It's the small things that drive you nuts...

I would certainly like to see a standard, and maybe I'm stating the obvious, but every company has a different design theory which leads them to place inputs/outputs in different places...form follows function. I have come to the conclusion I would like a rack that does not have a support bar running down the middle of the back. I want a rack with a completely open back end, and the wire mess can work itself out.

Sean, I'm with you on this cable dressing issue. I think the standard should be two power cord inputs, one right and one left allowing the installer to decide which to use. I also agree with Mdomnick that the back of a system rack should be open. The three leg mentality makes leveling much easier but creates cable dressing issues.

Sean -- it's a major annoyance! If you have a high-end system with multiple outboard power supplies you literally need to carefully position them and map appropriate routes for your various power cords and interconnects. Even when I do my best to strategically locate components in areas of least traffic (as you've said) there always seems to be one or more components that have less than optimal cable routing paths. And if you do manage to do it right, it looks like a mess although it may function wonderfully. That's why whenever I see an uncluttered, clean-looking installation I always feel that things have been compromised for the sake of neatness.

My own tangled mess resides in a finished basement and I can't imagine any "significant other" allowing such an arrangement in a nice living room.

I have often thought of doing things to scale down the complexity of the "web," like not bi-amping and using a one-box CD player or a full-function preamp, but I've come too far for that...

NAY! I say! I am actually proud of my strategically-positioned power supplies, and my various make-shift cable bridges and my interconnect clover-leafs. It took me too long to plan and construct my intricate road system and now it holds a certain sentimental attachment for me.

But wouldn't it be great if all the cables that comprised one's unique super-highway system were exactly the right length... and if adding that one extra component didn't screw up 3 others!!!

Happy Holiday ALL,
Being a home theater guy, I'd be glad to give up power cord position for a HT amp with speaker terminals in the front. I think it would help reduce the rats nest in the back of the rack and allow us to shorten our speaker cables. Shorter speaker cables without having to lenghten the IC's seems like a good thing?
Dave

amplifier manufacturers should make their amplifiers chassis mirror images instead of the cheap way using the same chassis configuration for both monoblocks. the left channel from the rear from the left side should be Interconnect, IEC, binding post. Right should be the exact opposite configuration so all wires can be routed properly, easily.