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Analog Playback
Topic: How do you position your stereo?

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Posted by drdna on 09-06-2008
I am faced with remodeling a bit.  I started out with all my equipment on an Arcici Lead Balloon rack and two speakers, which was nice and simple. The mono SE-DHT tube amplifiers I built are now on either side.  I recently have come into possession of a Sansui TU-X1 and it is too big to fit on the rack. Also I have some of the parts (but not yet any of the time) to start building a new turntable with multiple arms and also the Melquiades amplifier.

So all this equipment is lying out on the floor and the cats are having a field day. 

The living room also has a flat screen TV on a stand, but I was going to wall-mount it.  My ideas right now are:

1) Get a second stand to accomodate the amplifiers and the tuner.

2) Build shelves on the wall to accomodate all the equipment and get it out of the middle of the room.

Option #2 is appealing since it will free up a lot of space and make the equipment more cat-proof.  I was thrilled to come home a month ago to find the tonearm wires chewed through and the tonearm swinging freely. 

Option #1 is good because it will minimize cable length runs and maximize heat dispersion.

I am basically throwing it out there for ideas since before I commit to any major builidng projects for the house.

Your suggestions are appreciated.

Adrian
Posted by Romy the Cat on 09-06-2008

 drdna wrote:
Option #2 is appealing since it will free up a lot of space and make the equipment more cat-proof.  I was thrilled to come home a month ago to find the tonearm wires chewed through and the tonearm swinging freely. 

Actually, call me a freak that I love when is happens. It means the Cat is still around, still healthy, still being a miserable bitch, still being a beautiful Cat. I remember I adored when my Koshka loved to sit atop of the Lamm’s ML2 transformers…

 drdna wrote:
I am basically throwing it out there for ideas since before I commit to any major builidng projects for the house.

I am not sure what you are asking. No one would be able to advise you about the room décor or speakers portions without being in your room.

Generally I try to isolate TV from audio system. I negatively predisposed to TV/Audio and to the concept of HT after my move in 90s for “advanced home theater”. I have a lot of reasons to feel that HT is fundamentally faulty concept.

I think it is absolutely irrelevant where you will position the stand with equipment and how it will be configured. All that it boils doe is the configuration of the cables that you have. If you have long interconnect cable then it is good idea to put the amps right next to the speakers. It is what I do with my 7M Dominos interconnect. If you have long speakers cable then it is a good idea to put amps in convenient place and run long speaks cables. In my case of 6-amps it is kind of hard but if you have one amp driving horn island then it would not be a problem.

Generally for the very best scenario I would prefer to have equipment rack sitting near my listening position then to have a LONG cable from preams running to the speakers at other side of room. I can’t accommodate it in my current room as I have hobbit to put speakers in the middle of the room, far away from walls.

The Cat
Posted by Paul S on 09-07-2008
Adrian, is the room raised floor or a slab?  If the former, then wall-mount makes sense, especially for a TT.  If slab, then you have more options, as far as spreading things around.  Soft carpet or hard flooring factors, too.  You mention cable/IC runs, which I like to keep as short as possible.

My present house has raised floors and a picture window behind the speakers, and I now use a 2-shelf Target wall-mount stand below the window sill with the TT on top and the K&K under that, and the TAP below that, on the carpet (on the floor), with ICs "fanning" out to the amps, which I put just behind the speakers.  A small antique table near the TT stand holds the phono tranny.  I just have the amps on boards now, figure the carpet and pad de-couple the amps "enough", but I will eventually do a better job of de-coupling them.  I also put the digi-gear on low de-coupling stands on the floor, along the back wall, close enough to keep cables < 6'.  I keep the TT covered when it's not in use.  No cats here, and I give my wife an ear full if I see signs the dogs were roaming in the listening room.  Pets and cleaning ladies are death to hi-fi.

Looking at my own mess and using your ideas and some WAF (for a change...), since I have the raised floors, I suppose I'd be best served to put most of my stuff on long SOLIDLY-WALL-MOUNTED, OPEN shelves under the windows, but I would still put the amps out in the room behind the amps.

Let us know what you decide.

Best regards,
Paul S
Posted by jessie.dazzle on 09-08-2008

Just a quick suggestion regarding stands/shelves :

I don't know if it would fit in with your décor, but sturdy shelves on wheels would allow you to reconfigure at will (or when you move to a new house, get a divorce, etc). They are also really nice when you have to get behind a system that's close to a wall. Anti-Vibe and uncle-Crosstalk can be dealt with directly under each component.

Once I get everything else done, I plan to build a serious rolling rack; the current setup is not really able to suport the weight and roll correctly. Should you decide to go this route, use a shelf(s) with a footprint-to-height ratio offering good stability when rolling on carpet... do not skimp on wheels; they need to be seriously stout; if the floor has thick carpet, go for large diameter wheels.

Good luck with the new installation,

jd*

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