Equipment Rack Location

[unboxed]

Has anyone noticed a big improvement in overall presentation after moving their equipment rack from between speakers to a side wall? Any downside noted?

I know in theory it is better but is it worth the effort? My new home affords me the opportunity to try that but moving everything will be a major chore. I would also have to buy new interconnects 16-20' long. I would like to know if the results would be significant. My rack is 26"W x 18"D x 40"T thick walnut.

 

[sbnx]

If your speakers are within a few feet of the rack it is 100% worth the effort. It will open up the soundstage in a rather dramatic fashion. Get some relatively cheap cables to try it out. If your speakers are 10' in front of the rack then you may not notice as big an effect.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Has anyone noticed a big improvement in overall presentation after moving their equipment rack from between speakers to a side wall? Any downside noted?

I know in theory it is better but is it worth the effort? My new home affords me the opportunity to try that but moving everything will be a major chore. I would also have to buy new interconnects 16-20' long. I would like to know if the results would be significant. My rack is 26"W x 18"D x 40"T thick walnut.

I think the only downsides are longer interconnects and visual asymmetry. I totally would do it.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I have my hifi rack in the middle of my two speakers.it keeps speaker cables short and looks good.the rack is a metre behind the speakers so does not effect sound stage in anyway.

 

[jeromelang]

a couple of issues to consider:

magnetic field interference (especially from power amps with chunky linear ps, and from loudspeakers)
longer interconnect vs longer speaker cable (which is the lesser of the 2 evils)

 

[unboxed]

I think the only downsides are longer interconnects and visual asymmetry. I totally would do it.

I hear you on the visual asymmetry. My speakers are custom stained to match my rack so the appearance is very pleasing. I am big on symmetry.

 

[unboxed]

I have my hifi rack in the middle of my two speakers.it keeps speaker cables short and looks good.the rack is a metre behind the speakers so does not effect sound stage in anyway.

My rack is closer than that.

 

[unboxed]

a couple of issues to consider:

magnetic field interference (especially from power amps with chunky linear ps, and from loudspeakers)
longer interconnect vs longer speaker cable (which is the lesser of the 2 evils)

I forgot to mention if I move the rack it will remain mostly empty. Amp and power conditioner will be on floor stands between the speakers.

But I give up. Longer ICs vs longer speaker cables, which is the lesser evil?

 

[jeromelang]

I forgot to mention if I move the rack it will remain mostly empty. Amp and power conditioner will be on floor stands between the speakers.

But I give up. Longer ICs vs longer speaker cables, which is the lesser evil?

The idea of placing source components and pre-amps away from power amps (with often touted "oversized" linear power transformers) is to minimize the detrimental effects of magnetic field.

According to some speaker engineers, longer speaker cables is more damaging to sound.

 

[Al M.]

Has anyone noticed a big improvement in overall presentation after moving their equipment rack from between speakers to a side wall? Any downside noted?

I know in theory it is better but is it worth the effort? My new home affords me the opportunity to try that but moving everything will be a major chore. I would also have to buy new interconnects 16-20' long. I would like to know if the results would be significant. My rack is 26"W x 18"D x 40"T thick walnut.

Can you move the rack back from the speakers towards the front wall? The drivers of my speaker are 7 feet from the front wall, and moving the rack from between the speakers all the way to the front wall was beneficial. Less distortion, presumably because of less short distance reflections. Visual symmetry preserved.

 

[Blackmorec]

If your speakers are within a few feet of the rack it is 100% worth the effort. It will open up the soundstage in a rather dramatic fashion. Get some relatively cheap cables to try it out. If your speakers are 10' in front of the rack then you may not notice as big an effect.

Why would your rack affect the soundstage, which is a mental construct based on the differential amplitude and phase of the two signals reaching your two ears?. A central TV screen or cabinet placed centrally will reflect and may potentially influence what you hear via delayed reflection, but a rack is more like a crude form of diffusion. Also, most speakers’ polar response is directional in the treble and miderange, so what you’ll hear coming off a rack will first hit your back wall and be reflected back onto the rack, then reflected again back to your ears….so the reflection is quite delayed and of a very low amplitude. As long as the rack is a few feet back from the front plane of the speakers you should be OK.

 

[Al M.]

Why would your rack affect the soundstage, which is a mental construct based on the differential amplitude and phase of the two signals reaching your two ears?. A central TV screen or cabinet placed centrally will reflect and may potentially influence what you hear via delayed reflection, but a rack is more like a crude form of diffusion. Also, most speakers’ polar response is directional in the treble and miderange, so what you’ll hear coming off a rack will first hit your back wall and be reflected back onto the rack, then reflected again back to your ears….so the reflection is quite delayed and of a very low amplitude. As long as the rack is a few feet back from the front plane of the speakers you should be OK.

In my case, moving the rack indeed had relatively little effect on the soundstage. But it lowered distortion, quite dramatically in fact. But you are talking about the rack being a few feet back -- this is where it is now.

 

[unboxed]

Unfortunately I have less than one foot of rack setback from the face of my speakers.

 

[sbnx]

Unfortunately I have less than one foot of rack setback from the face of my speakers.

You will get a large benefit from moving the rack to the side. Give it a try.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

You will get a large benefit from moving the rack to the side. Give it a try.

Why is this? There is vibrations in the room from the speakers no matter we’re the rack is.

 

[Al M.]

Why is this? There is vibrations in the room from the speakers no matter we’re the rack is.

Same question I wanted to ask.

Best would be to have rack out of the room in a dedicated equipment room, which would minimize vibrations.

Second best is in back of room where sound pressure is somewhat less.

Both options require long cables, which has its own problems.

Third best is putting the rack as far behind the speakers as possible, if your speakers are quite far out into the room. I was able to choose that option. But that is more about reflections than about vibrations.

I don't see the point of moving the rack to the side, unless the rack is high and affects the soundstage. But my rack is low enough that it hardly affects the soundstage, even when it's right between the speakers.

Moving the rack to the side is often positioning it in front of the speakers, which is good neither for vibrations nor reflections -- and not for the soundstage either. Unless the speakers are far from the sidewall in a wide room.

 

[BlueFox]

I suspect the rack type also has some influence. My guess is that an enclosed rack (solid sides) would have a bigger effect on the sound than an open rack with lots of open space for the gear.

 

[sbnx]

I suppose there are two factors with rack placement -- acoustic and vibration. With the rack between the speakers and just behind them I think the acoustic impact is big. The rack and components create a lot of reflections that mess with the soundstage. I agree if you can keep the rack low (no taller than two shelves) then that will probably be ok. I don't have experience with a short rack between the speakers and have not A-B'd that case. But as the OP mentioned he has a tall 4 shelf rack speculating on this doesn't influence his decision.

There are lots of opinions in the audiophile world. Ask 5 audiophiles any question about which is better A or B, and you will get 10 answers. I would encourage the OP to try moving the rack to the side and see what happens. Buy a cheap pair of 20' or 30' Mogami IC's for less than $200 and try it. Knowing that if you like what you hear then it will get even better with a better interconnect.

 

[tkoslek]

I've had the same system set up two different ways and to my ears, I think imaging was better with the equipment to the side. That said, I was able to upgrade to better cables with the gear in the middle because the length was ultimately shorter.

 

[Tango]

According to some speaker engineers, longer speaker cables is more damaging to sound.

Better not buy the speakers he make. Length is not relevant if the cable is good. Left side 7 meters. Right side 5 meters. Also don't hear any difference.