Where do you have your rack?

Steve:

It looks like we are dealing with a lot of the same dynamics. I just posted a picture of my renovated room, but yours have given me some ideas (I'm not sure why I still want the amps between the two speakers--seems like I could have my amps anywhere). I have been slowly adding (bulky) room treatments. I like the look of your treatments.

I think I'll keep my rack where it is. Focus on other things.

Tim

Tim, Can I make a recommendation? Your room is not balanced. The left side has bookcases with plenty of diffraction and the right has uncovered windows (reflective). Remove the room treatment and install some window coverings to try to get some kind of balance.

Attached to Mrs Bless..............lol.

I have heard (can't confirm the truth in that) that having only the stereo in a room will yield the best results for ones hi-fi sound, even a telephone/tv affects the sound in a detrimental way, apparently.
For me, my system sounded the best in a room on its own, speakers either side of a bay window with solid brick wall, thick carpet, heavy velvety curtains, and its own dedicated power circuit.

Gawdbless;

Linn of Scotland used to claim that any other speakers in your listening room, other than the ones directly connected to your main audio system will detrimentally affect the sound of that system. It was their contention that the smaller the speakers the more it would affect the sound of your big rig. By this they meant the tiny speakers that are in wristwatches, smoke detectors, alarm clocks, and television sets. I once had my local Linn dealer demonstrate this in my own room, and I have to admit that the affect of other transducers in the room did seem to have a negative effect on the sound. I forget what Linn named this phenomenon, Sympathetic something or other.

As far as having your equipment rack between your speakers, how far back would you have to have the rack behind the plain of the speakers for it to no longer negatively impact the imaging of your system? If you have bi-polar or some form of dipole radiation type speakers does this change? I have upon a recommendation from a dealer removed my large coffee table, which sits several feet out in front of my main speakers, but have to say that experimenting with it in position and removed I have not been able to detect any difference in sound.