Budget audio rack?

Howdy all. I would like to clean up my music/movie room a bit and get an audio rack or media cabinet to hold all my gear (two receivers, a blu ray player, a CD player, a cassette player, and a turntable). Currently, everything is sort of spread around and/or not simultaneously hooked up. I was envisioning wall-mounting my TV and then putting something to hold all the gear directly below it.

Is there a rock-solid CHEAP option that is favored among the forum-ites? Regular furniture is fine too (doesn't have to be an audio-specific rack), I was just wondering what solutions had worked out well for others.

Thanks!

 

Is Salamander Archetype within your budget? Cheap is a relative term in this hobby.

 

True. And yes, that is about right. Less than $300, used is fine.

 

Flexxi Rack is basically a DIY Archetype and you can make it as nice or simple as you like.

 

Cool, these are good suggestions. Anything more cabinet-like or furniture like that would also be recommended?

 

A couple of years ago, I got a rack from these people -- Audio / Video Rack - VTI Manufacturing » -- which is quite sturdy. It was far less expensive than many alternatives. The workmanship is fine, not outstanding, but considerably more than adequate, and the rack can hold large and/or heavy gear. Your electronics may last longer in an open shelf configuration, which gives more ventilation than a cabinet. It also can be easier to hook things up.

 

I bought the VTI stuff, and I like it. My Marantz and Oppo gear is fairly heavy, and the only issue I have is that the VTI rack is low to the floor and wide, and it's not very easy to get to floor level to check or change connections on the amp or pre-amp, especially if they weigh a lot. But the rack looks great, it's built pretty well, and was fairly straightforward/simple to set up. It's pretty rugged, that's immediately apparent to anyone who buys from VTI

 

I've got this VTI rack and overall I love it.

HGR406 Audio Rack - VTI Manufacturing »

It looks great and it's really sturdy but it's just not very rigid from back to front. The more you load it up the more it moves and while it can hold a lot of weight on the top shelf it just can't stay still long enough
for a heavier turntable. I need to take it to a metal fabricator to have braces made for it or just get a different rack altogether. Bolting it to the wall is unfortunately not an option. If anyone has the same rack and has some
ideas feel free to chime in!

 

See:
Metal Frame with Wood Shelves »

 

Sanus makes some affordable racks. I use their AFA rack, but have less gear than you do so I don't need as many shelves. You could try their Euro rack, which I believe is expandable, or simply buy two of the more affordable racks so you have enough shelves for everything. BTW, these are significantly cheaper if you get them on Amazon than the online hi-fi stores.

You may want to check your local CL as well, I've seen people unloading Salamander stuff and some other things on there before.

 

I like Pangea rack from AA. If I didn't have a tv, I'd buy that

 

Super Erecta Shelving »
Strong, adjustable & easy to move with 5" casters. Cost effective in my book. WAF? I dunno. However marriage was the only mistake I never made.

 

I've got the VTI rack... Whatever you do.. Don't get the gold colored ends/spikes.. Looks so cheesy and cheap. I had to spray paint the ends black (Looks good now)... But serious buyers remorse for a while.

 

i'll go with salamander too...

 

I recently scored a 5-rack cherry Archetype on Craig's List for less bread than it would have cost to construct a DIY FleXy Rack. My room is very small (just 8' x 12'), so a tall rack would look disproportionate and would also interfere with imaging, so I bought some 12" threaded rods at Home Depot and made some adjustments. It is very rigid and looks nice.

 

DIY wood frame (not too soft a wood, not too hard a wood) and cabinet grade plywood shelves...use as little metal as possible.....

 

If you are looking for something a bit more finished in a cabinet, I can highly recommend Standout Designs. Great stuff from great folks. It is real furniture rather than your typical "stereo stand" stuff. We've had one of their cabinets in the den for ages and it is really well made.

High-End Media Consoles & Wood TV Stands | AV Furniture Made in USA »

 

What about Bose ?

 

Have the Archetype. Would recommend getting the casters for it. Being able to roll the entire unit is a real plus

 

If you buy something with hollow metal supports, consider filling them with river sand for an improvement.
MDF shelves can be improved by gluing+screwing hardwood ply underneath (which can be painted black so it doesn't look too bad).

 

I keep my Flexxi on a pair of appliance wheels. Works perfectly and lets it roll back and forth easily.

 

I got this recently, I like it a lot for the $$$:

Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Whalen Furniture AVTEC48-TC High Audio Video Tower, 48-Inch »

The zong has it for $89 free shipping if you check the "other sellers". It goes up and down in price A LOT. I paid $110, I've seen it spike to over $200. For under $100 it's a bargain IMO.