Anybody else wanna pull their hair out ?

Hmmm... I guess I've just got a knack for it. The little labels on the back side of your components: You know? The ones that say: "in, out, left, right, center, left surround, right surround, pre out, aux in, cd, video 1/2/3, etc"). Or is it just MY components that come with all the jacks labeled?

These products are for people who understand the benefits as well as the difficulties of owning SEPARATE components. If it's too much of a chore for you, maybe you should go to WalMart for your "all in one" system. Plug-n-play as I understand it. They don't sound good, but then again, you won't have to spend a full day setting it up when you re-arrange your living room.

If it's not worth the hassle of setting the system up right, maybe you should consider a lesser system. No hair loss here. I have an open rack, with just enough room to climb behind it. A flashlight and a pile of cables just within arm's reach, and I can change out everything from my HT preamp in about 10 minutes. And THAT's probably the most difficult one to "plumb". It doesn't hurt to have lots of spare cables. But I'd guess anyone who's truly passionate about this hobby has a fistfull of every length and every connection option out there sitting in the closet in addition to what is already hooked up to their system. Then again, maybe it's just me.

Hifiho, I think it may just be you. Unfortunately I don't have to many spare cables. Don't get me wrong, I do have spares but the best ones are on the system. I don't own an open rack because at the time of system purchases I had a 1 1/2 yr old who thought the vcr tape in was for putting pencils and anything else she could find away. So I opted for a big closed rack to house about 10 separate components. Which when I need to get into I have to move the entire MONSTER. But this will be fixed when I design my next audio room.

Like almost everything worth doing, documentation is the key to simplicity and repeatability. But I must say, playing and reconfiguring can be a lot of fun.

Gerry

Hifiho ( GOTTA luv the name...), i'm talking about taking everything out of the rack, wiping down the components and rack, re-installing all of the components, cleaning all of the jacks and cables, routing all of the audio and video cables into the tv and processor, etc... Then you get to reset all of the digital input levels, surround levels, etc.. Basically starting from scratch with a VERY large system. As i've mentioned in other threads, i have multiple thousands of watts (rms) in this set-up, so that might give you some idea as to what i'm talking about in terms of being "slightly involved". If you can do ALL of the above in 10 minutes, YOU must have a "wal-mart system" or are a FAR better man than myself and a few others here. Either way, i could use some help since you must have a lot of "free time" being as fast as you are.... : ) Sean
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Funny, that's a problem facing me now. Just got some new toys and find the old cabinet, beautifully built, has a somewhat restricted access for connections. Wish I had a trained elf to go back there and make the hookups, but such are scarce. Have decided to go with open shelves and am considering Billy Bags or Sanus. What I don't like about Mr. McCready's designs are the ambitious prices he asks. (I'd prefer he make his BMW payments from someone else's business.) But very good quality, though.

I have a snake's nest of cabling and am doing my best to simplify it. Had a TV tech in recently who commented that mine was the most complicated arrangement he'd ever seen. Not sure that was meant as a compliment.

Anyone here have any thoughts on B Bags vs Sanus? All opinions welcome and appreciated.