Vertical rack for Hi Fi equipment

[Radmanna]

Hello.

I need to buy a good AV rack, before I start gathering my hi fi electronics, so that I have a place to put them before buying my living room (2 channel) home theater system. The rack would be for the electronics needed for a music system, as well as equipment for watching dvd videos. At a minimum, the rack would be for: (1) Tuner (2) Integrated Amplifier (3) SACD Player (4) Turntable (5) DVD player, to watch movie recordings.

In an ideal world, I would like an AV rack made of sturdy wood, because the sum of the above pieces would weight quite a bit. In an ideal universe, I would love a pine AV rack, to match the decor of my house.

Could the forum please recommend some websites, or places near Livonia MI, where I could check out Hif-Fi (and home theater equipment) rack, for the above pieces of my music system that I'll be getting?

Also, the floor space will be tight, where the Hi Fi storage rack would need to be at. I may need to place the hi fi rack on top of a 36" high buffet (made of thick pine-boards). .Any advice, on how to navigate to great websites that deal with AV racks, would be greatly appreciatred.

Steve

[Olorin]

I take it you're not looking to build your own? I ask because IMO the second best alternative to self-built is to get some rack rails from a place like Parts Express and have a cabinet maker incorporate them in a design of your choosing.

[jamesV]

You can check out these links to see if you find anything. You might be hard pressed to find something in pine but you never know.

RacksandStands

StandsandMounts

Have you picked a stand for your TV yet? Maybe you can get the matching audio rack.

Is it possible to build something to suite your needs?

James

[wuzzzer]

http://tinyurl.com/2vcvm6c

[]

[Olorin]

http://tinyurl.com/2vcvm6c

[joessportster]

Go to mapleshade and have a look at the Samson rack they offer you can (as I did) buy just the hardware and build or have built your oun shelves very sturdy and infinately adjustable to fit in any space. (Hint if you make a shelf 36" wide or more use a total of 6 legs). Joe

[michael hurd]

It's not difficult to buiild your own, I built this one here:

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/storage/4/1385774/IMG_8377.JPG

For drilling all of the holes for the uprights, I made a jig that I clamped to a drill press, and used a forstner bit. With a helper, I was able to drill the holes in record time. ( made two units ) Slide each shelf so it bottoms in the corner of the jig, drill hole, blow out jig with compressed air, repeat, 4 for each shelf.

You can also mark out each one and drill them that way, but I found that a jig was invaluable in making short work of that task.

I used 1/2" threaded rod for the uprights, nuts and washers, as well as 3/4" PVC pipe to cover the 1/2" rod. ( fit over the nuts pretty close )

If I had to do it again, I would use smaller diameter PVC tubing, and omit the nuts on each side of each shelf... that was a pain to assemble. The PVC is relatively easy to paint, clean with hot soapy water and a scuff pad, then rinse in clean water and spray with Krylon or other paint made for plastics.

The nice part is that if you get a component that is taller, you can adjust your shelving, just cut some more PVC a different length. I used a miter saw with a stop clamped to it to make repeatable lengths.

Since you want pine shelving, you can buy pine project panels in many different sizes at places like Home Depot etc. I sized my shelves to be able to just slide rack mount gear in between the tubing.

[willland]

I know a guy who has a pair of these. They are built rock sturdy and you can configure any way you want. The natural cherry wood is beautiful(also in walnut and black). Wrought Iron with real wood. Unlimited adjustability.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SMA5&variation=CHE

Bill

[willland]

Another picture of Salamander stand.

Bill

[runninshine]

I have also been wanting to build a rack. Thanks for the links guys...I bought this big a/v rack and it just has never really fit in anywhere at home.

I think a custom made stand is the way to go for me.

[Islander]

Skylan has a line of sturdy racks at reasonable prices. They're made of black-finished MDF and are easy to assemble, plus you can assemble some of them in a combo of shelf heights that best suits your particular components. What I mean is that you don't have to have the tallest space on the bottom if it doesn't suit you.

http://www.skylanstands.com/racks.htm

[Mighty Favog]

They're on the other side of the state from where you are (Grand Rapids) but you can check out Audio Advisor.

[Dennie]

I use the Sanus NFA245 and am very happy with it. I think I found mine at Best Buy a few years ago. It holds up to 60lbs per shelf and has very good wire management. Audio Advisor has it also, but Best Buy's are in most towns, if you wanted to take a look at it. They have 2,3,4 and 5 shelf models and also make coffee tables and TV stands to match.

Dennie

[Radmanna]

Thanks, everyone, for input about Hi Fi stands. The money monster has eaten some of my home theater savings, so I have more time for planning.

One thing I'm wondering on whether it's necessary to plan for, is heat build-up inside the A/V stands. For example, last year, I bought a computer desk that allows you to contain your computer inside a closed cabinet door. I kept my computer contained in my desk for a few months, but had to re-position the computer to just sit on the floor, just beside the desk. The reason for removing the computer from inside the desk, was a lot of heat build-up from the computer mini-tower.

The links that everyone provided, to a/v stand websites, are giving me great ideas. My new approach is to find a wide (below 85 inches) and low (below 24 inches) cabinet, where I could set my TV on top of the a/v cabinet, and still have the TV below the fireplace mantel. The fireplace mantel is 45 inches above the base of the fireplace chamber, which the a/v cabinet would be positioned.

There are some a/v cabinets that are listed on the websites that everyone provided, where the hi fi components would be contained behind glass doors. Are there any concerns about heat build-up. You'll note, that although the OP is about vertical hi fi stands, all the pasted pictures of vertical stands in this thread are of the open design ... the hi fi components are not "sealed" behind glass on these vertical stands.

So, the question, is whether there is any concern about heat build-up ... in 85 inch wide and 24 inch high ... from up to five electronic hi fi components ... if these components are sealed behind glass doors?

[ChadHahn]

I have my home theater system in a glass fronted closed cabinet. When I watch a movie I have to keep the door open to let the heat dissipate.

Chad

[dollar bill]

As sugested, the "flexy" design is the most...um...er...flexible.