audio rack?

Hello all. I have a couple of questions regarding the audio rack OASE-A4. This fall I want to upgrade from my 950 and 5 – 200’s (5.1) to 7 – 200’s. (7.1) Currently I have a stack of 2 – 200’s and another stack of 3- 200’s. Will it be ok to stack 4 – 200’s and with a usable shelf height of 8.75”, will I have enough room and cooling to have a stack of 4 – 200’s? Also if I add 2 shelves to the 4 shelves on the main unit (total of 6 shelves) will I be able to use casters or will the whole unit just be too unstable? I was thinking about putting 4-200’s on the bottom self and the next 3-200’s on the next self. I also currently have a 950, HD tuner, satellite receiver, DVD, and I would like the extra shelves for added components in the future. Thank you.

1.75*4 is way less than 8.75, so yes you could stack them, however 2-3in of space above the amp is recommended for proper air flow, so you would be pushing it in that re:. i dont know enough about that stand to say anything about it. just make sure it can support all that weight, and if you "add" shelves make sure that they are solid and secure to the rest of the structure.

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Thanks for the reply curegeorg. Just to clarify my first post, instead of saying “unstable”, I should have said “tippy”. I’m more concerned about the whole unit tipping over then I am about its weight capacity. Of course if you push on the top of the unit it surely would tip over but I guess I’m just wondering if it would be within reason. The 2 add on shelves I’m referring to would be the ones listed under the accessories. Would the unit with 6 shelves be less tippy if I used the adjustable feet instead of purchasing casters for it or would it still be ok with the casters? I do own the much wider video rack with 4 shelves that I use in another room with a 36” tube tv and a large Yamaha receiver among other components. I really like it but I don’t have the width to use the video rack in my living room, but instead was hoping to use the audio rack with a width of just 23”. Also I was wondering why the top monoblock would need so much space for cooling when the other monoblocks stacked below it only have maybe a ¼” of clearance and they are supposedly fine with cooling? Does more heat collect above the top unit somehow? Would small fans be a good idea? Thanks again.

Two thoughts on the subject.

First, check with Outlaw about stacking M200's. At one time, I believe the recommended stacking no more than three of them due to cumulative weight load on the bottom one as much as heat buildup. Four may be OK, but I'd let them chime in .

Second, if you are concerned about the rack being stable, I'd like to know how you plan to arrange your components. If you plan to put a couple source devices (DVD player, CD player, VCR, satellite or cable box) on the bottom and the amps on top, then the rack would be much more likely to have stability problems if you bumped into it than if you located the amps (and the amps' weight) on the bottom shelves. Putting the amps on the bottom would anchor the shelves as well as put the devices that you interact with least in the most out-of-the-way place -- down at the floor. I haven't used any of Outlaw's racks with or without casters, but I'd expect the casters to be a little more prone to moving than feet if the rack is on wood or tile floor (if it's carpet, I would expect little to no difference). Some racks will allow you to fill the support posts with sand or lead shot for additional stability, which would be an effective way to eliminate any concerns about inadvertent tipping.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

a disadvantage of placing heat sources on bottom is that the heat will rise up through the other components, but your rack is open so i doubt this would be much of an issue.

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if you can lock the casters, they should be similar to spiked feet as far as stability, perhaps more since they would have more contact area.

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This post has been brought to you by curegeorg, thanks for reading.

Sorry to post on a dead thread, though if were me if I didn't have a solid mounting service to mount the cabinet too, I would consider using some type of a counterweight system on the back of the unit to balance out the bottom heavy components.. caster are fine on a tile or concrete floor, though carpet is a definite no no!! can be a hazard if you shift the unit full of components..

For venting purposes I would tend to allow for a 2-3 unit per component especially if you plan to house amps in the unit in question, you can never get to much air flow in my opinion, more the merrier is what i say and do..

Wow, this is an old thread!


I'm in favor of good ventilation, even if my current equipment rack hasn't always been a very good example of it. Leaving a few inches clear above heat-generating components (especially power amps and stuff like cable boxes) is definitely good advice. The original poster in this case was planning to use the Model 200 (since replaced by the Model 2200), though, and it was specifically designed to allow limited stacking. In most cases, a stack of three 200's or 2200's is acceptable both for heat rejection and structurally. Once you create that stack, it's probably a good idea to give them a little breathing room before the next shelf. My pair of 200's are set up in a similar arrangement.

actually I prefer it to be fan forced gonk where possible, especially where temps of 100+ degrees outside is a common place, i don't like it where heat stagnates with passive cooling

I can relate to the 100°F outdoor temperatures, as long as you make sure to include the humidity. If the equipment is located remotely (in a closet, for example), I am wholeheartedly in favor of mechanical ventilation - preferably in conjunction with good natural ventilation (or a backup mechanical system) to keep things from cooking if a fan dies. But unless you lose air conditioning while still having power and running your equipment, those 100+ temperatures won't ever reach the rack. They will make it harder for your AC system to reject the heat generated by the equipment (the AC system will be coping with a "design day" with the building envelope loads at their maximum and every internal load will add to that), but that's true whether there are fans in the rack or not - unless you put a dedicated AC system in the rack, including a dedicated outdoor condensing unit.

The reason I prefer natural ventilation in an equipment rack that is located in the listening/viewing room is ambient noise. Fans - even quiet fans - are going to generate noise. A good natural ventilation design can prevent stagnation, and it can do it without adding background noise. Added bonus: natural ventilation isn't subject to burned out motors like ventilation fans are.

I personally think if you're going to build a room specific for ht, I would tend to go the route of building a 4x2-4x3 room for housing the ht gear in especially if you like using monoblocks to power your speakers..

even using using a multichan amp in a closet arrangement I would still consider a sideways ventilation system between equipment where possible..
ht
Passive cooling isn't always the best even if it's the only option you thought of at the time of install, nothing is ever cut and dry when you think about installing something, there is many ways to build a room for ht and a space for ht gear, we all cut corners to save money... not always for the better I might add..

when I look at ht I look to more than 2 years out of service on what I buy as I can't blow the cash to keep up with the jones of this world so I buy something to last far a while atleast..

While waiting on my Audio cabinet to be built, I purchased A cooling fan system from http://www.coolerguys.com/840556090113.html.
My cabinet will be 70"W x 24'H x 24 "H. The two end compartments will hold my gear, while the middle section will house the center speaker and a lower drawer. A cooling fan system is my only option with space being so tight.
So for the benifit of those looking for a quite fan system ,I have already recieved and demoed the fan system, and can tell everyone is is very very quite . From 5 ft away I can not hear it at all. It has a themostat for each fan, comes on at 86 deg and shuts down at 81 deg .

Because a picture is woth a billion of my words :This is what I have being built , trying to stuff all my gear into those two compartment is problematic , but it will all fit.
I am having it built localy . I am able to change a few things this way , like dept and the width of center compartment.
http://www.standoutdesigns.com/store/pc/Horizon-N702-Plus-Solid-Wood-TV-Console-10p322.htm

Two thoughts to keep in mind when integrating these fans into the cabinet: exhaust requires intake, and noise will change when you increase the static pressure on the fan. For the first part, be sure the cabinet maker provides ways for air to enter so these fans can effectively discharge air and cool the equipment. For the second part, be aware that the noise made by the fans sitting out in the open will be at least somewhat less than the noise they make when in an enclosure that makes it harder for them to draw air. You'll get some sound attenuation at the same time, which will help make up for some of that, but it may not make up for all of the extra noise - especially if the fans are obstructed.

On the bottom shelf , at the front on each side. there will be (2) one inch slots cut, five inches long each . There will be (3) 1 3/8" holes cut for wiring on each side in the back, in which I will put http://www.closet-masters.net/flexi-topgrommets.aspx , thereby attempting to make sure the air is drawn from the front of the cabinet as much as possible. I realy do not think I will need these grommets due to the fact that there should be enough cables stuffed through each hole up to restrict the air considerably.
(These fans are each ratted at 46 CFM ). I know some air will be drawn from around the doors also, which I believe is OK as long as most of the air come from the bottom up The fans will be mounted to the cabinet using rubber backing material to absorb some vibrations.
In therory , I believe it should be OK, but I won't be shocked if I am wrong.

With those two 5"x1" slots and some assorted other leakage, a 46CFM fan in a single cabinet will produce around 650 ft/min of air velocity at the intake slots. That's about twice what we design transfer air openings for in commercial installations, but still a slow enough flow rate that it shouldn't create noise of its own.

Posted for your edification:
Worse Than Assembling 100 Bookshelves at Once

I know how many folks that visit these forums seem to like seeing firms smack their face into the pavement, so to speak, and sounds like the good people at Ikea are doing so...

Making usable A/V equipment is MUCH HARDER than making furniture that comes out of a flat box...

I just read the Uppleva report and why would anybody want to waste money on this thing. It will become obsolete by the time you finished assembly. Why can't IKEA just stick to the cheap hokey furniture they are famous for.

For a few bucks extra get a Mapleshades audio rack. I'm hoping to get one in the not to distant future.

Probably has something by now.