Line Phono "Turntable Stand" or Don't Call it a Turntable Stand

 
Just wanted to jot down a few notes, and put this out there in case it would help anyone decide. I came across the Line Phono stand while in the midst of searching for a good, isolating platform for my turntable. I ended up buying it to use solely as a rack for my other equipment, because after looking at photos of this thing for 2 seconds, anyone can tell its not sturdy enough.
 
Apparently this started off as a Kickstarter a while back, and you can purchase through them directly now or even through Amazon. The features are pretty straight forward, and they have a good amount of information on their site (https://www.linephono.com/pages/features#). Shipping was super quick, I got it in a few days (came from Iowa I believe), and as they state: it comes in a flat wooden crate to protect everything. I'm pretty impressed by the shipping crate, and everything arrived without any breaks or cracks. This does add to the price though, as I'm sure the "free shipping" and the wooden crate are built into the overall price of $399. A bit expensive, but made here in the USA.
 
The fit and "finish" were fine, but you will have to like raw MDF for what it is. Still, every corner was rounded, all cuts were perfect, no chipping or flaking as you sometimes get. Overall, this thing is perfectly crafted. Assembly was fine, it took me maybe 20 minutes to get through it all. Their instructions are clear and easy to follow, but a bit daft in some ways (for example, in one step, you place shelf supports with the engraved letters UP, and in the next step, you place the engraved letters DOWN - just keep it the same guys).
   

Additionally, during assembly I realized the design is probably not the best. The voids and cutouts in the back are not wide enough for  any legitimate gear, and the design of the tower itself just invites flex and wobble. I had to pull my preamp way forward just to fit my cables, and the vertical supports of the rack block access to almost half of my ports. Which brings me to the crux: this thing is not designed by nor for actual audiophiles. And there are clues to this all over the place. First, on their site they say:
 

 
"In other ventures, we've sold over 20,000 turntables from $100 beginner decks to $1000 hifi tables"

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Translation: we've sold turntables from real crappy decks all the way up to crappy decks!
 
Also, in all the photos and in the instagram feed (https://www.instagram.com/linephono/), you see a lot of beginner tables (lots of Projects and Regas I think).
That's not to say those tables aren't good, but they aren't "audiophile" or high end. Am I going to notice any issue with microphonics or poor isolation on a Project Debut deck? Yeah, probably not. Also, you don't really see any legit amps or preamps, just micro phono stages or integrated units. And again, that is all fine, but not high end, not audiophile and I realize now that this piece isn't made for people with actual audio equipment.

Wrap Up

Looks good, holds my stuff plus some of my vinyl. I like that its somewhat minimal, small and doesn't take up a ton of space. If you have a few pieces of equipment, it just may work. Just please please with sugar on top, please DO NOT USE THIS AS A TURNTABLE STAND. It is tall and skinny and the top of the tower flexes in all directions by about .25" with little effort. It vibrates and torques when I walk past, and there is no way its stable or rigid enough for any kind of turntable use. But if you want to try something other than Ikea stuff, throw these hipster "vinyl experts" a bone and try it out.