The units are designed to go in an open front open back rack and generate far less heat.
Tell us more of this cabinet. Sounds like a fun project.
Well, my original plan was for the present components in my living room. The cabinet would be in a vertical configuration for a small footprint. I'm also trying to keep the height down to about 30". The CD changers will be stacked on the bottom shelf, with the AM/FM tuner on top of that. I will put a shelf about 1" to 1 1/2" above the tuner for the amplifier. It will be open in front and the back panel will be about 16" high, so that there is open space at the top of the changer/tuner compartment and completely open behind the amp. The back panel is primarily for rigidity.
Originally, I thought of putting the top just 2" above the amp, but with cooling slots cut in it to allow heat to pass through it, as well as through the front and back. However, when I pondered this a bit more, I thought that might be to risky. Dollars to donuts, somebody will set a drink on it and it'll be spilled into the slots and into my amp. So, I nixed that idea.
Now, I'm thinking about a "false top", which will be almost completely open except for around the edge. On top of that, I'd mount a solid top sitting on 1 1/2" dia. dowel "feet" that would provide about 1" of vertical clearance between the false and solid tops. With the front, back and top ventilation, I don't think I will have any issues with heat dispersion.
I just needed to know if I'd have to account for any heat issues with the Behringer unit. I'll have to account for the 1 3/4 " added vertical height of the unit itself and any space requirements between it and the other components. If its ventilation arrangement is front to back, I'm guessing that it won't need much vertical clearance from other components? Just as long as the adjacent components don't generate much heat themselves, of course.
Since it's a rack mount component, I'll need to figure out away to install the CX (or DCX, depending on a good deal). Could I simply rest it on a couple of glued-on feet, about 1/2" high, and give it an inch or so of vertical clearance? I would then add that total height to the bottom compartment height and sit the CX/DCX on top of the tuner. Does that make sense?
I don't know if you can picture what I've described, but when it's complete, I'll post photos. It won't be complete for another couple of months. I'm building it completely from scratch as I have some rough pine boards in my shed that I plan to use. I need to bring some into my shop (AKA the furnace room) to aclimatize for a few weeks to account for the change in humidity. Then they'll have to be planed to thickness, panels made, etc. So, it won't be quick.
