StudioTech DP-2 Flat Panel TV Stand Review

StudioTech DP-2 First Impressions and Build Quality

Studiotech-DP-2-angled.jpgWhen you get that piece of upgraded equipment you’ve always wanted there’s typically that follow-up feeling of “man that makes my old furniture look really bad!” It has certainly happened to me on several occasions. When I first went from a 32-inch CRT to a flat panel display I wasn’t simply content to use the same furniture to house my newly acquired piece of equipment. For the main thing, the very nature of a flat panel demands that it be shown off in your viewing room. It’s a thing of beauty. I mean, if you’re planning on hiding away your new LCD or plasma TV, why didn’t you just save some money and get another CRT-based system? Let’s face it, they’re often cheaper and the performance is excellent. No, my friends, a purchase of this type must be quickly followed up by an AV stand worthy to showcase this new “investment”.

StudioTech is no stranger to Audioholics, and we were able to take a closer look at their DP-2 line of AV component racks. This stand works well in a corner, but also looks great when placed against a flat wall. When we took a quick peek at the specs it surprised us in that it seemed to be very “roomy” for equipment but maintained a low profile that didn’t dominate the room.

First Impressions

The Studiotech DP-2 arrived in six boxes. Each was manageable, but the combined weight would have been a nightmarish 105 pounds (because of its bulk). Instead, each of the six packages were easy to get into my reference room so that I could access the instructions and get started… Yes, I try to use the instructions so that I can add that commentary to the review as well. Each package opened up easily and had sufficient padding that absolutely nothing shifted or was damaged during transit – and that’s saying a lot in my experience. The DP-2 can come in either Black or Rosewood:

 
Black and Rosewood are the veneer options.

We selected the Rosewood as it photographs much better than black in my opinion, but both finishes seem to be very good choices and will fit almost any decorating style. You can actually order wood samples from StudioTech ($5 for all three finishes they manufacture) before you buy.

Assembly and Build Quality

The DP-2 system is made with a hardwood veneer finish over 3/4-inch MDF and weighs a good bit when assembled. The combination of veneered wood, glass and metal makes for a very strong system that doesn’t get intimidated when you place heavier products on the shelves. I like this, having used many other “over-the-counter” pieces of furniture that do better holding up stuffed animals than AV equipment. StudioTech seems to understand that equipment has weight and that weight needs to be supported.

Assembling this furniture was simple, but you’ll need some room. Essentially you want to flip the unit upside down for most of the initial assembly. Start with the top laid upside down on a soft surface (so you don’t scratch it) and insert the dowels and threaded connectors. Next come the metal support tubes which hold the wood pillars in place. It’s a tight fit, but one that feels very secure in the end. The metal support bars go into place along with the vertical pillars and the back of the unit quickly follows. Next comes the bottom and, if selected, the optional locking casters – which I highly recommend if you ever plan to move the unit away from the wall. The casters are well-built and solid. They also make the unit sit a full 3.5” off the floor, so it’s understandable if you’d rather go with the stock “lowrider” configuration. For me, the flexibility seemed well worth it. If you have pile carpet you can probably forego casters, but for hardwood or consumers who constantly tweak, it’s a godsend.

Once the unit’s frame is assembled I flipped it over and attached the glass. StudioTech allows you to extend the glass forward an extra inch to give greater depth – with my equipment and connectivity this was a great opportunity and I gladly utilized the outermost screw hole when securing the glass to the back of the unit. The sides of the glass are simply supported by the wood pillars – securely and with no movement that I could detect.

StudioTech DP-2 Stand Usage and Conclusion

Optional Display Mounting Pillars

If you are using this component rack with a flat panel TV you owe it to yourself to make use of the metal pillar mounting system (wish it had a cooler name). The basic idea is that these pillars slide through the back of the unit and allow you to “float” a plasma or LCD TV above the top of the stand. The effect is awesome and I much prefer this to simply setting a display on top. The pillars work with any plasma or flat panel mounting system and all you need to do is attach the panel mount to the pillars at two point using screws. The pillars themselves are attached at the bottom of the DP-2 via 2 3/8-inch bolts and kept from tilting by way of being inserted through the top of the DP-2 itself. StudioTech sells an assortment of plasma and flat panel mounts which can be used with this system.

When installed, the television will appear to float over the DP-2 with only the very bottom of the two pillars exposed. The pillars both have very generous cable routing ingress and egress points which allowed me to run two DVI-D cables, and HDMI cable, two component video cables and power without any difficulties (and plenty of room to spare). This option alone is what I think really sets this unit apart and makes it a phenomenal product when installed in the home.

Practical Use

There were several things about the DP-2 that really attracted me during use and installation of my equipment. The extra shelf depth was a wonderful thing to experience. I’ve never had quite so much reach in a closed-back cabinet design before. Utilization of the second mounting position for the glass, in my opinion, is mandatory and should not be given up. The metal display-mount pillars, as I mentioned, held a ridiculous amount of cabling and do well to hide anything from view. The result is a very clean look that will give your flat panel that “on-the-wall” look lots of people look for with these displays- all without the hassle of an on-wall installation (which is not for the faint of heart). Casters actually rolled easily over our wood floor and test carpet. I did not test for pile carpet, but would not recommend casters for that anyway since you can pretty much slide objects over pile with ease. The center of the top glass should not be used to support anything over 50 pounds in weight. Instead, try to distribute weight towards the left and right sides as evenly as possible. I never felt like the glass was “flexing” or in danger of breaking, but it’s best practice to simply spread weight around when possible – and put your heavier items on the bottom. The additional 2-inches of clearance make this almost automatic anyway.

Suggestions and Recommendations

There isn’t much to complain about with respect to the DP-2. It is innovative, attractive and highly functional – and I don’t typically ask for more than that from furniture manufacturers. The only thing I’d love to see form StudioTech in the future would be an upgrade option for real wood. I’d gladly pay more for the ability to have wood that can better take a lickin’ in daily use. With veneer, scratches quickly show through to the lighter material underneath and even minor dings become very noticeable. Premium options are always welcome and I think people will gladly pay for it.

Conclusions and Overall Perceptions

My experience with the DP-2 is that this is a perfect unit for corner placement of any system. You have ample room for up to four (4) full-sized components – and much more if you have low profile products. I found the depth of the shelves to be particularly noteworthy – this is NOT something easily found in many other systems. Being able to get behind an AV receiver is worth its weight in gold. Add to the optional locking caster that let you move the unit easily to get behind and connect new equipment and you’ve got one flexible and well-thought-out component system. Highly recommended.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Ergonomics & Usability
Ease of Setup/Programming/Integration
Features
Fit and Finish
Performance
Value