Rack Placement

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by Vintage Pete

I guess I'm screwed then......

Pete

I think you would be surprised at how the soundstage would open up without all that gear in between. That said, I think most of us have to compromise somewhere along the way.

[schaefer11]

Originally Posted by Vintage Pete

I guess I'm screwed then......

Pete

Well, now that you mention it.... We have all been there, to one degree or another, at some time or another.

[Vintage Pete]

Originally Posted by Stillone

I think you would be surprised at how the soundstage would open up without all that gear in between. That said, I think most of us have to compromise somewhere along the way.

You may well be (probably are) right, though as you say sometimes we don't have a choice. On the other hand, I've always been taught that large, bare surfaces behind, around and between the loudspeakers are the enemy of the stereo image. For that reason it's often recommended that the speakers be kept away from walls, to avoid early reflections. Since I couldn't really do that either, I added the room treatments to absorb and cancel reflections. It made a huge difference in the stereo image when I added them.

Pete

[1KW]

I have nothing between my speakers and it made a big improvement from having a rack in between. I can still the see my equipment when I am listening, yes even the blue meters. I don't think having slightly longer speaker cables is a big deal, look at how long the cabels are in a recording studio or live performance.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by 1KW

I have nothing between my speakers and it made a big improvement from having a rack in between. I can still the see my equipment when I am listening, yes even the blue meters. I don't think having slightly longer speaker cables is a big deal, look at how long the cabels are in a recording studio or live performance.

I go with the longer interconnects to the amps since they are usually less expensive than long bi-wire speaker cable.

[TommyC]

One can always put the power amps in between the speakers and run a set of balanced cable from the preamp (which can be situated at the side of the room). This is what balanced cable are made for, to run long distance. I believe this will be the best compromise.

[KMC45]

Rack in the middle, and a second rack with the TT, and a MCD500 off to the side. I have experimented with just having the amps in between the speakers but I did not noticed any improvement in how things sounded. I had a few friends help me with my little experiment and one said he liked it without the rack in the middle, but he was drunk .

I've got seventeen GIK 244 bass traps in the room (front, sides, and back wall), and GIK corner traps, floor to ceiling in three corners, the room opens to a hallway so I don't have a fourth corner. The last step will be the ceiling reflection points, but i'm not really in a hurry to tackle that.

[Gordon]

Option 1. I read Jim Smith's book and he was dead on about the rack in middle being a "less than ideal" choice. I proved it in my own living room and the decluttering of the front was magical.

Unfortunately, this ideal setup could not be maintained once company was in the room. It made the room fairly unusable for anything but audio. My wife is VERY understanding but this was pushing it. Ah, the compromises we make to maintain marital bliss!!

Gordon

[2-Channel]

Perhaps Option 3:

Place the entire rack system on the rear wall. That would eliminate first reflection concerns and reduce reflection issues that a rack system inevitably introduces in a listening room.

It does remove the enjoyment of seeing your equipment while listening to the music. And, it re-introduces the longer walk to and from the seat(ing) between source changes.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by 2-Channel

Perhaps Option 3:

Place the entire rack system on the rear wall. That would eliminate first reflection concerns and reduce reflection issues that a rack system inevitably introduces in a listening room.

It does remove the enjoyment of seeing your equipment while listening to the music. And, it re-introduces the longer walk to and from the seat(ing) between source changes.

If it is on the back wall you are going to have problems changing tracks or sources with your remotes and also seeing a monitor for those who use one with a server.