[asliarun]

I might move houses so am thinking of getting rid of my media console unit that is currently creaking while trying to support the weight of my preamp and power amp.

Any recommendations on reasonably priced but sturdy/simple equipment racks? I'm also looking to simplify my setup so don't need a ton of shelf space, just "enough"   

[roscoeiii]

Can you give us more details on your set up. What gear do you have that is making your current set-up groan? How many shelves do you want. With how much space between shelves? Any tubes or Class A amps that will need extra space due to heat issues?

[electricbear]

Salamander makes an audio rack that allows you to put the shelves anywhere you want and it's very affordable in black.
It's their archtype series. A 3 shelf is $169 and a 5 shelf is $249. www.salamanderdesigns.com

[sunnydaze]

VTI is modular so it offers great flexibility.  Shelves come in different heights, colors, finishes and materials.  Buy what you need now, expand later if needed.  You can stack vertically, or arrange it horizontally.  Options and configurtions are almost limitless.  Widely available -- Amazon and many other online sellers.  Not expensive.

http://www.vtimanufacturing.com/BL%20Series.htm

[thunderbrick]

Where are you located?  I've had great luck with finding things on Craigslist.

[asliarun]

Thanks for your prompt replies!

Roscoeiii - it is not that I have heavy gear, just that my media unit just has a plank of MDF in the second shelf that sags in the middle. I have an Emotiva USP pre and a Parasound 2125 power amp. There's a bunch of other stuff (DVR, modem, wifi, Squeezebox, Roku etc. but that stuff is lightweight (although it greatly increases the cable clutter).

Electricbear - thanks for the recommendation. The archetype looks fairly versatile.

[drummermitchell]

You might like this(wall mount)and you can set the hinge so it opens right or left,

[asliarun]

Thanks, Sunnydaze.

Thunderbrick - I am located in Evanston, near Chicago. Will try Craigslist too.

[roscoeiii]

Since you are local to Chicago, check out Music Direct. They have been discounting a lot of their racks lately, and you save on shipping. They mostly carry Solid Steel stuff, IIRC. Good racks.

[neekomax]

My girlfriend and I built mine in one day. Cost about $80 in materials. Pretty fun project, pretty easy as long as you have access to a table saw. You can see it in my avatar picture and in my system. I couldn't find the size and features I needed (inexpensive, open back for cables, proper depth, etc.) in anything that looked cool, so we did it ourselves. Came out awesome, if I do say so myself. 

[borism]

Salamander makes an audio rack that allows you to put the shelves anywhere you want and it's very affordable in black.
It's their archtype series. A 3 shelf is $169 and a 5 shelf is $249. www.salamanderdesigns.com

+1
I have had the 5 shelf Salamander rack for some years now. It is very versatile and has accommodated a number of equipment changes necessitating adjustments in shelf spacing. In solid cherry, while more expensive, it just looks great.

[Letitroll98]

I'll second the above recommendations, all nice racks, then add in the lower priced series from Lovan.  I've had my 5 shelve Classic model for many years and it's never even whimpered at the weight I've put on it.  The Classic may be discontinued, he's a link to an out of stock listing picturing a four shelf model:


http://www.wayfair.com/Lovan-Classic-1-Series-Hi-Fi-Modular-Rack-L-CL4BB-HF22-LV1175.html 

You might find them on Craig's or eBay.  As you can see, they are independent modular shelving allowing you to configure the different height shelves where you want them (the points just sit in the cups, the whole thing assembles and disassembles in a couple of minutes).  This also give great isolation between each shelf.

It appears to have been replaced with cheaper and more expensive lines, the Affiniti line isn't modular, but looks very sturdy for less money:


http://www.wayfair.com/Lovan-Affiniti-Audio-Rack-L-AF4BB-HF36-LV1019.html

The Prelude line looks very open for similar pricing, I haven't used this style:


http://www.amazon.com/Lovan-USA-Prelude-4-Tier-Hi-Fi/dp/B0029STL56/ref=sr_1_24?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1363730872&sr=1-24&keywords=lovan

To get modular it appears you now have to move up in the Lovan line to the Sovereign series, nice but more pricey:


http://www.standsandmounts.com/lovansovereignhifi4shelfaudiorackmapleboardssov-fm22ftmorfm7.aspx

[yogacraig]

I'm in Evanston, too.  Just got a nice Tandberg tuner from Audio Consultants.  I built my own racks from 5/8ths threaded rod and MDF similar to Salamander design.  Materials from Lemoi/Ace and Home Depot.  Prices:  3/4 in. MDF, $20, threaded rod ca. $13, nuts and washers $.30 ea. maybe a little more now.  My rack is 48" x 2'x 18'', five shelves with the top,  middle, and bottom doubled up to prevent sagging.  Less than $100 for a big shelf system, holds in excess of 150 lbs.  Lemoi and Home Depot will make the cuts you need.  I just had to drill and assemble.  Enjoy.

[Rclark]

IKEA LACK $50. Love mine. Prefer low and wide over stacked tall. Nice finish too for the money.

Here's a "glamor shot" I took when I first installed everything on it.



"toys"

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40105340/

[Letitroll98]

Ha, I have one of those, I use it in the bedroom for computer materials storage.  I was going to use it as a bench for my Nitty Gritty RCM, but it proved too big for the room.