They say beauty is i n the eye of the beholder, and I have to admit I rather like the look of this effort from Newcastle-based Custom Design. Its aesthetics are clean and simple.The stand is supplied in flatpack form,with a single bolt at either end used to attach the base and top plateto the main tubular column. This section can be mass-loaded, and Custom Design makes its own specialised filler called INERT, available at £4.99 per bag with one or two bags recommended per stand for best results. In this predictable world, we reviewers get our kicks by unearthing hidden gems-powerful products from unexpected sources. Its an excellent all-rounder, putting in a robust and decisive performance across the board. Treble has a fine degree of air and detail, while midrange expression ensures powerful music is projected with gusto, giving a real kick to the sulky riffs that populate The Afghan Whigs, Somethin Hot, while showing enough subtle resolution to give instruments their own individual sense of space.The net result satisfies like no other. (Hi-Fi Choice Awards 1999).

Custom Design's independent tests on an RS 300 stand assert that mass-filled stands made with the new material (Acoustic steel) reduced resonance by a factor of 100; something like 40dB reduction against an ordinary undamped steel stand. Using a trusty pair of Spendor BC1s the RS 300s gave a likeable performance with the regular plates, offering solid support that keeps the bass in check and allows the midrange to flow uninterrupted. A switch to the Acoustic Top Plates and the sound is even better, with a deeper, quicker and a more open midband. There\'s definitely a neutralising effect with the Acoustic Steel that zaps a lot of colouration, giving a far more natural sound. The RS 300 stand was recommended back in HFC 202 and this modification truly reinforces our endorsement. If youi have Custom Design Stands already, the Acoustic Steel plates offer a top value upgrade. Hi-Fi Choice First Choice Test June 2002 Key Features - New Acoustic Steel plates - can be mass filled

The basic RS 300 is a simple, single-column affair with plain metal base and top plates and effortlessly assembled with a single bolt at each end. On this occasion, however, we received the version with \'Acostic Steel\' top plates and Custom Design\'s Inert filler. The filler looks like some kind of industrial waste material, but does its job very well. It\'s a black granular material, quite heavy, fine and free-running. It\'s simply poured into the column before the top plate is fitted. For £5.00 per bag (4 bags recommended for a pair of stands), it is well worth it. The basic stand is pretty good but does add a slight glary signature to the sound, losing some detail and precision. With Inert duly loaded up, however, the sound is transformed, bring it up with some of the best stands we\'ve come across at double the price or more. But in terms of tonality and textural clarity, this stand really brings out the bestin a speaker. Highly recommended. VERDICT - this is an exceptional speaker stand for the money. Buy with confidence. BEST BUY - 91% Hi-Fi Choice July 2006 Reveiw by Richard Black.

We re not averse to the minimal approach to stand design, and the RS300s single-column look is both simple and attractive. A single bolt secures each top plate to the large centre pillar, which can be mass-loaded with any suitable filler, from silver sand to Custom Design,s own Inert filling material, yours for £5.00 a bag. The company recommends two bags per stand, which is how we tested them. But the stylish RS300s give music real pace, which injects energy into tunes and always keeps you entertained. Bass is both well-founded and articulate, with weight and agility to match the midrange superbly. FOR - Decent timing; fast bass. AGAINST - Nothing given the price. What HiFi Sound and Vision Jan 2006

Not an enquiry just wanted to say how impressed I am with the rs300 I recieved today. Not only do they look better than illustrated on your site, they have improved the sound of my system far greater than I imagined possible. I made the mistake of buying a pair of optimum stands ( to match the TV stand) these cost nearly double the 300's and despite being touted as of exceptional quality they were quite frankly poorly designed and useless. small details such as quality of hardware used makes a big difference and yours are far superior, and in my opinion a great stand at a fantastic price. Nice one! A Sims

Construction is all steel, with the top being made of acoustic steel-exceptionally non resonant material. We strongly recommend the Inert Filler, as it does an excellent job of dampening the pillars. Three pillars and perhaps even more importantly three spikes certainly aides stability. Bass is particularly solid and precise, with excellent timing. Our ATC speakers, which are heavy as standmount models go, benefitted from this most markedly, but smaller, lighter speakers also showed the same effect. Midrange is largely neutral and treble is clean and without smear. Verdict A good all rounder that can safely be recommended for any small speaker. Bass is its strongest suit, but higher frequencies are also clear. Reviewed by Richard Black Hi-Fi Choice October 2009

Simple elegance has long been Custom Design's game, and the LCD 3 continues the trend. The minimalist design is a highly accomplished performance. Audio equipment placed on the rack benefits from added weight, detail and dynamics, with large orchestral pieces being particularly well treated. The Milan is an excellent rack. The fact that it's such a handsome devil doesn't do it any harm, either. What Hi-Fi September 2008 FOR - Great styling, use of solid materials adds dynamism to the music and maintains TV picture quality. VERDICT - A stylish addition to the Custom Design range.

Custom Design's range has expanded recently to include several inventive approaches to the problem of balancing performance with good looks. This one is completely new on us, but we immediately took to it. Solid oak, very neatly sawn, chamfered and finished, with a slot just wide enough to accommodate a glass shelf. Two screws drop down through the wood and glass and when nipped up clamp the whole assembly together. Spikes mount directly under the screws and each assembly is free-standing on the one below, with spikes engaged in screw-heads. Simple, secure, stable and very smart. The 6mm-thick toughened glass should support a healthy weight. Different heights are available, with the maximum number of shelves only limited by the reach of your arm. A narrow, Cyrus-sized, version is also available. We wouldn\'t strongly recommend it for supporting a turntable, but with digital sources and amps we had pretty good results. It very slightly muddies the low midrange while the bass seems a touch less secure than some. On the other hand, higher frequencies are very clear and open. You could always add some 'iRAP' damping plates (£100 each) to cut shelf resonance, but even as it stands this is a decent rack that looks, to our jaded eyes, like one of the most attractive bits of hi-fi furniture out there. Hi-Fi Choice - Jan 2008 Reviewer - Richard Black

I'm getting used to the improvement which your Milan Hi-Fi 5 makes, which has blown me away! Again thanks for the excellent customer support and product, its been a pleasure throughout. Customer review: Hywel in June 2009

The iRAP is sold in Germany as S.I.P. (Sound Improvement Platform) "It is very seldom that I have had a material in my hand that reacts so little when it is knocked as the material that the S.I.P. is made of..........The same positive effect was achieved using the S.I.P. with (£4000) Silvalved valve phono preamplifier and that is very well worth noting as there are very few bases that can achieve positive effect with valve electronics.........The end result is that the enjoyment of the music is increased and is more relaxed. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED". (Hi-Fi and Records – Germany – Highly Recommended Nr 3 2003) Reviewed By Reinhold Martin