AV Rack - Needs & Build vs Buy

[soulforged]

Hi guys,

My setup is in the living room. Though I have reasonably decent looking shelves to place my equipment.

Shelves under constructions (they are now supported by 'legs')

The way it looked a year ago (equipment has changed a bit since then, I don't have a recent photo with me right now)

I am not quite satisfied with the setup now -

1. The wiring is all open in the back and looks quite ugly for a living room (I'd have been quite proud of all the cables running around if it were a dedicated room )
2. All the wires (power, speakers, IC etc.) getting bunched up is affecting the AV quality as well
3. Changing/making connections is a bit of a pain as the shelves are fixed to the wall
4. The shelves/equipment gather dust super quick and cleaning is a pain

Thinking of ditching the shelves-on-wall idea and go for a rack. Question is should I build or buy?

I need a solution where

1. The wires can be organized a bit so that they don't interfere with the signals.
2. They should be reasonably well hidden.
3. The rack would be placed against the wall so it should be movable so that I can work on the connections at the back with ease. Putting casters on the rack...bad idea?
4. Should be easy to clean
5. Should be well ventilated or otherwise helpful in heat dissipation.

Going through some design philosophies and options on the net. Thought I'd put this thread out here to get your opinion, suggestion, feedback, advice, funding, donation, Balvanie single malt...whatever you have to offer...

Thoughts???

 

[Gijo George]

I am not quite satisfied with the setup now -

1. The wiring is all open in the back and looks quite ugly for a living room (I'd have been quite proud of all the cables running around if it were a dedicated room )
   
2. All the wires (power, speakers, IC etc.) getting bunched up is affecting the AV quality as well
3. Changing/making connections is a bit of a pain as the shelves are fixed to the wall
4. The shelves/equipment gather dust super quick and cleaning is a pain

Thinking of ditching the shelves-on-wall idea and go for a rack. Question is should I build or buy?

If ugly open cables and difficulty in cleaning are your biggest concerns I suggest you keep the shelves that you have and run two concealed 1.5" pipes behind them horizontally. You could use these pipes as cable ducts and even hide excess cables inside them. That way there are no rack "legs" on the floor to dodge when the cleaning lady comes calling. As far as cleaning is concerned it's much easier to clean a rack free floor than having to move around a rack on castors. And I'm sure you wouldn't fancy moving those precious audio equipment now and again.

Now the trade off with having the devices on shelves as opposed to on a rack is the changing cables/connections part. That's something definitely easier to do with a rack on castors. You'll have to take a call on your priorities here.

With regard to buying or building if you've got the time and patience & have a carpenter/fabricator who is at your call, go for it. If not I suggest you buy one. Magma on the forum may be able to help you out. I think he's already building one for a 'crankey' character.

I need a solution where

1. The wires can be organized a bit so that they don't interfere with the signals.
   
2. They should be reasonably well hidden.
3. The rack would be placed against the wall so it should be movable so that I can work on the connections at the back with ease. Putting casters on the rack...bad idea?

1. 
   
   If you're pondering one rack for the whole system I suggest going for castors and individual isolation thingys for your devices. Its going to be a pain having the rack close to the back wall and having to lift and move the entire rack having no wheels.
   
   Another option is to go for two/three identical short racks on castors. That way you don't end up having to move a big rack for one connection that has to be changed.

 

[anm]

if concealing pipes is an issue, you can try steel pipes (spacers?) as conduits, with brushed or chrome finish. Hiding doesn't work as good as making it visible with a decent look.

 

[soulforged]

Thanks...let me try and realign the setup once more and see if that makes any difference.

 

[hifiashok]

i have gotten 'jhirris' dug into the wall behind the racks, put in empty decent dia conduits and then finished/painted thereon.

of course, all possible permutations need to be worked out on paper prior to this so no options are left out. the appliances hide the holes in the wall where the wires emerge.

 

[magma]

heres what ashok means ( ithink)


notice the recess in the wall
the recess extends upto 1 inch over the surface of the rack - enough for cable pass through

DONT use spike gaurds ( unless you have a electricty stability problem )
Mount surface boards directly onto the wall in the recess

Casters just kill a good rack
However i do understand the convinience angle

for gods sake
using steel pipes for wire mgt! ( or for that matter ANY metal ! )
please do stop being impressed or inspired by the crappy readymade mass produced racks

serious audiophiles go to lenghts to isolate their cables from their surrounding using acrylic cable elevaters, towels and what not
You seriously dont need to pass a signal carrying cable through steel

theres a pure Burma teak rack i had commisioned on the "Hifi rack" thread here
(the carved legs and mouldings need to be added though)

the last shelf is a 1.5 inch thick BTC slideout ( for tweaking ease )

 

[hifiashok]

...........sorta...........

the slide out is a nice touch!

btw (and ps to magma), trust u saw ur spikes in the amp stand pl.? need more.

 

[magma]

...........sorta...........

the slide out is a nice touch!

btw (and ps to magma), trust u saw ur spikes in the amp stand pl.? need more.

no problemo
PM me qty

the slideout is also a pain in the neck to execute correctly
(its not as easy as mounting a shelf onto a telescopic slide)
That shelf and the electronics it will support will require double individual isolation
somewhat a floating shelf

 

[anm]

for gods sake
using steel pipes for wire mgt! ( or for that matter ANY metal ! )
please do stop being impressed or inspired by the crappy readymade mass produced racks

serious audiophiles go to lenghts to isolate their cables from their surrounding using acrylic cable elevaters, towels and what not
You seriously dont need to pass a signal carrying cable through steel

don't know about serious audiophiles using towels, but afaik metal shields from interference.

quoting from Electrical conduit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Metal conduit can be used to shield sensitive circuits from electromagnetic interference, and also can prevent emission of such interference from enclosed power cables

 

[anm]

for gods sake
...
please do stop being impressed or inspired by the crappy readymade mass produced racks

Magma - would appreciate if can you avoid this tone. Wanted to say more but restraining myself.

 

[captrajesh]

if concealing pipes is an issue, you can try steel pipes (spacers?) as conduits,

using steel pipes for wire mgt! ( or for that matter ANY metal ! )

afaik metal shields from interference

I've also read somewhere that metal acts as an antenna and captures stray EMI. Donno what is correct

 

[magma]

as far as i know the above may be true for power cables - they will shield

but running a power cable and IC in the same metal conduit.....?
not correct in my books

 

[anm]

Putting them both in single conduit can be bad in any case - metal or plastic or anything.

A metal conduit will prevent interference in both direction - so if you put power cables in one, it won't let it go out, and if you put signal cables in another, it won't let it in.

What are shielded cables? They are shielded by metal covering. Shielded cable - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One solution would be to insert a plastic pipe inside a metal tube to get best of both the worlds. Use left tube for power and right for signal.

Capt, please share the doc.

 

[soulforged]

nice...some passionate exchanges there...that's so needed for this hobby of ours...i'm sure nobody goes home with the grudge baggage...

Since it is the living room, the 'look' and 'WAF' need to be given the due respect

Couple of Qs:
Magma, you mentioned we should not use surge protectors. I am using them more as an extension to connect the equip to my servo stab. What can be my alternative?
If I run the power cables via a pipe (steel or PVC or some other material) and the AV cables prallel to them in the open, would it help?

Danke!
:signthankspin:

 

[magma]

in mumbai i have no spikes or surges hence i dont require a safety factor
once this issue is out of the picture - i find spike guards and surge protectors are counter productive and would actually degrade the electrical current/signal

im sure you must have opened a spike gaurd and seen the quality of the internal wiring and contacts
I do not find them satisfactory in many

whats more- many cheap connectors have sockets and holders with Steel pins
now - you are using good quality copper wire just to pass the current eventually through steel !
and whats more - doing this multiple times because you are using extenders

This is why i normally prefer to power my electronics directly off the wall wart
using good connectors ( pure copper when possible )

try and run power cables on one side

and the other cables on the other

the above is not always possible i agree - but try

use vertabrae for cable mgt

should be able to get this in most computer shops or even hardware shops selling good quality keyboard drawers etc
if you cant let me know
Furniture Fittings, Furniture Fitting india, Furniture Hardware, Drawer Slides, Hinges, Computer Furniture Fittings, Joinery Fittings, Wardrobe Fittings, Furniture Locks, Window Fittings, Kitchens, Modular Kitchens, Kitchen Accessories, Kitchen Baske
Actually even MX electronics has them

these vetebrae are PVC

since you are remodelling at home
i would suggest you install multiple surface boxes rather than using spike gaurds as extenders or for multiple connections

for example i use 3 surface boxes (each having 2 - 3pin and one 2 pin socket- switches can be common)

each box main is connected using Polycab cu wire
Some of my connectors a Oyaide duplicates ( but really nice cuppor )

 

[pushkarDighe]

Hi All,

This is a pretty good discussion on a very critical topic. I live in Mumbai and I get a ton of dust every day. I am seriously planning to set up an equipment rack which will:
1. Conceal all equipment
2. Tidy up the wires
3. Protect them from dustBiggest enemy of expensive electronics and media

The challenges that I am facing are:
1. Not all equipments have power cable to left and signal to right. For e.g. my Yamaha and Marantz have power cable to left but the Philips DVD player and Airtel receiver have it on right. So routing the cables is always a tough
2. Ventilation in the rack and the noise of the ventilation fan
3. Designing and building (getting it done by a carpenter) and the cost involved. Professional racks used by recording studios or for servers in offices would surly be beyond reach.

I have a question here on basis of magmas observation regarding the quality of interconnects inside the spike busters (guards), I have recently seen Belkin spike guard in few shops are those good? Or should we only go for top brands like Monster? Even though I am in Mumbai and do have a very clean power supply I would still prefer to add additional protection to my equipments.

Thanks
Pushkar