Location of compoments.

I have followed Jim's advice in all areas. Jim has devoted his life to improving system's performance and given that he has only one goal in mind, personally think I'd be foolish not to. One set of balanced interconnects for the long run. Works for me!

"Normally I can close my eyes and hear the shape of the rack in between"…

Well, okay then (sounds like good clean fun-;).

DeKay

I have a weird shaped room and between that and space considerations, having the rack between the speakers is my best option, but it's a compromise. I have a nice solid center image, good imaging, and a big soundstage, but it's easy to tell it could be better.  I set up a pair of speakers to demo for a sale recently out in front of the speakers I'm keeping and the imaging was more precise and the soundstage had more depth. 

@whart: We’re suppose to listen to your opinion on hi-fi sound when you have a Marshall amp rather than a Fender? Just kidding, unless you have a Charvel guitar plugged into your amp. A Les Paul is marginal, but since I love AC/DC I guess I have to accept a Gibson SG. One combination I've never seen or heard is a Telecaster (my favorite electric guitar) paired with a Marshall. But I can imagine Brad Paisley playing that combo.

As for racks, I prefer a 34C, pear shaped please. And capped with puffies.

It is preferable not to have racks between the speakers - mainly on account of diffraction. However provided the rack is even a little behind the plane of the speakers, it's not an absolute disaster. Sometimes, as in my own case, there is simply nowhere else in the room to locate the equipment.

@bdp24 - Pete Townshend played his Tele with Marshalls in the '60s. And Jimmy Page may well have as well. But then, the JTM 45 is a hot rodded Bassman anyway so there is Leo Fender DNA in Marshalls anyway.