2. amps-preamps
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New to this. How do I stack my stuff?

I'm new to hifi. I've asked a lot of questions here and some of you may already know my situation but I got the following by chance and for free: Audio Research LS16 tube pre-amp, Arcam CD92 cd player, Madrigal Proceed HPA2 amp. 

It is all up and running and I'm loving it. Now just trying to maximize the little things that I can. For instance, speakers had spike stands but spikes were missing so I made a set.

Now I read in the CD manual that it recommends sorbothane feet and says sound quality will be better.

I'm now figuring out that placement of components is important and that proper stands, expensive ones, are best. Well, expensive stands are not going to happen. But I can try to make accommodations that are cheap and won't turn the room upside down.

Here is how it is all situated now...let the ridicule flow, but keep in mind that I am space limited to a serious extent. Was not sure I'd get the system in my house at all:

The (very) heavy Proceed amp is sitting on a carpeted floor on strips of wood which raise the bottom of it well above the carpet. It is higher above the carpet than it would be above a hard surface just on its own feet.

The CD player is sitting on a small, simple, wooden, antique side table. It is sturdy. The pre-amp is on top of the CD player. I have no idea what this might mean in terms of SQ but the CD player actually puts out a fair amount to heat which rises up into the pre-amp of course. That concerns me.

So other than getting some sorbothane feet for the CD player, what else would be a priority here?

Finally are there issues with which cables contact which cables, how much speaker cables are looped, etc. (Most of the cabling is Transparent Super Bi-wire.)

Thanks for any assistance.
n80
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
Yes. That’s what I mentioned in the last line. The nice thing about these block feet (if they ever happen) is that they could be very versatile. I could even fit a sorbothane disk between the foot and the marble.

Now I wish I had a bench belt sander...........you know, in this attempt to do-it-myself and save money......;-)
djones51
4,947 posts
 
Sold all my old wood working tools on letgo before I downsized to a condo less  than half the sq ft of my house. Suppose that's why it's called downsizing. 
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
A block of ice makes an ideal amp stand but unfortunately it melts almost immediately rendering it less than ideal.
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
djones51 said:

"I guess I am not quite understanding what you're trying to do."   

Its complicated. ;-)

First, I'm just playing the game. It seems like everything in the audiophile world needs some sort of special treatment. A lot of it sounds silly to me (but I am only a beginner so who am I to say).

Second, I'm trying to play the game for cheap.

Third, as is my pre-amp is sitting on my CD and everyone says that is no good and I agree, even if it doesn't make a difference to SQ

Fourth, my current set up is ugly. The amp is on the floor on strips of bare rough cut wood. 

Fifth, I'm a project guy. I like the challenge of doing something well, cheaply.

So if I can do a few cheap things, which might include buying a low end rack of some sort then I'll piddle around with it. If nothing else, these walnut feet should look nice and elevate the amp off the floor a little more and look pretty doing it. Still working out where to put the pre-amp.

Also, as mentioned above, the big project will be built in shelves which were planned before I got this stuff. Integrating this stuff into those is going to be a design challenge but that's a ways down the road.
shadowcat2016
132 posts
 
I'm a wood worker, not a terribly GOOD one, but I enjoy building things. I recently finished a simple rack for my gear that to all intents resembles a coffee table with a lower shelf. Used 1x3 red oak for legs,  triple laminated..glued and screwed, trimmed down on a table saw, 1x3 red oak to trim out and stiffen the 3/4 oak plywood top and bottom shelf. I routed out slots below where the amps sit, just under and the full length of the heat sinks for improved ventilation. Installed LED's beneath the top shelf, just for fun and it looks cool at night. The rack is holding about 175 lbs of gear easily. It's low and solid. Stained and poly'd it and for less than $200 I think it looks great. Of course, I've you had more money and less sense you could drop a few K on an "Uber rack" that might make your gear sound better, but I'm quite happy with the one I built for a few bucks..................Don't beat me up for that one folks, I just think there are better ways to spend my audio budget.........Your money, your choice, ain't personal.

When you get to your built in's just keep in mind ventilation, particularly for amps. My larger amp tends to get quite warm when I crank it even though the rack is open on all sides. I picked up a high end, very quite 120mm cooling fan for around $15, built a little cage for it and set it on top of the amp.......Looks fine and problem solved, amp stays cool no matter how  hot the music gets...............Heat and electronics do NOT mix well.

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