Hey everyone, I'm putting together a rack that is very tight. We're trying to find a way to get 2 racks in but as of now I have to make everything fit in One.

I was planning to us an AXS-43 (but might need a AXS-26-43)

I need to know if a Sony DVP-CX777ES can fit in 4 spaces with the legs off or if you have to take up 5 and get a custom shelf?

This is how I have it lined up right now from top down:

HD TIVO (custom shelf)
HD TIVO (custom shelf)
Denon 3808 (custom shelf)
Escient ZP-1 (custom shelf - but do I need it??)
Escient MX-111 (custom shelf)
4 space shelf for ipod dock (new model)
Sony CX777ES (custom shelf)
Panamax 4300PM (rack ears 1 space)
Niles GXR2 (custom shelf)
Niles GXR2 (custom shelf)
blank 1 space
Parasound 5250 (rack ears)
TFP3 3 4.5" fan panel (3 space)

Thats it, but I don't have any space left (maybe 1 space) but I need to squeeze in another TIvo, which probably just isn't going to happen.


SORRY, I should have mentioned that this is going into a cabinet, closet, and there will be exhaust fans at the top sending air up and out. I planned for a vent at the bottom of the cabinet door to pull the cool air in.
I would like any words of advice on this layout as well as thoughts how putting to full size AXS racks side by side in a Cabinet (cabinet is being design to fit rack).

First and foremost, the fan panel should be on top and a vent panel (I prefer a 2U) on bottom with the rest sealed in between as much as possible via RSH or rackmount products. You want to draw from below, not force up from below. No vents in the middle just blanks. I don't have an answer for the 777, never put one in a rack that I recall. Also be sure to use the Q fans or you are going to get some serious resonation inside that cabinet.

Is this rack going into a closet or a cabinet? If going into a cabinet I would loose the TFP3 and add fans to the top of the Rack cabinet using the qfan or AXS-Fan this will give you three more spaces in the Rack. I would also look into a Duct Cooler [Link: middleatlantic.com]. Make sure you take a look at the Thermal Management papers. [Link: repnet.middleatlantic.com]

As for your equipment list. The GXR's have rack ears. If everything is going to be a custom rack shelf, I would also put the ZP-1 into a custom rack shelf to keep the rack looking uniformed. You will need to add a space in between the GXR's.
As for the CD Changer. MA website says the custom shelf is 5 spaces. Again, if everything in the rack is going to be a rack ears or custom shelf I would do the same to the CD Changer and keep everything uniformed.

SORRY, I should have mentioned that this is going into a cabinet, closet, and there will be exhaust fans at the top sending air up and out. I planned for a vent at the bottom of the cabinet door to pull the cool air in.

| 4 space shelf for ipod dock (new model)

Are you using the middle atlantic 4 space shelf (or something like it) for the ipod? If so you might want to try this guy out. Its a little slide out drawer that the ipod sits in. You might have to gut it and use your own dock on the drawer but that should not be a problem.

It will free up 3 rack spaces. Make sure to install it so that the ipod does not block something important when inserted into the dock. Put it right under the HDTIVO for example. No one ever really needs to touch the HD TIVO box. On the off chance they do... just yank the ipod from the dock and you have access.

Remember to put it at a height where they can still see it

If you use MA's rack tools you can build the rack exactly and know what all the parts you need are. I use it like crazy!

i get the feeling he is using rack tools, if he's not he's just guessing.

i've found it to be essential in our designs. I just wish we could get accurate heights on custom products. When I drag and rop a Panamax 5100 in, it's 3 spaces, but we all know it really is only two.

oh well, I'd put the fans in the top plate as well and lose the fan kit in the rack. I like that ipod dock piece, is that an MA piece? Hard to tell from the post.

Brian

that is a raxxess piece

Not necessarily. I just installed a Denon ASD-3N iPod dock at another installer's job, and the instructions for the Denon DRA-697ci receiver tell you to power down the receiver before removing the iPod.

Like that will ever happen. If someone installed a system for me and I could not hot swap an iPod, I would only stop laughing long enough to stop the check.

[Link: markertek.com]

The image in the post is a link to where you can get the product.

Yes I am using Rack Tools to help lay all of this out.

Here is the iPod shelf that I was looking at
[Link: middleatlantic.com]



AS for the GXR2's. I am trying to go for as smooth and clean of finish as possible, but have never used custom face plates. So to make everything look the same do I need to get custom plates for everything?

Any thoughts on side-by-side AXS racks?

Here are a couple shots, two different theaters:

The other thing is that based on Rack Tools retail pricing, this rack is already about $3500 which seems high (that includes the pull out tracks)

Is this normal for a custom rack to be this expensive? I haven't taken the time to get the actual cost together yet.