[Jonathon Janusz]

There were a few recent threads discussing working around a big LCD TV in a 2-channel system, which got me to thinking to ask this question.  Given that regardless of how it is set up, putting a big LCD in the middle of the front wall is going to be a compromise, someone mentioned mounting the LCD to a wall as preferable to having it free standing on a stand.

This got me thinking that for apartment dwellers (like me) who can't realistically bolt a TV to the wall, that using one of the commonly available stands that have an integral post to mount the TV to (putting it at most an inch or two from the wall) would be as close as one could get for sake of improvement.

That said, when I walked through a few local stores to shop these kinds of stands, although I'm sure the TV mounts built in to them are secure, the "stand" part of the units seemed in varying degrees to be less than ideal (not overwhelmingly structurally sturdy if one had very heavy amps to place, very resonant in their construction, etc.) as compared to purpose built audio racking.

All this leading to my question - are there any companies making LCD TV stands using some sort of wall-mount type setup for the TV that would pass as a quality stand for the rest of the audio electronics used?  Think something like any of the commonly shown low stands used for front end gear in various setups around this forum, but with the addition of an LCD mount.

[jriggy]

Salamander Design is what you are after...

http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/products/subcategory/9beeeb7a-9027-bbcd-7b3c-50d1b4f3d98c?f=m

They can be modular designed however you'd like. You don't even have to use sides, backs and doors.

[Phil A]

Salamander Synergy furniture can also have a bridge or bridges between their towers (which can be had in 20, 30 or 40 inches).  They can do a custom sized bridge for $300 or a 44 inch wide one (which can expand a drop more with the brackets) for $230.  I formerly used that in the main room and now I have it in a spare room.

[Phil A]

There's also stuff like - http://www.steveblinndesigns.com/

[Jonathon Janusz]

The Salamander type setup is what I had in mind; glad there is someone making them.

Unfortunately, for me, it wouldn't work.  A triple wide is too big for the space I have to work with.  I've seen similar products to the under-cabinet bracket they have listed below the add-on kits, so if all else fails I could look into that route.

[Phil A]

The Salamander type setup is what I had in mind; glad there is someone making them.

Unfortunately, for me, it wouldn't work.  A triple wide is too big for the space I have to work with.  I've seen similar products to the under-cabinet bracket they have listed below the add-on kits, so if all else fails I could look into that route.

Don't know how wide a space you have to work with but there is also stuff like:

http://www.standoutdesigns.com/collections/media-consoles-all-standout-tv-stands/products/media-console-solid-wood-haven-ex-72-inch-wide-2-drawer

[Phil A]

I had a space problem in a couple of systems and had to get a smaller width rack such as:

[Phil A]

Amazon has tons of stuff for ideas too:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_36_4?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A1055398%2Cn%3A1063306%2Cn%3A1063310%2Cn%3A14109851%2Ck%3Atv+stands+for+flat+screens%2Cp_72%3A1248915011%2Cp_36%3A1253527011&keywords=tv+stands

[JLM]

This topic is a frustration to me.  Seems to me that decent racks (or equipment stands) shouldn't cost $$$.  Note that I'm not an accessory nut by any means.

I use a 20 inch x 20 inch x 15 inch $30 Ikea nightstand for my audio rack (has one adjustable shelf in the middle which I no longer need).  It has 1.5 inch thick top/bottom shelves and side panels.  It came with wheels, but I left them off and use the posts as blunt spikes into my carpet.  So it is solid and a good value.  And I've seen integral flat panel mountings into TV/media racks at the store, but unfortunately Ikea is constantly changing what they offer and neither currently show up on their U.S. website.

Was shopping for a new rack last year and at "reasonable" prices found mostly junk (my rack does not need to out shine my furniture), but most offerings were the same few designs over and over (few of which met my needs) that were made of gauge metal or cheap veneer over MDF.  My next move may be to use countertop stock, either built into a very small (18 inch x 10 inch x 10 inch two level) rack with 2x8 sides and black paint or just three (9 inch x 10 inch) spiked equipment stands with strips of laminate trim on the floor for my mono-blocks plus DAC/pre/headphone amp.

[Phil A]

Monoprice.com also carries some of those racks which have a place for a TV.

There's also products like - http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=45132-53911-ZR1028&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=1087267&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

where one can make their own rack with threaded rods with either wood shelves, granite or whatever material one wants.

Years back I had a Target Rack with glass shelves and a I did price granite shelves.  I was quoted $130 each (did not do it or shop around).  Nice wood shelving is not horribly expensive.

[sunnydaze]

Easy enough to make one like Steve Blinn sells, and at a fraction of the cost.  I did.

Use 80-20 center channel aluminum, available pre-cut on E-bay, so it will go together quickly and precisely.  Find a source for reasonable butcher block.

I scoured Craigslist for used butcher block tables.  Cut and refinished them.  Whole thing cost me under 500 bux, but obviously lots of labor going this route.  See it to the left in my avatar, and pics in my Gallery.

[Phil A]

Easy enough to make one like Steve Blinn sells, and at a fraction of the cost.  I did.

Use 80-20 center channel aluminum, available pre-cut on E-bay, so it will go together quickly and precisely.  Find a source for reasonable butcher block.

I scoured Craigslist for used butcher block tables.  Cut and refinished them.  Whole thing cost me under 500 bux, but obviously lots of labor going this route.  See it to the left in my avatar, and pics in my Gallery.

Rack looks great.  I understand the lots of labor - that's why I bought mine (had really no time between getting a house ready for sale and building a new one and they were about 900 miles apart).

[Atlplasma]

BDI makes some decent stands. You can also look around for close outs and occasional sales.

http://www.bdiusa.com/theater/valera.shtml

I bought this model for our TV room.

http://www.bdiusa.com/theater/cavo-8167.shtml#.VUepNReKFVw

[Atlplasma]

Easy enough to make one like Steve Blinn sells, and at a fraction of the cost.  I did.

Use 80-20 center channel aluminum, available pre-cut on E-bay, so it will go together quickly and precisely.  Find a source for reasonable butcher block.

I scoured Craigslist for used butcher block tables.  Cut and refinished them.  Whole thing cost me under 500 bux, but obviously lots of labor going this route.  See it to the left in my avatar, and pics in my Gallery.

I have a large Blinnderman media rack, and it is impressively heavy. But you are correct that it is on the pricey side. Plus, I was disappointed in the finish work on the MDF shelves. There are several imperfections that should have been caught during production. Unfortunately for me, I had the whole thing boxed up for a couple of years prior to assembly.

[Phil A]

My main system rack weighs 350 pounds built by Odyssey Audio

[Phil A]

The rack was built to my specs from a drawing I did

[Hipper]

I have found recently that racks, isolation platforms and feet (including for speakers) can make a great deal of difference to the sound you hear.

What good ones can do is remove incoming vibrations and control outgoing ones and doing this well lowers the noise floor of the whole system so that you hear more with greater clarity.

In the case of flat screens, surely a simple solution if they need to be between the two speakers is, when it is not in use, to angle it in some direction. My guess is downwards if you have carpet and sideways if you have absorbent panels on the side walls.

[sunnydaze]

I have a large Blinnderman media rack, and it is impressively heavy. But you are correct that it is on the pricey side. Plus, I was disappointed in the finish work on the MDF shelves............

MDF shelves??!!      That makes his stuff even pricier....I thought they were butcher block.

Oh, and trust me, there are tons of imperfections on mine.  I don't have a shop with tools.  No table saw, no drill press.  Did it all on my front deck with hand tools.  Cutting and ripping 3" BB with a circular saw is not easy!   And some of the tables were in bad shape, so I had to use a belt sander to strip them.   I created plenty of boo-boo gouges.   

But they are where the gear sits, so pretty well hidden.  I'm not super anal, and I'm happy to trade off perfection for a big cost saving.  Overall, I'm quite happy with the outcome -- looks fine to me from any distance except right on top of it.

[sunnydaze]

My main system rack weighs 350 pounds built by Odyssey Audio

That's a really nice rack.  Visually balanced and very solid looking.  Well done!     

[MaxCast]

My main system rack weighs 350 pounds built by Odyssey Audio

I was going to recommend a rack by Odyssey.  A pic is worth a thousand words right there.