A/V RacK...Any Advice or Opinions?

[phillihp23]

Looking at possibly buying a A/V Rack..you know the rackable kind. Anyone have any experience with a particular brand?

Was looking at the Sanus CFR2127-B1 >Link Here<
The idea would be to put some fans on it also to help venting hot air.

Currently I have the following I would need to fit in it:
Dennon AVR
Dish Hopper
PS4
Power Surge and Cleaner
Emotiva XPA3

Anyone recommend a particular rackable fan or Power surge strip?

 

[Tonto]

I can't remember, may have been Wayne that found a heavy duty system that mounted to the wall (2 columns) and you attached the horizontal shelf mounts on them wherever you needed them. It was way heay duty but reasonable.

These things can get pricey. I'm going to build mine out of wood with wheels (casters). Doesn't matter how it looks since it will be in the equipment room (mind you it will look good). It will have 4 posts with shelves wherever I need them (I'm thinking 3" thick hardwood like Hickory or Cherry. I have a sawmill so I'll cut my own). I have to be able to roll it away from the wall to access wiring, that's a must!

Too much trouble using fans, I would never use a closed in box as an AV rack. But that's just me. If it can go wrong, it will!

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

That rack appears to be way more than you need for the equipment you listed. If this is a permanent installation, you can probably get away with a cheap MDF rack like this. It’ll get structural rigidity once the gear is mounted in it.

Check Furman for rack mounted power conditioners. I think Panamax makes some too. Middle Atlantic makes rack-mounted fans. For your gear that isn’t “rackable,” you can use rack-mounted shelves.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Tony V.]

I would just build one to suit your needs, Home depot will cut the wood to your specifications and then you just build a box that is 17" wide (inside dimensions) and whatever height you need and mount rack mount rails down the sides and you can put some shelves in it as well.

 

[phillihp23]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas everyone. I guess the main thing that I am trying to do is find a way to rack things and be able to get to the back to change plugs/cables etc. when needed. Along the way of course trying to clean it up a bit also. Currently I have the equipment on shelves I built and are affixed to the wall in the closet. This makes it highly problematic to get to the back of the equipment. Also with the heavy amp and AVR and being pretty high up it becomes a precarious matter to take down the equipment etc. if I need to change out a plug. So, lacking any other alternative I am looking into a cabinet style rack in which I can wheel out from the wall 3-4 feet to easily access the plugs/cables. Some good ideas have been provided and I will continue to mull over how and what avenue I may go. Feel free to mention any other ideas and equipment you may come across.

 

[Peter Loeser]

Do you plan to have the whole rack in the open or will you slide it in/out of a space for access to the connections? I have a rack on rollers that was pretty inexpensive and should accomodate your gear. I'm trying to find a link.

If you don't plan for it to be "mobile" then it may make as much sense to build something with fixed shelving as Tony mentioned. After going through the process of rack mounting all of my gear part of me wished I had just built some good sturdy shelves in my equipment closet instead.

 

[Peter Loeser]

Found it: https://www.amazon.com/OSP-TAC24U-18-Deluxe-Studio-Rack/dp/B004P75ZDG

I got the 24u rack and I think I added my own casters. Looks like they have a 20u model with casters pre-installed. It required some basic assembly and ended up being pretty sturdy.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

This looks like the rack I bought (actually bought two, one for the theater and one for the studio), but when I bought it last year, it was only $129 and it came with two free shelves.

Regardless, you don't need to spend a ton of money on these things. You can, and can get some cool features. But I've been more than happy with these, you can get a glass door to put on the front.

I'd say the first thing you want to do is figure out a budget for accessories, like cable organization in the back, a drawer for remotes, a glass door, shelves/rack ears for your gear. This is where things can start to add up. Once you see how much that stuff will all cost you, you might realize the >$200 racks are the way to go.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Royal-Racks...716473&hash=item259c1a0edb:g:DL8AAOSwFNZWz0d1

 

[phillihp23]

Do you plan to have the whole rack in the open or will you slide it in/out of a space for access to the connections? I have a rack on rollers that was pretty inexpensive and should accomodate your gear. I'm trying to find a link.

If you don't plan for it to be "mobile" then it may make as much sense to build something with fixed shelving as Tony mentioned. After going through the process of rack mounting all of my gear part of me wished I had just built some good sturdy shelves in my equipment closet instead.

It would be in the closet up against the wall, I would need to slide it out (castor wheels etc.) as to access the rear of the gear. Currently I have the gear on fixed shelving I built but am unable to access the back of the gear.

 

[phillihp23]

This looks like the rack I bought (actually bought two, one for the theater and one for the studio), but when I bought it last year, it was only $129 and it came with two free shelves.

Regardless, you don't need to spend a ton of money on these things. You can, and can get some cool features. But I've been more than happy with these, you can get a glass door to put on the front.

I'd say the first thing you want to do is figure out a budget for accessories, like cable organization in the back, a drawer for remotes, a glass door, shelves/rack ears for your gear. This is where things can start to add up. Once you see how much that stuff will all cost you, you might realize the >$200 racks are the way to go.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Royal-Racks...716473&hash=item259c1a0edb:g:DL8AAOSwFNZWz0d1

Does royal sell the shelves for it? I worry about buying a rack with a odd dimension and then not being able to readable acquire rack able accessories. This looks promising and I like that it is made of metal.

 

[phillihp23]

Found it: https://www.amazon.com/OSP-TAC24U-18-Deluxe-Studio-Rack/dp/B004P75ZDG

I got the 24u rack and I think I added my own casters. Looks like they have a 20u model with casters pre-installed. It required some basic assembly and ended up being pretty sturdy.

Thanks for the info this is another great option I will definitely be considering. Are racks and accessories readable available for this rack, is it a standard rack width?

 

[Peter Loeser]

Thanks for the info this is another great option I will definitely be considering. Are racks and accessories readable available for this rack, is it a standard rack with?

Yes - any standard rack mount equipment/shelving will work in here. I have several shelves and a couple power conditioners mounted in mine.

 

[Peter Loeser]

It would be in the closet up against the wall, I would need to slide it out (castor wheels etc.) as to access the rear of the gear. Currently I have the gear on fixed shelving I built but am unable to access the back of the gear.

You can find racks that slide on rails attached to a rigid frame, which could potentially be mounted in your existing closet. Almost like cabinet drawer sliders, but the whole rack moves in and out. They're pretty spendy, but honestly might be the perfect solution based on your space and goals. I think Middle Atlantic makes these too.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Does royal sell the shelves for it? I worry about buying a rack with a odd dimension and then not being able to readable acquire rack able accessories. This looks promising and I like that it is made of metal.

I don't really know, I'm assuming if you browse the eBay seller's store you'd find them. The shelves I got are pretty flexible. Obviously the fronts are standard, the rears are adjustable for different depth racks.

 

[phillihp23]

Ok, looking for some more advice.....like how to put together a AV rack for dummies (mainly me). I wanna get a rack ordered up in the next day or so in hopes it arrives next week sometime when I have leave from work.
So My Amp is 8" tall. The 4U shelf is listed as 7" tall and the 5U shelf is listed at 8.75" tall. Do you buy the 4U shelf and then just leave a space for the next shelf above or do you buy the 5U shelf and buy a blank plate cover to go in the gap.....? I feel like its a construction project but I don't know how the pieces should go together....and at the cost of pieces I would like to buy the right pieces.

So basically should you go with the U that is taller than the AV equipment or just smaller.
My AVR is 7.5", AMP 8", PS4 2", Dish 2" etc..
The 1U is 1.75", 2U 3.5", 4U 7", 5U 8.75 oddly the seller does not seem to sell 3U shelves.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Ok, looking for some more advice.....like how to put together a AV rack for dummies (mainly me). I wanna get a rack ordered up in the next day or so in hopes it arrives next week sometime when I have leave from work.
So My Amp is 8" tall. The 4U shelf is listed as 7" tall and the 5U shelf is listed at 8.75" tall. Do you buy the 4U shelf and then just leave a space for the next shelf above or do you buy the 5U shelf and buy a blank plate cover to go in the gap.....? I feel like its a construction project but I don't know how the pieces should go together....and at the cost of pieces I would like to buy the right pieces.

So basically should you go with the U that is taller than the AV equipment or just smaller.
My AVR is 7.5", AMP 8", PS4 2", Dish 2" etc..
The 1U is 1.75", 2U 3.5", 4U 7", 5U 8.75 oddly the seller does not seem to sell 3U shelves.

For your amp, it's the Emotiva, right? Just call them and order the rack ears for it instead of using a shelf. You might be able to get a rack mount kit for your Dish box if you talk to an installer.

And that's really the only thing heavy enough that you should need to be concerned about having the correctly matched shelf. Perhaps your AVR. For a 7.5" AVR, get a 7" shelf. Everything else is light enough it should sit fine on 1U shelves.

 

[phillihp23]

Yes - any standard rack mount equipment/shelving will work in here. I have several shelves and a couple power conditioners mounted in mine.

What kind of power conditioners are you using. Brand. And obviously would you recommend them or something else you have come across since purchasing them.
I assume the power conditioner works like a surge protection power strip with conditioning principles.

 

[Peter Loeser]

What kind of power conditioners are you using. Brand. And obviously would you recommend them or something else you have come across since purchasing them.
I assume the power conditioner works like a surge protection power strip with conditioning principles.

I'm using an Ethereal ESP601R, (an older model which unfortunately is no longer made beacuse it's a great piece for the price) and a Furman M-8x2 (also a great unit). Yes they act as a surge protector with additional filters which are intended to "clean" noise from the power source. If you do a rack system, a rack mount power conditioner is a must, IMO. Definitely check out Furman.

Regarding your shelf size, etc. My suggestion would be don't worry too much about occupying every rack space with a shelf or blank plate, etc. unless aesthetics are critical. Like Travis said, get a taller shelf for heavier gear like your amp and maybe AVR, and most of the rest (BD player, cable box, game console, etc. should be fine on a 1U shelf. Leave a few spaces above your amp and AVR if you can.

On a related note, I typically arrange sources at/near the top, processors/AVR middle and EQ/amps at the bottom. Helps flow of cabling and can aid with troublshooting logic if you run into issues after reconnecting everything. Not essential, just the way I've found works well for me. Also keep some space between power cables and analog audio cables (RCA, speaker wire, etc) if possible to minimize interference.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with. If you need any help during assembly, you know where to find us.

 

[phillihp23]

How does this Ethereal AS-P-601 compare to the Furman M-8x2 ? The furman is running $80 on amazon... Link https://www.amazon.com/Furman-M-8X2-Outlet-Conditioner-Protector/dp/B003BQ91Y6 Ethereal $125 on accessories4less NEW Link http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...wer-solution-1000-8-outlet-2160j/1.html#!more the noticeable difference I see is that the Ethereal has 8 diagnostic LEDs, alert user to input voltage levels, component load levels and 4 operational conditions (power, protection, grounding, selected outlets).

 

[phillihp23]

Also looking at rack able Network switches....Any experience with Netgear looking at this model JGS524NA $125 https://www.amazon.com/JGS524NA-Eth...3235&sr=8-1&keywords=netgear+rack+switch&th=1 or a 48 Port version like this https://www.amazon.com/JGS524NA-Eth...+switch&th=1#HLCXComparisonWidget_feature_div.

It appears for the price of the 48 Port I could buy two 24 Port and save $50. It would just take up two slots on the rack. I will need to count my cables and I may be able to get away with just one 24 Port for now...always expand later.

 

[Peter Loeser]

The Furman is a solid choice for the cost. The Ethereal has some handy features and the voltage display on the front is pretty cool. Overall I'd say worth the extra expense over the Furman if you'll make use of the additional features. If you simply want enough outlets with surge protection and conditioning I'd honestly go with the Furman and call it good. Reasonable enough you could add a 2nd later if needed.

I actually just picked up a used 48 port Netgear switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGTPQO4/ for $350 (Amazon customer return). I'll have my router unpacked in the next day or two so I'm hoping to tinker with it some more this week. I prefer to have all of my stationary devices hard wired and limit wifi traffic to mobile phones and laptops. I tend to lean toward getting more than you think you'd need so my choice would be the 48 port, though it is odd that two 24 port switches are cheaper. I'd also recommend getting the cat6 termination tools and connectors and some raw cable so you can make your own custom length cables. It would help tidy up your installations. I'll let you know how my setup goes. I'm thinking about starting a thread to document my structured wiring project in the new house.

 

[phillihp23]

So I am looking at this setup so far:
Royal Racks 21U $212
(2) 4U shelves $94
(4) 1U shelves $148
Netgear JGS524NA 24 Port Rackable Switch $135 (will verify I don't need 48 Ports first $300)
Furman M-8x2 $80 ( or Ethereal AS-P-601 power conditioner $125)

Total: $669

That will take up most of the rack and leave room for expansion such as:
another power conditioner
another switch
OPPO player
a mini/small form factor PC

I already will be installing the following:
Denon 4520CI
Emotiva XPA-5 V2
Dish Hopper
PS4
Logitech Hub
Lutron Caseta Hub
Darbee Darblet DVP 5000
A current Power Cleaner I own ( will eventually upgrade it)

 

[phillihp23]

The Furman is a solid choice for the cost. The Ethereal has some handy features and the voltage display on the front is pretty cool. Overall I'd say worth the extra expense over the Furman if you'll make use of the additional features. If you simply want enough outlets with surge protection and conditioning I'd honestly go with the Furman and call it good. Reasonable enough you could add a 2nd later if needed.

I actually just picked up a used 48 port Netgear switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGTPQO4/ for $350 (Amazon customer return). I'll have my router unpacked in the next day or two so I'm hoping to tinker with it some more this week. I prefer to have all of my stationary devices hard wired and limit wifi traffic to mobile phones and laptops. I tend to lean toward getting more than you think you'd need so my choice would be the 48 port, though it is odd that two 24 port switches are cheaper. I'd also recommend getting the cat6 termination tools and connectors and some raw cable so you can make your own custom length cables. It would help tidy up your installations. I'll let you know how my setup goes. I'm thinking about starting a thread to document my structured wiring project in the new house.

Yes, the switch upgrade process can get stupid. I had a small one 8 ports?, and then plugged some things into the router, and a couple into the modem. Then I ran out of spots and purchased a larger switch maybe 16 ports?, Anyway its getting old so I am going to count my cables and based on what I have buy for expansion...

I also hardwire all my stationary stuff. I recently installed a POE camera security system and like you said bought a roll of cat cable $75 bucks for a box at lowes, and terminations, custom ran all the lines to the cameras. Still have cable and termination ends left

I have some big project work to do next week while on leave from work. Installing the Logitech Hub in the HT with Echo Dot and Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Kit. If all goes well I will be changing out all the house light switches to work with the caseta wireless kit and Echo Dot. HELLO ALEXA! Building my new Rack! Changing my Digital Poster over from my main PC to a Azulle Mini PC! ( in order to not have to run the main PC all the time). But its all stuff that's kinda fun and brings happy results...at least we keep our fingers crossed and hope.

 

[Peter Loeser]

Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you but I like your strategy. You'll be glad you put the effort into it.

 

[phillihp23]

Rack arrives today. Not sure what the deal with the furman power strip is....still has not shipped.