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Author Topic: Brand or Type of Audio Rack to Use? Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-24-2004 06:41 AM                     I am in the process of getting equipment together for my home screening room and was wondering what type of audio rack I should buy. I have a Dolby CP-200 and MPU and will have several amps too. I want to add Dolby digital and DTS. I am going to need a full-size cabinet I'm sure. I went on ebay under the computer section but I have no idea about this stuff. Should I get something with fans, a front door with smoked glass, no front door? Anything special that I need to know except that it should fit 19"? Thanks  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-24-2004 09:58 AM                     If you like to dink around with/add stuff in the rack then get a fully open free standing rack. California Chassis makes some good racks like that for around the $120 price and they ship it knocked down for easy shipment. Atlas Soundolier and Bud both make excellent racks, but boy get out the wallet they are very expensive. Middle Atlantic makes ok racks, but also pricey. I've been very satisfied with the California Chassis racks and my local electronics jobber stocks their products.  |  IP: Logged Ron Yost Master Film Handler Posts: 344 From: Paso Robles, CA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-24-2004 01:33 PM                     I agree with Ken about California Chassis. I have one of their 'wall racks' .. 1/2 height, and it came with the machine I bought. There's another company making racks and a wide range of accessories for them. It's the Gruber company of Phoenix, Az. gruber.com They also sell many of their products on eBay under the name of dataonline. Their rack products are made here in the U.S., too .. not flimsy imported stuff from Asia, which you want to be careful of if you're out 'shopping' for racks. I use a cinema processor feeding a consumer 6-channel amp. that obviously isn't rack-mountable. I needed a deep, vented rack shelf for it to live on. I ordered a Gruber vented steel cantilever shelf from them via eBay, and am extremely happy with it. It's nice, thick, powder-coated steel, and has served the purpose quite well. It's 'prettier' than the rack, tho. Was about $25, I believe. I have no experience with their other products, but I assume they're of equivalent quality. Have fun in the Adventure of setting-up your REAL home theatre. Ron Yost  |  IP: Logged Jason M Miller Master Film Handler Posts: 284 From: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 09-24-2004 02:12 PM                     You can always make your own, you can get the pre-drilled rack brackets probably from your local profesional audio store... This way you can build it to your specs. For multiple plugs I like to use a Power conditioner.. I like the Furman ones (Furman Sound) For fans you could use computer fans, you will need a power convertor to go from 120v to 12v(you may be able to use an old computer power supply) Also make sure you know how many units your rack needs to be, most amps take about 2-4 units. And just use some two by fours and I like counter tops for a smaller rack(it looks nice). I will see if I can draw up a diagram on how to build this, It will be placed here when done. Have fun  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-24-2004 02:13 PM                     Thanks guys. I will check out those manufacturers. One more quick question. It is a stupid question but I guess I should know it before I buy a rack. I have seen the terms bi-amped and tri-amped thrown around a lot. What does this mean? Does this mean that each channel has 2-3 amps on it for back-up? Just wondering what it means and if I should account for more space in the rack or if I would even need to do such a thing for just a home theater system. Josh  |  IP: Logged Ron Yost Master Film Handler Posts: 344 From: Paso Robles, CA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-24-2004 02:28 PM                     I have a Furman conditioner, too. The one I have (RP-8L) has two very handy (in a dimly-lit little booth) rotatable/dimmable lights on the front panel, and eight AC outlets on the rear, all switched from the front. Works very well for me. Ron Yost  |  IP: Logged David Buckley Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 525 From: Oxford, N. Canterbury, New Zealand Registered: Aug 2004 posted 09-24-2004 03:44 PM                        If you would like a bit more integration with your home than just a computer grade 19" rack standing in the corner, then take a look at http://www.avrak.com No affiliation blah blah blah...  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-24-2004 06:39 PM                       Lowell In St Louis makes any number of rack from open frame to knock down one that can be shipped by UPS. Prices are pretty good. I use a lot of product from here. They are on the web.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-24-2004 10:26 PM                     I preferre Hammond Racks there knock down RKF serries is very nice and economical In some locations one needs to be aware that open framed racks are technically ilegal due to exposed speaker terminals on amps that in larger sizes has a potential to exceed class B standards  |  IP: Logged Nicholas Suchyta Film Handler Posts: 62 From: Washington, DC Registered: Nov 2003 posted 09-24-2004 11:51 PM                     I use a lot of Middle Atlantic's WRK series, they ship knocked down and everything fits together without major flaws. Most of the Atlas racks don't always fit together just right.  |  IP: Logged Bill Mantz Film Handler Posts: 91 From: Plano, TX Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-25-2004 12:09 AM                     Were could someone find good used sound racks like Middle Atlantic Racks besides ebay. I would like to purchase a rack too but don't want to pay for a new one.  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-25-2004 12:54 AM                        I've got a Mid-Atlantic wall mount rack at the drive-in we bought last fall. Good sturdy rack, kind of pricey, but it's what I wanted, and it was exactly the right size for the amount of equipment I needed to install. I've got a photo of it on our website, but it's too large to post on Film-Tech. Here's a link to the photo HERE I've got one of those Furman Power Conditioners in the top that Ron spoke of above. I like the cabinet, because it's deep enough to put in my equipment, plus I've got the power supply for my LED reverse scan reader tucked in there as well. I bought my rack on-line @ R.S. Engineering & Manufacturing quote: Joshua Waaland I have seen the terms bi-amped and tri-amped thrown around a lot. What does this mean? When I worked as a Mobile DJ, I got into alot of the bi-amped and tri-amped configurations. When I used to bi-amp my system, I had two separate dual channel power amps. Amp #1 got the "high-end feed" from the cross-over and that amp alone powered ONLY the horn drivers in the speaker cabinets. Amp #2 received "mid's and bass", and that amp fed the 15" drivers in the speaker cabinet. When tri-amped, we did the same thing, but brought in a third amp, added another speaker cabinet to the mix, and re-adjusted the outputs on the cross-overs. Amp #1 fed only the high end signals to the horns. Amp #2 fed only the mid's to the 15" drivers, and Amp #3 fed only the bass signals to a Cerwin Vega dual 18" subwoofer. I used a Crown Macro-Tech amp for the sub, as that was the only amp we could use that didn't clip out or overheat and shut down. Major "thump-age"!!  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-31-2005 10:39 AM                     I was looking at the pics for the new Ames 12 theater on the homepage and their sound rack is exactly what I am looking for. Also the pics of the Macedonia 15 Cinemark in the pictures warehouse has the same cabinets I am looking for. Anyone got a make or part number I can go from to get pricing?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 03-31-2005 10:51 AM                    quote: Joshua Waaland One more quick question. It is a stupid question but I guess I should know it before I buy a rack. I have seen the terms bi-amped and tri-amped thrown around a lot. What does this mean? Does this mean that each channel has 2-3 amps on it for back-up? Just wondering what it means and if I should account for more space in the rack or if I would even need to do such a thing for just a home theater system. Bi-amped is the ability to use a crossover on the amp or before it to split the highs and lows and send those signals to their own amps. THX does this with their crossover network and some amps have the ability to place a crossover on them to do the same thing. Peavey comes to mind on that one. For tri-amped I would asume the same thing except it would allow an aditional amp for the mid-rang. However, I have not encountered this setup yet in my experience.  |  IP: Logged Greg Mueller Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1687 From: Port Gamble, WA Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-31-2005 01:44 PM                        QSC makes a nice little box that hooks right on the back of their DCA series amps. It does the biamp/cross over thing with a minimum of troubles or need for more rack space  |  IP: Logged

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