Equipment Rack Configuration..?


I'd be interested to hear from fellow Audiogoners whether the relative position of components on the equipment rack makes any difference in sound quality. For example, is it best to place digital components as far from the amp as possible to avoid electrical interference or does it really not matter. I use a five-shelf Sound Organization rack with the following component positions from bottom to top:

1. Odyssey Stratos Extreme
2. Audible Illusions Mod 3
3. Marantz ST 6000 Tuner
4. Ah Njoe Tjoeb 4000
5. Music Hall MMF 5
eslaudio

Showing 1 response by golden_ears

Assuming your list reads from bottom to top, it sounds like you're okay.
TT on top is a no-brainer, and amp on the bottom makes sense, as you hardly ever have to access it, plus it anchors your rack on the bottom and gives it a lower centre of gravity.
If your preamp has a remote, you're okay, but if it doesn't, you might want to switch it with the tuner so you don't have to bend over as much!! :-)
If you're getting the drift, it is about convenience here, not sound quality.
Sound quality will be determined more by the weight/mass of the component stand and whether or not it is fillable (dry sand, silica sand, etc) AND the proximity of the components to your speakers. Vibration will be more of an enemy than the proximity of your components in the stand, and that is a whole other subject!!