Removing components from between the speakers

If you don't have a lot of components, and no TT, you can use amp stands for everything.

it does not 'just depend'.

as you chase the 'ideal'; dealing with the space between your speakers is one step closer to that ideal. the reality is that gear between your speakers is simply one aspect of the acoustical consequences of that whole area. and until you remove that gear and eliminate other negatives you will not be able to connect the dots on cause and effect.

every flat surface that potentially could be a first or second reflection is one; unless you neutralize them all one by one you will never know what detail is masked by smearing from reflections.

maybe look at the pictures on my system page and then read this post I wrote a few weeks ago on a related subject.

regarding cable lengths; properly matched amps and preamps should be able to drive longer interconnects without sonic consequences. could you hear the difference between 2 meters and 8 meters between and amp and preamp? it's possible but not likely. compared to proper acoustics? no way.

at the end of the day where your gear is is not a huge deal unless there is a large flat screen. the rest of the treatments between your speakers and on the ceiling are bigger issues. so if your room does not lend itself to moving your gear don't worry about it. just do all the other things to the wall floor and ceiling between the speakers and be happy.

So what you're saying is that there's other factors to room acoustics besides having your gear in between the speakers. It sounds far fetched. I'm not sure if I buy it.

It does depend on the specifics. A system with just a CD player driving powered loudspeakers presents a vastly smaller reflective surface area than say this. Placing equipment between the loudspeakers just isn't a problem in some situation, in others it is.

If we are going to talk about the ideal, then ideally your source components and electronics (power amps excepted) shouldn't be in the listening room, but in an adjacent dedicated, custom designed equipment room.

Zd and Onhwy61 my conclusions are similar to yours and that's why I wrote "it just depends". Depending on the size of the rack used, number/placement of components and proximity to the speakers. These variables can range from noticeable to minimal(or no audible effect) actual effect. Try both component placement arrangements and just listen.
Charles,