[Rob S.]

Hi,
    Working on my audio room project, I'm looking at putting the equipment in a closet on the right side of the room   OR  just putting it on my old rack in the center of the room between the front speakers as most people here do.   Are there any reasons to choose one over the other?

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=1156&pos=4

Does having it in the room interfere with the acoustics?

Rob S.

[bpape]

Having nothing between speakers is always preferable.

Next best is a low wide rack

The thing you have to consider is the budget/drive issues for long cabling if you do everything in the closet except the amp close to the speakers.  Depends on your school of though as to whether long speaker or interconnects are preferable.

Bryan

[navi]

I recommend putting equipment on floor or isolated from the floor with dense wooden blocks or spike feet. That's what i've found to be the best. Forget expensive racks- you don't need it.

Ivan

[nathanm]

Although having nothing between the speakers is great and looks very tidy, you could possibly be frustrated by having to fumble about with the backs of gear in that confined space.  There's a lot to be said for the easy access of an open rack.  It would also depend on how pretty your gear is and if it wants to be shown off or not.  Hard choice...

[Rob S.]

Thanks so far:

Thinking out loud here:   
If in closet, it's hidden- no gear to "gawk at"-  and I can use my old trusty homemade (ugly) rack to hold my mono amps, pre, DAC,SB3, laptop,  and cdp.   If I go this route- I'll have speaker cables at about 20 ft length, being the only exposed part of my system.   But this leads me to the question of where do I mount the SB3?  Ideally i'd shut the closet door during listening,  the closet door will be shut anyway since that would be a first reflection point for my Micro Trap ( likely to be hung from door in some way )

If I display my equipment in the room,  I'd ditch my current DIY rack, and opt for some low rise rack,  easy access to equipment, but will likely shop for some nice amp stands.   Anyone have some nice DIY plans for amp stands?  Our kitchen remodel will produce some extra granite slabs, and I already have some 3/4in maple and cherry HW floor boards, maybe it's more trouble than I think to put together something.

current pics are here:   http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=1156&pos=13

Rob S.

[WEEZ]

Lucky you!....a dedicated room. I'm jealous.

I am definately an advocate of having nothing in between the speakers to affect the image and soundstage. And like Bryan said; a low rack and/or floor stands would be an alternative.

From the looks of your pictures, it appears as though you might have room for a traditional vertical rack on the 'left' wall between the wall shelves and the small window? Can't get a sense of scale much by viewing the pics on my computer screen . That way you would still have ready access to the gear. Just a thought.

And as far as long speaker cables are concerned; if you're using solid state amps, 20 ft. or more shouldn't be an issue if the cables are 14 ga. or larger (soundwise, that is). Of course, if you choose an expensive boutique brand of wires, it could be costly...

Short term at least; I'd try your left-over granite slabs as floor stands until you're settled into the room. If it isn't to you're liking..you can always change it later on.

Good luck!

WEEZ

[rabpaul]

I am definately an advocate of having nothing in between the speakers to affect the image and soundstage.

I think this is an audio myth, imaging is psychoacoustic as per the Haas effect. Since most systems "put the image" behind the speakers (some systems don't) I guess it feels better not to have anything there when it does. Anyone has any information to the contrary?

[bpape]

I would definitely agree that nothing between is better.  Especially anything relatively solid.  Not only does it replicate a wall much closer to the front of the speaker, but anything that gets behind it and bounces off the rear, then back at you, is even more out of time than if it was just a wall.  Not only that, but it also means that you're spreading things in time which can be good (that's part of what diffusion does) IF it's done equally across many differnent times - not just a couple.

Forgetting SBIR boundary issues for now, let me ask you a question.  Have you ever heard even a 1st class set of in-wall speakers really reproduce imaging well - especially front to back?  I haven't and I've heard some seriously good inwalls.  The image just flattens out and is all in front of the speakers.  Putting something between the speakers somewhat replicates this effect just to a variable extent depending on what is between them, how big it is, how close it is to the front baffle of the speakers, etc.

Just my 2 cents.

Bryan

[TONEPUB]

I agree with the nothing between the speakers people as well....

However, I have panels, so they are more sensitive to that kind of thing!

[zybar]

I went with low to the ground and in-between/behind the speakers.

Given how I have put together my system, I really couldn't do long ic's (no preamp and I must bi-wire my Vandy 5A's) and I didn't want to have four runs of very long (over 30') speaker cables.

While I have never had it any other way, I am extremely happy with how my system performs and sounds.

Here is a recent picture (sorry about the quality of the picture):




George

[JLM]

I've heard imaging stop and start at the TV between speakers as it moved from right to left "through" the TV.

Lots of trade offs here.  Several "cable guys" (not Larry  ) say that there are ideal lengths of cables: 2 ft for interconnects, 7 feet for speaker cables, and 1.3 meters for digital.  But having the amps/source/etc. in a closet should help with isolation/vibration/imaging issues.  Being an AARP member, I'd avoid the very low racks/stands and crawling through a "forest" of equipment on the floor.  One advantage to KISS is fewer/smaller pieces and cables.  I fit everything onto a 21 inch wide x 15 inch deep x 22 inch high stand ($30 Ikea Corras bed table).

The granite solution can get expensive as its about $13 per foot minimum to finish the edges.  That'd be about $75 each plus you'd need spikes.  And what sound benefits you might get would be a crap shoot.  Besides granite like wood is non-homogeneous, with planes of strength/weakness, and of course made of different types of stone.

I suppose the ideal solution would be to have the amps mounted below the floor (maybe suspended from tuned spring loaded cables), just under the speakers and being fed from a Squeeze Box that sits on the floor between the amps.

[woodsyi]

Some times we just have to make sacrifices.  I have no closet near by and I had it on the side once but with so many connections, the center between the speakers was the only place where I could connect all things with reasonable length ICs.  At least it's open rack and I use a lot of absorbers to deaden the front end of the room. 

[macrojack]

If this is a dedicated room and it is 21 feet deep, it seems that you could place your equipment in the center between but well behind your speakers. Using the famous rule of thirds for a starting point, you have your speakers 7 feet from the front wall and you can place your chair 7 feet from the rear wall.

I went to a used office furniture store and found the base of a credenza for $200. It's 72" wide, 28" high, and 20" deep. It is heavy and sturdy and looks rather nice.

Find something like this to put near the front wall and it will be low profile and 5 feet behind your speakers.

You'll need that closet for equipment you are not using.

[Steve]

I would also prefer having nothing or have components low to the floor if possible as well.
In the closet may look good, and may the best thing, but I would consider any temperature rise as the equipment may sound different if the temp rises too much. Shortened life expectancy may also be a problem.

Hope it all works out for you.