New to this. How do I stack my stuff?


I'm new to hifi. I've asked a lot of questions here and some of you may already know my situation but I got the following by chance and for free: Audio Research LS16 tube pre-amp, Arcam CD92 cd player, Madrigal Proceed HPA2 amp. 

It is all up and running and I'm loving it. Now just trying to maximize the little things that I can. For instance, speakers had spike stands but spikes were missing so I made a set.

Now I read in the CD manual that it recommends sorbothane feet and says sound quality will be better.

I'm now figuring out that placement of components is important and that proper stands, expensive ones, are best. Well, expensive stands are not going to happen. But I can try to make accommodations that are cheap and won't turn the room upside down.

Here is how it is all situated now...let the ridicule flow, but keep in mind that I am space limited to a serious extent. Was not sure I'd get the system in my house at all:

The (very) heavy Proceed amp is sitting on a carpeted floor on strips of wood which raise the bottom of it well above the carpet. It is higher above the carpet than it would be above a hard surface just on its own feet.

The CD player is sitting on a small, simple, wooden, antique side table. It is sturdy. The pre-amp is on top of the CD player. I have no idea what this might mean in terms of SQ but the CD player actually puts out a fair amount to heat which rises up into the pre-amp of course. That concerns me.

So other than getting some sorbothane feet for the CD player, what else would be a priority here?

Finally are there issues with which cables contact which cables, how much speaker cables are looped, etc. (Most of the cabling is Transparent Super Bi-wire.)

Thanks for any assistance.
n80
I guess I am not quite understanding what you're trying to do. I use an audio rack I bought about 20 years ago, heavy metal frame with heavy wood shelving that would hold a tank. I simply place my components on the shelves using the "feet" of the components. I havd never had an amp or cd player or anything that didn't come with some type of foot or base. I did make a table or box that fit over a cd player once to place a dac so it could fit in the same space. You don't any type of special rubber or stuff to put under you components existing feet. They make items you can use and after you get everything placed try them then if you want I have never noticed a difference the couple if times I tried them about 10 years ago have no idea what I did with them probably tossed em. 
Yes. That’s what I mentioned in the last line. The nice thing about these block feet (if they ever happen) is that they could be very versatile. I could even fit a sorbothane disk between the foot and the marble.

Now I wish I had a bench belt sander...........you know, in this attempt to do-it-myself and save money......;-)
Sold all my old wood working tools on letgo before I downsized to a condo less  than half the sq ft of my house. Suppose that's why it's called downsizing. 
A block of ice makes an ideal amp stand but unfortunately it melts almost immediately rendering it less than ideal.
djones51 said:

"I guess I am not quite understanding what you're trying to do."   

Its complicated. ;-)

First, I'm just playing the game. It seems like everything in the audiophile world needs some sort of special treatment. A lot of it sounds silly to me (but I am only a beginner so who am I to say).

Second, I'm trying to play the game for cheap.

Third, as is my pre-amp is sitting on my CD and everyone says that is no good and I agree, even if it doesn't make a difference to SQ

Fourth, my current set up is ugly. The amp is on the floor on strips of bare rough cut wood. 

Fifth, I'm a project guy. I like the challenge of doing something well, cheaply.

So if I can do a few cheap things, which might include buying a low end rack of some sort then I'll piddle around with it. If nothing else, these walnut feet should look nice and elevate the amp off the floor a little more and look pretty doing it. Still working out where to put the pre-amp.

Also, as mentioned above, the big project will be built in shelves which were planned before I got this stuff. Integrating this stuff into those is going to be a design challenge but that's a ways down the road.