Help with hi-fi storage and furniture

Gamefreak501 · 24 Apr 2006 at 22:31

Hi everyone,

Well, my room is nearing completion, just the carpet needs to be fitted, here are the before and after shots:

Before

After

Sorry for the quality...they are just quick snaps.

But anyway, my speakers are 23cm x 22cm x 40cm WxDxH.

I am looking to have that wall where my computer stuff is to for my bed as it is straight, and use my uneven wall to have a desk and some speaker stands.

Here is where the problem starts. Do I go for a separate rack unit for my amplifier (with the foresight to add a DAC, CD Transport and a tuner at a later date) and put my speakers on stands, or could I get away with putting my amp and computer on a desk (I'm replacing that desk as it is falling apart) and then add some speaker stands? Just that racks are expensive, and it's proving difficult finding one to accomodate my large amplifier that is cheap enough.

I was looking at various Apollo and Atacama stands which all seem to have plate sizes of about 18cm by 18cm or something...is that really going to be enough for my Heybrooks?

I'll be looking to buy some of those spike shoes, as the stands will be on carpet. What will be the best way for my speakers to stand on the speaker stands? Will blu tac suffice, or are those neoprene pads more advisable?

I cannot think of anything else which I should raise, all help greatly appreciated!

Gamefreak501 · 2 May 2006 at 11:35

Cheers for the help there,

Anyway, I am awaiting the delivery of my desk (a £55 job from a catalogue shop) and then in a week I will be buying some Apollo or Atacama stands for my speakers as well as a rack. Any particular racks I should look at to house my NAD C320BEE amplifier?

It measures 435x290x100mm WxDxH, and I have had major problems finding a rack that it will fit on.

Also, should I be looking at other brands of stands for my speakers?

Cheers again!

Gamefreak501 · 2 May 2006 at 12:07

Cheers for the fair points!

The amplifier is the only component I have at the moment

I have not been able to get hold of any more components yet because I have been very busy with other things. I will, however, be getting a DAC, CD transport and at some point a DAB tuner within the next three months, when I should have my first car

Perhaps I should get Cyrus stuff, or some other equipment, hopefully some valve components. But I want at least two to four more years out of my speakers as I will have major problems matching speakers with components and in that four years or so, I will hopefully have my own place, which will demand new furniture, new equipment and other expenses!

Gamefreak501 · 2 May 2006 at 14:42

tom_nieto said:
If you do plan to get a lot of components, then a rack would be the obvious answer. I wouldn't just buy cyrus because of the space saving nature, sure it's a plus point, but you should definitely try to listen to some things first!

I do plan on getting other components. I have been planning for a long time, but I need to listen to various hi-fi systems. I remember hearing a Jungson amplifier with a CD Player (I don't remember which CD Player it as, but it wasn't as high end) it just sounded so good with my speakers, so I will be looking to get something that sounds similar

edit: I am not sure about spikes though. I have a new carpet that I wouldn't want to wreck with spikes from the speaker stands. I was thinking of putting some feet on the spikes, that would at least protect my carpet.

As for mounting the speaker on the stand, when I got my Heybrook speakers, the dealer told me that he just uses blu-tac, which may be good enough. I don't mind using spikes, although I don't know if that will cause damage to my speakers when they are mounted - I would prefer to mount them on the stands as uninvasively as possible whilst still keeping them stable.