble when situating records. Going higher will obviously make these more top-heavy, and the last thing I want is for one of these to tip over. Having paid $149 per set, I don't think the value is there.

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That said, overall, I love these racks, but I also have ideas to make them even better.

I would love to see the ability to easily order shelves and the side uprights in different finishes, to add some contrast. The standard finishes are Anthracite (which is what I ordered) and Black. There are custom paint colors available if you contact Boltz directly, though these may also incur an additional charge.

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I'll put together a follow-up video once I've lived with them for a few more weeks. First impressions are mostly very positive. Instructions could have been better, especially with the back supports I ordered along with them. There was no direction for installing them. And installing them leaves me with 10 vertical supports and no use for them. Seems wasteful, and I don't want to have to store these. There are also add-ons on the website that I have no idea how they could be implemented, having had my hands on the racks themselves.

Until next time...


Boltz Furniture LP Racks
  • Format: Classic or Organic
  • Material: Steel
  • Capacity: 275lbs (180LPs) per shelf
  • Manufacture Location: USA
  • Guarantee: Lifetime
 
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tripplej

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Thanks for the post. I had some boltz furniture from back in the day. I had it for holding my DVD collection at the time. I thought they were solidly made and price was good. Later, I transitioned to putting the DVDs into albums (wife didn't want so many stands) so I had to get rid of the shelf.. From what I remember, it was a pain to put together thou..

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It is always trial and error when it comes to audio/video furniture. Not one thing will fit all the requirements for sure.
 

Travis Ballstadt

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They still have those?
Other Equipment
Rega Planar 6, Rega Exact2 cart, Rega Aria Mk3 Phono Stage, Jolida JD202BRC, Rega RS-5 Speakers (2-channel system)
Thanks for the post. I had some boltz furniture from back in the day. I had it for holding my DVD collection at the time. I thought they were solidly made and price was good. Later, I transitioned to putting the DVDs into albums (wife didn't want so many stands) so I had to get rid of the shelf.. From what I remember, it was a pain to put together thou..

View attachment 51192

It is always trial and error when it comes to audio/video furniture. Not one thing will fit all the requirements for sure.
It’s tough to find the right rack. I’m digging these.
 

VinceHoffman

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Oracle Delphi VI Reference/Turbo PS/SME V/Benz LP-S turntable, Foundation Research V5 phono-stage, & JL Audio CR-1 electronic subwoofer crossover
While I can't speak to their LP racking, I've used Boltz floor standing CD racking along with some of their wall mounted DVD racking for DVD-A, SACD, BD-Audio, and longbox CD packaging for nearly 15 years. The high-density Boltz racking was a much more efficient solution than the assortment of Ikea media storage units I'd used previously. While the Boltz aesthetic is more functional than sleek, the racks do their job brilliantly. The expandable towers are rock solid when secured to the wall behind.

IMG_0348.JPG


IMG_0719.JPG
 

Travis Ballstadt

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Location
Seattle, WA
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Anthem AVM60
Main Amp
Emotiva BasX 5
Additional Amp
Emotiva UPA-500
Universal / Blu-ray / CD Player
Sony UBP-X800
Front Speakers
NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema
Center Channel Speaker
NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema
Surround Speakers
NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema
Front Height Speakers
NextLevel Acoustics Angled Satellite
Rear Height Speakers
NextLevel Acoustics Angled Satellite
Subwoofers
SVS PB2000
Video Display Device
JVC DLA X790R, Lumagen Radiance Pro 4240
Screen
SeymourAV Proscenium 124” diagonal 2.40:1
Remote Control
Harmony Elite - Moving to Unfolded Circle Remote 2
Streaming Equipment
Kaleidescape Strato C/Terra 48TB/Compact Terra 6TB, PLEX Server, AppleTV4K, Bluesound Node2i
Streaming Subscriptions
AppleTV+, Amazon Prime, HBO Max
Satellite System
They still have those?
Other Equipment
Rega Planar 6, Rega Exact2 cart, Rega Aria Mk3 Phono Stage, Jolida JD202BRC, Rega RS-5 Speakers (2-channel system)
While I can't speak to their LP racking, I've used Boltz floor standing CD racking along with some of their wall mounted DVD racking for DVD-A, SACD, BD-Audio, and longbox CD packaging for nearly 15 years. The high-density Boltz racking was a much more efficient solution than the assortment of Ikea media storage units I'd used previously. While the Boltz aesthetic is more functional than sleek, the racks do their job brilliantly. The expandable towers are rock solid when secured to the wall behind.

View attachment 51250

View attachment 51251
Awesome. What are you using to anchor to the wall?
 

VinceHoffman

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
67
Location
Ontario, Canada
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Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Anthem AVM60 or Coincident Statement Linestage
Main Amp
N/A
Additional Amp
2x Meridian 557 for Atmos
DAC
Hotrodded PS Audio Directstream DAC w/ outboard linear PS.
Universal / Blu-ray / CD Player
Oppomod UDP-203 & Jay's Audio CDT2 Mk II transport
Front Speakers
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mkII on Skylan 4 post stands
Center Channel Speaker
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mkII on Skylan 4 post stand
Surround Speakers
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mkII on Skylan 4 post stand
Front Height Speakers
ATC SCM12i Pro hung from K&M ceiling mounts
Rear Height Speakers
ATC SCM12i Pro hung from K&M ceiling mounts
Subwoofers
4x Seaton Sound Submersive HP
Other Speakers or Equipment
DSPeaker Anti-mode 2.0 for sub modal EQ & delay
Video Display Device
JVC DLA-990 & Isco 3L Ana-lens on motorized sled
Screen
Seymour Screen Excellence 4k 2.37:1 Motorized
Streaming Equipment
Apple TV 4k
Streaming Subscriptions
Apple+, CraveTV, Disney+, Netflix, and PrimeTV
Other Equipment
Oracle Delphi VI Reference/Turbo PS/SME V/Benz LP-S turntable, Foundation Research V5 phono-stage, & JL Audio CR-1 electronic subwoofer crossover
Awesome. What are you using to anchor to the wall?
L-shaped color matched brackets which Boltz provided with the tall floor standing CD & DVD racking.
IMG_0721.JPG
 

NBPK402

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While I can't speak to their LP racking, I've used Boltz floor standing CD racking along with some of their wall mounted DVD racking for DVD-A, SACD, BD-Audio, and longbox CD packaging for nearly 15 years. The high-density Boltz racking was a much more efficient solution than the assortment of Ikea media storage units I'd used previously. While the Boltz aesthetic is more functional than sleek, the racks do their job brilliantly. The expandable towers are rock solid when secured to the wall behind.

View attachment 51250

View attachment 51251
Where did you get your Alphabet divider cards?
 

VinceHoffman

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
67
Location
Ontario, Canada
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Anthem AVM60 or Coincident Statement Linestage
Main Amp
N/A
Additional Amp
2x Meridian 557 for Atmos
DAC
Hotrodded PS Audio Directstream DAC w/ outboard linear PS.
Universal / Blu-ray / CD Player
Oppomod UDP-203 & Jay's Audio CDT2 Mk II transport
Front Speakers
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mkII on Skylan 4 post stands
Center Channel Speaker
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mkII on Skylan 4 post stand
Surround Speakers
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mkII on Skylan 4 post stand
Front Height Speakers
ATC SCM12i Pro hung from K&M ceiling mounts
Rear Height Speakers
ATC SCM12i Pro hung from K&M ceiling mounts
Subwoofers
4x Seaton Sound Submersive HP
Other Speakers or Equipment
DSPeaker Anti-mode 2.0 for sub modal EQ & delay
Video Display Device
JVC DLA-990 & Isco 3L Ana-lens on motorized sled
Screen
Seymour Screen Excellence 4k 2.37:1 Motorized
Streaming Equipment
Apple TV 4k
Streaming Subscriptions
Apple+, CraveTV, Disney+, Netflix, and PrimeTV
Other Equipment
Oracle Delphi VI Reference/Turbo PS/SME V/Benz LP-S turntable, Foundation Research V5 phono-stage, & JL Audio CR-1 electronic subwoofer crossover
Where did you get your Alphabet divider cards?

Last January I designed them myself and made them with the assistance of my "very crafty" Mrs @NBPK402. The CD version is pictured below. The version for the more widely spaced DVD racking (above the CDs) used to store tall SACD, DVD-A, BD-Audio, and CD longbox packaging is a little different. These new alphabetized dividers replaced an earlier design I'd laboriously made from cardstock years ago. In both cases they were crafted to specifically fit along the Boltz rack's horizontal support rails. This time around they were cut and engraved from 1/8" maple plywood using my wife's Glowforge laser cutter/engraver.

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I've since created the same sort of thing to aid in sorting through our movie & TV series collection.

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