where to place equipment rack?

If you do use a longer run from pre/pro to amp, you might want to consider using balanced (XLR) lines.

db

Hopefully your rack does not have a TT on it, for if it does the location is the worse place to be. The amount of acoustic energy that it receives will destroy its ability to play properly. Go with long speaker cables as it is more cost effective and will not degrade the sound quality.

Place your rack where there are bass nulls and where it won't degrade soundstage/imaging. Trying to balance out these concerns with what is practical (domestically, visually, remote friendly, accessible, etc.) and keeping cable/interconnect lengths reasonable can result in compromises. The pictures you see in magazine ads is usually the worst place to put the rack.

Opinions abound and are free....here's mine. When I have done spl measurements all around the room, the fronts corners were the loudest, esp with bass, in between the speakers was next and along the long wall was least. That's where I put my rack. I use long ICs and place the amps just inside and behind the speakers. I have Class D amps, not tubes. The ICs are single-ended, 20 feet long, and I hear no ill effect. I might notice an improvement if I switched to balanced but the expense is too great right now. In my opinion, placement of the electronics is more important than what kind or brand of cables you use. Good luck.

at 1/4 increment of the room length (19'/4=4.75'), bass node is at max. 1/3 increment of the room length bass node is at min. corners should be avoided due to bass energy storage.

best to avoid a location with high bass energy, vibration is bad for equipment even solid state gears. easier to avoid vibration than trying to eliminate it with an expensive rack, but good rack even in bass null will still make a difference.