straight pool rack
- Thread starter mohrt
- Start date
The Delta-13 rack is probably the most durable and accurate mostly because it's made of metal. The angles (60 degrees) are really accurate. Be sure you get the one that has the sound dampers installed -- I hate the sound of a ball clanking against metal and the dampers make the rack sound like wood.
I have one without the dampers and I hate it. The noise is irritating. Do they sell dampers or is there something I can do to my rack?
You can get the leather noise suppressors either right off the Delta-13 website:
http://delta-13.com/accessories/Leather-Inserts
...or from ChalkShark here on AZB, contact information in the video below. Here's a video demonstrating the difference with and without the inserts installed (and you'll get the same result either from the Executive Billiards-offered inserts, or those from "Chalk Shark"):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bZqA5MZRLhQ
Pretty dramatic, and well-worth the price!
-Sean
Thanks Sean, I am ordering today.
They came up with the dampeners about a year or so ago. While I can understand why the wouldn't retrofit all existing customers for free, I agree they should now be selling the rack with them for the cost of the inserts (maybe a couple of bucks additional). But they feel, I suppose, that they can get away with continuing to up-charge for them as an add-on. I mean they make a significant improvement but then don't incorporate it into their product.
That's their business but if I was buying a new rack right now I would pass on the Delta because essentially they've raised the price by $25, which is what they charge for the inserts.
There are others that sell similar inserts on the after market for less.
And yes, they do work. They bring the noise level down to about that of a wooden rack.
metallicane:
The contact information in that video is unfortunately not "hyperlink active" (meaning, you can't click on it), so here's the original sales announcement for Byron Design Studio's custom leather inserts for the Delta-13 (and Delta-13 Elite):
These are very nice, in that there are different motifs / colors / options, and they're removable (i.e. no adhesive). The ones sold on the Delta-13 website use adhesive, and are one motif -- plain leather -- although you can get them monogrammed.
Just making sure you look at both options!
-Sean
P.S.: I personally went with the ones sold on the Delta-13 website, because of the monogramming.
Mitch:
Actually, both Byron Design Studio and Delta-13 have sold the leather inserts longer than a year and a half -- these have been on the market since 2009:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=163396
Byron Design Studio was the first to offer them -- in all those different motifs, no less -- and the folks at Executive Billiards (the designer/maker of the Delta-13 rack) approved them in post #6. Shortly later, Executive Billiards offered their own version, but in only one motif.
I agree that Executive Billiards should've offered these as a standard component of the Delta-13 rack. What's interesting, is that right from the Delta-13 product's introduction to the marketplace, Executive Billiards had this blurb in their FAQ:
Why is my ball rack so noisy?
The unique sound you hear is the "sound of quality." We do not want to add anything to the inside of the ball rack as that would make it less perfect and more like a wooden rack. If you play golf, it's no different than hitting with a wood driver, and then using a titanium one. The sound is different, but you get used to it as all the other great features of the ball rack far outweigh the sound difference. Continue using the ball rack and it will set a new standard in your mind. You will come to recognize it with the sound of winning as your opponent racks for you.
If you decide the sound of the rack isn't to your liking, we have added a product that reduces the sound, comparable to a wooden rack, using the Delta Inserts. The inserts are made of leather with the laser etched Delta-13 logo.
The unique sound you hear is the "sound of quality." We do not want to add anything to the inside of the ball rack as that would make it less perfect and more like a wooden rack. If you play golf, it's no different than hitting with a wood driver, and then using a titanium one. The sound is different, but you get used to it as all the other great features of the ball rack far outweigh the sound difference. Continue using the ball rack and it will set a new standard in your mind. You will come to recognize it with the sound of winning as your opponent racks for you.
If you decide the sound of the rack isn't to your liking, we have added a product that reduces the sound, comparable to a wooden rack, using the Delta Inserts. The inserts are made of leather with the laser etched Delta-13 logo.
The first paragraph was always there -- from the very beginning. The second paragraph was added later, after Executive Billiards started offering the leather inserts.
The interesting part is the first paragraph -- Executive Billiards *knew* their rack was loud from the beginning, and tried to quash any complaints with this purely-marketing blurb (first paragraph) in their FAQ. But as tournaments started to use their product, the groundswell of complaints about the noise overrode the marketing drivel, so they had to offer the leather inserts.
I agree that these should be made a standard part of the product -- the difference they make is profound enough that the product without them should be considered inferior.
-Sean
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Delta-13 Elite with a new set of balls. I have the silencers above, black Delta with the Type 1 inserts above. BEAUTIFUL!
From there, get yourself a set of Aramith Tournament balls, and keep them clean.
Now, if only I could hit simple shots in and not get stuck.... hmmm, that is the real challenge.
From there, get yourself a set of Aramith Tournament balls, and keep them clean.
Now, if only I could hit simple shots in and not get stuck.... hmmm, that is the real challenge.