Anyone use Can-am cd cabinet style storage?

Hi All

Currently my cds are all stored using traditional cd storage shelving. But my collection has outgrown the shelves and I need to find a solution. I can't keep adding more shelving units as I don't have the wall space and I don't want the cds to take over the entire room.

I know some people on this forum have dispensed with the use of jewel cases and store their cds in those plastic envelope thingies. I did contemplate that but I don't think I am ready to give up my jewel cases.

I also toyed with the idea of ripping everything into lossless but I don't think its the right move for me at the moment.

Anyway I was looking at using something along the lines of Can-Am storage. I have been looking at their website and although the cabinets seem ideal they are metal and are not the prettiest of units. I know functionality should be the key but really I cannot imagine one of these metal units fitting in with the other furniture.

I did find these guys in the UK:
http://www.iansbespokefurniture.co.uk/products/music.html

They look much nicer than the Can-Am units and the one I was looking at can hold 1120 cds (I have 730 so there is room for growth).

On the other hand they are even more expensive than the Can-am units and you cannot expand these like you can with the Can-Am units.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone here uses the Can-am units or has seen these in person. If so how do they look? Do they look ok the room you have them in?

I also thought of getting a regular dresser and using that but cds can be quite heavy and I didn't think most units would be up for it.

I would appreciate hearing peoples experience.

Eddie

 

I have two units, side by side. Both are pretty much filled.

They look pretty good. They're metal, black, and have a nice finish. The only problem I've ever had with them is when my wife opens the bottom drawer, then opens an upper drawer. I don't have them anchored, so they begin to tip.

The other thing is if you have an "oversized" CD case, they don't really fit that well in the slots. However, you don't have to use all of the slot dividers. I have one section for collector sized discs and I did not use the dividers, so they all are just in a pile there.

I got mine a long time ago at a Lechmere, when they had some crazy 20% off all CD storage devices. Those days are GONE!

i really miss the pre-Wards Lechemere............

 

I have a double stack on the roller base, which allows easy movement for cleaning. I also have the metal skirt around the bottom which makes it look more like furniture as opposed to an industrial unit. I also have the table-top, which can be used for box-sets or other equipment.

 

I've posted my disagreements with the Can-Am design frequently here:
I don't want "file-cabinet" metal in my living space
The drawers are ungodly large (why not narrower, anyway, and higher instead)
If opening the top drawer makes the thing unstable, that's bad engineering

I like the Ian Edwards drawer cabinets you link to, Eddie. Cost or no, I would justify purchasing one (better yet, try and cut a deal for two, because you're probably not "done" getting more music! And years later there's no guarantee another cabinet purchase would match the first one!)

Wood construction, reinforced drawers (I'd opt for the top drawer to be the same as the others, not that half-size "sock drawer" waste of space), cabinetry that goes up not out; yep, that's my solution, right there!

 

If I went the Can-am route I think I would opt for the wheels and skirting board too. The table-top makes sense.

I didn't know about the top drawer making in unstable. That is not good at all. I will have to look into that. I don't want to have to brace the cabinet.

My one worry is that it is metal and will look out of place in any living space. If I had a dedicated listening room where looks didn't matter I would probably have bought one sooner to be honest.

I like the wood look a lot. Especially the Georgian style version. The build quality appears to be very good and the metal supports are a definite plus.

I'll email them and see what they say about pricing. I think I'll email Can-am and ask them about the tilting thing.

Thanks to everyone so far who has responded. Sometimes I wish I could live with a hard drive system so I would haven't to worry about all this!

Eddie

 

I am perhaps misrepresenting Jon Urban's post above. But it seems to me, when the cabinet has so much weight distributed into one drawer, and that drawer is hanging out, I wouldn't want to walk away from it.

Please correct me somebody before I disparage the product baselessly.

 

There is NO PROBLEM sliding out the top drawer all the way. The cabinet will not tip over. It's when you have the lower drawer all the way out (if it's filled to capacity like mine! ) and then you open the top drawer all the way. That's when it gets a bit "tipsy"!

PS - As for looks, let me just say that mine are on a loft, not in the main living area. I'm not sure I would want these in a 'classy' room.

 

I have one Can-am at home and simply love it. It is in my home office, and to me does not look at all out of place. It is just about full, and I am starting to think about a second one to stack on top of it.

We have a bunch of these at the radio station that I work at, and have never had a problem with the cabinet tipping when a drawer is open. It does help if you make sure that the bottom drawers remain full - that gives the unit the bottom weight to counter the top drawer being open.

All of the Can-Am cabinets I have seen have an interlocking device so that only one drawer in each unit can be opened at a time, so it generally is not a problem.

Having said all of this, I do love the look of the wood cabinets. Any clue if they hold as many discs in the same floor space as the Can-Am? This becomes an issue with a growing collection.

Pat

 

Not even close.

 

I seem to recall that's why I went with the Can-Am when I bought mine. I have had mine for 8 or 9 years now, and I remember looking around quite a bit at other products before I bought it.

It's funny how the collection grows, but the house doesn't get any bigger. That forces you to find best alternatives.

I didn't mention it before, but at the radio station we have two of the three-drawer Can-Am units stacked, with a two-drawer on top of that. You are still able to easily access all of the music, but can store over 2,000 CDs in about a 3foot by 2 foot space.

Pat

 

No I don't think they do. The wood cabinets hold 1120 cds and are H: 47 9/16" W: 26 5/16" D: 19 1/4".

The Can Am cabs can hold 1080 in the three drawer unit with the following measurements: 37-3/4"W by 26-3/4"H by 20"D. However the Can Am shelves can be stacked so you can stack another 3 shelf unit on top and effectively double your storage. The Can Ams are wider though by almost a foot though.

The Can Am cabs are pretty good storage capacity wise but again the looks don't thrill me. That is the main thing that is the problem. If I get them they would most likely need to be covered with some fabric in they are in a lounge type set up. If I stick them in the loft or office space then no real issue.

Eddie

 

I've got three 3-drawer units stacked on each other....works great. I've had mine for well over14 years or so. No tipping problems. One negative...I've broken off all three keys in the locks....

 

I've got twenty drawers of Can-am, four triple drawers and four double drawers stacked two on three. That leaves me with a cabinet height such that I can use the tops for working on if I need to solder some electronics and also storing things on. I've had them maybe 15 years or so and they have held up very nice. They hold a ton of CDs and DVDs.

 

I have a total of 13 Can-Am cabinets. All black. No problem with tipping as they have the previously-mentioned function that prohibits more than 1 of any 3 drawer set to be open at one time. I don't have them in a living room, but in a room off of my bedroom that is just a music room. I like them a lot.

 

The Can Ams definitely seem very functionable. The cool thing about them is that I can add to them at any time and should I decide to rellocate back to Canada I can still add to them.

I guess it comes down to asthetics and where I'll be placing them. I certainly would not want them in a lounge type enviroment in all honesty. They just wouldn't fit.

I might compromise and decide to get a friend to make a fabric cover for them so they can remain hidden - maybe get my Mom to knit a nice cosy or something like that.

Anyway I appreciate all the input. I'll have to look into costs of both and other pro and con's and take it from there.

Thanks again

Eddie

 

I use the can am's at my used cd/dvd store, and I don't want them at my house. I have a 7 x 12 room for just my gear and media, and I'm going for a library look, so I'm not interested in the Ian Edwards cabinets either. I'll deal with the dust from exposing the media on shelves.

I'm looking at getting the Boltz shelves and Ikea Expedits for my lps.