Audio rack question

[darragh]

You guys mentioned racksandstands.com as a good place to look for audio racks, so I went there, and one of the items they list is the Galaxy 36" Audio Cabinet from Ameriwood Industries. Has anyone heard about this product before, or used products from Ameriwood before? How reliable are they? The reason I'm asking is I'm interested in getting one, but I want to get a second opinion first.

Thanks,
Alan
E-mail: alan@darragh.com

 

[MDS]

Since you are asking specifically about quality, I just wanted to mention the racksandstands rating system (in case you missed it). That tower is pretty cool looking and inexpensive, but they have it rated only 1 tick above 'economical', which means its construction is particle board or MDF. So in terms of longevity it will be less than the ones rated higher. Check out their descriptions of what each rating means - it's pretty informative.

I just bought a 600 CD corner unit from RacksAndStands (Wood Technology MMC-600). They had it rated 'premium'. The top, base, side rails, and all of the shelves are solid wood which is better construction than the economical versions. Wood Technology also makes audio racks, but they cost 3 times as much.

So, IMO it's an economic decision. Buy the Galaxy because you really like the style and it's inexpensive or spend a little more (if you find a style you like) to get better construction and better longevity. If you intend to keep it a long time, it can be worth it to spend a little more (within reason), but if you are in any way unsure, it would be better to buy the lower priced one so you aren't out much if you decide not to keep it.

 

[darragh]

Dear MDS,

So it looks like this audio rack isn't the one for me. What other things would you reccomend for me to do or get to organize my cables, get them off the floor, and so on, besides using an audio rack?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[jaxvon]

Well, for cable organization, I've always liked Techflex. It gives you a nice look. I think that some FlexoWrap would be perfect. It has velco along one part so you can open and close it as needed (to add or remove cables. As MDS also mentioned, getting cables that are exactly the right length is also a great way to have neat cabling. I'm also a fan of using bulk velcro wrap for tieing stuff down. I find it works much better than zip ties because it's much easier to remove.