Storing Unused Audio Equipment

I would suggest getting some 'Damp Rid' or similar product. sealing the units in containers, or bags and then in containers.

its absolutely astonishing how dust and critters will get into 'left alone' stuff in perennially dark seldom entered into places. even when they appear to be firmly taped up in their orig cartons!

then later.... they'll act as if they were new all over again, requiring a stint of run in once more.

I'd opt for a closet in the house proper first. basement second. and never in an attic.

the notion about keeping them up off the flooring some is a great idea. JIC.
good luck.

+1, sbank
I've seen basements that had relatively high humidity percentages that would warp (severely) veneer wood finishes and open up corner joints in otherwise good speaker cabinets. This could happen even if the speaker was inside a carton off the ground. Any kind of storage can have good or bad points. IMO

If you store in a basement, be sure to get them at table height or a leaky basement could be a disaster. Cheers,
Spencer

"  I was actually about to make a mistake, kind of thinking it was a "natural" cryogenic treatment. "

Way too warm, cryogenic treatment for audio applications use temperatures around  -320°F. Store your gear inside a heated structure.

@gdnrbob I’ve heard about using rice. But, for run & gun location shooting (photography), there’s too much danger of the grains getting pulverized. The tiny particles could easily find their way into the delicate camera or lens mechanisms. If the gear was in a professional camera case between shoots, I would use desiccant silica gels.

When shooting in extreme cold, I used the baggie procedure before going back indoors. Besides the electronics, it’s important to keep any condensation from forming between the elements in a lens. Every once in awhile, it was necessary to get inside really quickly during a white-out snowstorm - without any time to baggie the gear. When inside, it was easy to see the condensation forming inside the barrel of the lens. The solution was to ’cook’ the lens in an oven at 100 degrees. Then, back to work.

Then, there’s another challenge of putting your hot eye up to the cold viewfinder when back outside. That would immediately cause condensation on the viewfinder glass. Impossible to see anything at all. There’s a couple of tricks to solving that. But, I don’t wish to hijack this thread much more.

Or...

You could sell them all. I got to the point I had so much unused gear I just sold it all as a lot.

It was life saving. :)

Best,
E

Thank you all for your responses.  Its looking like I will be storing the gear in my heated basement rather than in the outside storage area.  I was actually about to make a mistake, kind of thinking it was a "natural" cryogenic treatment.  Live and learn.  

@steakster ,
Did you ever add rice to either inner or outer bag to absorb moisture?
B

When working with professional camera equipment in extreme cold weather, all items would be double bagged in ziplocks before bringing back inside to room temperature. The danger to the electronics within the camera is the condensation when warming up after being brought inside. With double bagging, the condensation would be take place on the outermost baggie. The gear would need to thoroughly adjust to room temperature over several hours before removing from the baggies. For long term storage, @lpretiring’s suggestion of vacuum sealed sounds good - as long as each bag is sealed individually - and is double-bagged.

Condensing, freezing and melting... all would happen to the gear and all would be bad.

About the only way to make it worse is to do it in near salt water. :)

Best,

E

Just a guess here, but if you would go the route with a vacuum sealed bag that you eliminate condensation and would benefit from free cryo.

This is a very bad idea it will be very detrimental  to all equipment.