Being a committed 19 inch EIA rack user for many years I lamented to Scott about not being able to rack & stack M2300's. You need to have circulation between them, so even though they are 1.75 inches (i,.e. I rack unit) they take up 2 inches. Also, rack-mounting the Pre/pros and amps is desirable. Actually I rack mount everything I can...convenience, and wiring.

Here's the suggestion to OUTLAWS: Offer in your furniture line a cabinet that we can buy (six feet high) with sides spaced for installation of standard rack-rails. Furthermore, shelves with pre-drilled holes and pegs could be bought as an accessorry for situating prepros and amps and other things.

Additionally, a combination of mounting options exists in this scenario. For example you could have rails extending down as far as you wish, and then set in a shelf, etc., etc.

Wires behind one cabinet. Keep the ACs separate from line-level runs to obviate induction.

Now for the Monoblocks: I wish OUTLAWS would have their engineers design the next generation of monoblocks (i.e. M2300??) so that they could be stacked with no space between, or maybe thinner, but with 1.75 inch front plate and rack ears. For example in my 4 ch in-line room with four electrostatic CROWNS (ES224) which I biamp, I could sell them and replace them with better amps (eight monoblocks). And the audio sensing on-off function is a plus.

Now: if OUTLAWS don't decide to offer the cabinet and accessories as stated above, rack cabinets (though expensive) are available with sides etc. Trouble is most are ugly. I bought one recently from a TV station for $35.00 Spent another $25.00 on panelling and trim, and a bit of time. I have a rack cabinet that doesn't look like an ugly rack cabinet. Pictures are available if you wish. Write me for pics as an example. ivan@machinegundealer.com

Other suggestions would be most welcome.

i hear ya about ugly racks,i've got one in the workshop unused because it is big,ugly and green.i tried to give it to my buddy but it was too big,ugly and green.

i've done enough metal fabrication over the years,i could rack mount anything

My first audio rack was the steel frame from a PDP-11. 8-)

What is a PDP-11?

A very ancient model of computer made by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC--now defunct?). An early an very popular 16-bit machine; succesor to the immortal PDP-8.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporation

A PDP-11 rack might be a collectable...

PDP-11's were being retired back when I was in college (quite some time ago). The frame was literally just a bunch of rolling rackmount cages bolted together. So I got some cantilevered shelves and used one cage to mount my firebottle space heaters. 8-)

I remember practically begging people to come take the PDP innards so I wouldn't have to chuck things and annoy the garbage men. Ultimately, someone took all the stuff for a technology exhibit and ended up scrapping it anyway when they realised they needed 3-phase power just to turn the thing on....

But speaking of racks...what do folks think about Salamander Designs? It seems a bit pricey to me, but I like the look and feel of them.

Cheers,

I have 2 synergy 40 salamander racks and really like them. Yes they are expensive but have lots of configuration options. I am looking into expanding them for my new room. Also they now have 19" rack mount tabs for these racks as well. You can sometimes pick them up at audiogon used for almost 1/2 price.

DEC was bought by Compaq some years ago. In turn. Compaq has been consumed by HP.