Equipment Rack Between Speakers...Good or Bad

The ideal system will have balanced input mono amps right behind the speakers keeping the speaker wires as short as possible. Balanced ins and outs let you use long low level signal cables without ill effect. Now you can put the rack anywhere in the room you want unless you have a turntable in which case you want to get it as far away from the speakers as possible in a place where the bass is not amplified. Mine is in an alcove off to my left side. 

mikelavigne, how did you find not one Studer but three.....?  Oh so lucky. 

In the search for SQ improvement from the room, I tried removing the rack and put the components on the floor (separated by the same wood and isolation devices used with the rack) and things improved, big enough I never even tried a reverse trial and moved the rack out of the room same day.  By things I mean less high level glare (my room/system's weak spot to my eras) and better soundstage.  The rack was about halfway between speakers and front wall.  My room is not ideal, 11.5 x 20.5, a bit of a tunnel, so YMMV.  This was before I added absorption at primary reflection points, so if I get bored one day maybe I'll pull the rack back in the room?  Next I will experiment with mix of diffusers and absorption on the front wall, which has a heavily curtained window.  The windows also have blinds, and sometimes I can convince myself I like the sound more when the curtains are open and blinds are reflecting, sometimes not. 

Full disclosure, the rack was a cheap Ikea table, veneer over foam, so hard to say if I improved reflections or isolation/vibration or both.

Dear @mikelavigne  : "   which could not be done with gear between the speakers. " and maybe for those two racks it's need more space between speakers.

Btw, for your system pictures looks as your seat position been at near field but maybe it's not. I love to listen at near field position that I don'tdo  it as often I like it in my system and only when I'm testing or fine tunning something critical.
At what distance from the inside towers are you seated?

Outstanding room/system, good.!!!

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

mikelavigne, how did you find not one Studer but three.....? Oh so lucky.

Glenn, i was very early to the tape revival. i bought the first (1/4") of the A-820's from a Studio in Austin, Texas in 2007 before anyone else was out looking. the second one (1/2") i bought from a studio in L.A. in 2011 still early before things got moving. the last one (both 1/4" and 1/2" heads) i bought last year from a local friend and paid dearly for it. 

love my Studers.