Gear on racks - which order?

[esperowl]

Hi, I was wondering if folk here order their gear on their rack in a specific way. My rack has 5 tiers and I've randomly shoved everything on as follows -

1. (top shelf) power amps (won't fit on lower shelves)
2. cdp
3. phonostage
4. preamp
5. (bottom shelf) 2 x psu for preamp

Does it matter what goes where? I faintly recall reading somewhere that the order matters with respect to transformers or power supplies :scratch:
Thanks.

[RichB]

Amplifiers should always go on the top of racks so that forces of gravity can act on the sounds as they travel down the cables to the speakers increasing the pace and timing of the eventual sounds....:lol:

I really dunno mate except to say that when I did have my gear on a 4 tier rack (no tt) i always put the amp at the top as it gave off most heat and was best vented rather than shut in the rack. It also seemed better than having tape decks and cdps being above it with heat rising to them.

[The Grand Wazoo]

The received wisdom in some circles is that ideally, you want two racks - one for power amps and power supplies and another for sources and pre-amp. Heavy stuff low down to lower the centre of gravity and stop everything swaying about.

[Eremite]

I'd say that you should put anything that will cook the rest of your components on the top. So power amplifiers on high.

Of course, if you have a valve amp, that deserves a plinth all of its own :)

[walpurgis]

I tend to agree with Chris.

I'd suggest keeping items with a possible hum field around them, i.e., power amps and supplies with big mains transformers inside, as far apart from each other as is convenient and as far from line level gear as you can manage.

Turntables, phono stages and associated cables away from everything.

Route mains cables carefully and apart from interconnects, etc.

Heavy items at the bottom or you may hear an expensive crashing noise as it all falls over!

[UV101]

Yep, can't see why you'd put your amp at the top. If you are worried about heat, then your other stuff is too close!

Heaviest item, most current draw (likely with mains running past your other gear) and the all the heat directly below the TT.

I've always put my amps at the bottom and ensure that here is plenty of space for airflow.

[MartinT]

Does this answer your question?

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8347/8201546977_bb6be8a818_b.jpg

Basically: source components top, control components middle, power components bottom. The idea is that no cable run to the preamp is too long.

[Barry]

Yep, that's how I would do it.

[Alex_UK]

Alphabetical, top to bottom, although also fun to change to chronological if I fancy mixing it up a bit! ;)

Seriously, I follow Martin's approach, but that said, I've never really experimented, but to a degree access for CD and vinyl is determined by necessity of access and leaves little room for experimentation in any case.

[awkwardbydesign]

Things with knobs and buttons where we can reach them without backache. Anything hot has it's own cooling fan, and power amps as close to the speakers as I can manage.

[esperowl]

Thanks for your input guys. I'll be looking for some extra racks to seperate out the components as outlined above. I'll post a pic of my current set so that you can have a laugh.

[goraman]

Put the heavy stuff on the bottom for stability.