The oringinal RS 300 was praised for its gutsy and weighty performance and the RS 302 is no less of a rock star. The bass is prominent but well defined, and even the diminutive B&Ws boogie along happily on these stands. The punchy bass on Underworlds Kittens really got the room going, and although this effect was subtler on the larger speakers tested, it always translated into an enjoyable and up-tempo listening experience. At the other end of the spectrum things are no less"in-yer-face". The treble is lively and well detailed and, while not exactly neutral, infuses the music with a bit of extra spice.
The extra column on the 302 offers a greater level of detail over the original
without sacrificing the powerful presentation that secured it the Best Buy.
Hi-Fi Choice May 2000
In this update of of a classic, Custom Design has used its Acoustic Steel to
make a remarkably dead top plate. With the companys own Inert filler
in the central column, this stand is thus one of the least prone to ringing we have ever come across at the price. The sound benefits by showing great detail and clarity, with complex textures beautifully rendered and layered.
The Essential Hi-Fi Guide - Hi-Fi Choice
The Hi-Fi Accessories Handbook 2006
Treble has a fine degree of 'air' and details, while midrange expression ensures powerful music is projected with gusto".
(Hi-Fi Choice – Best Buy April 1999) - Reviewer Tim Bowern
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.