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My book shelves/ audio center.

I had posted about my intentions to build bookshelves and a console for my system and I have finally finished. The end product is pictured below.

A few details: 

The amp sits on the bottom shelf. The shelf under the amp has openings the size of the heat sinks open to the floor so it can draw air up through its very large open heat sinks. It stays quite cool.

The top shelf where the turntable sits comes off completely for access to the pre-amp underneath. On the back wall behind the pre-amp is a heavy duty power strip so with the top shelf off I can access most of the cables.

The speaker cables come out underneath the bookshelves as seen in the picture.

The turntable (low end) sits on a marble slab which in turn sits on 4 sorbothane pads. I know that's like putting lipstick on a pig but I had the marble anyway.

My primary concern is the tube pre-amp. As you can see, it has plenty of clearance and airflow beside it and there is plenty behind it (it is very deep). There is adequate space above it and so far it is not getting any hotter than when it was on top of a cheap audio rack. But, its winter. We'll see how it does in the summer. If I feel like it is getting too hot I will install some fans on the sides of the console to pull cool air across it.

The old iMac to the left is my music server.

There are no other special features to enhance SQ but it is quite sturdy. I can stand on it with no problem.

Yes, I realize the room dynamics are not ideal but it is what it is. As mentioned in another thread the distance from the walls and bookshelf looks inadequate but after lots and lots of positioning the sweet spot is closer than they absolutely have to be.  Material cost was about $350.

https://images.nikonians.org/galleries/data/3564/medium/IMG_1126_1.jpg
n80

Showing 4 responses by n80

n80 OP
2,100 posts
 
Thanks guys. I have found that built-ins, especially when built in old homes like mine (90 years old), is harder than it would seem. All of the construction elements of those shelves is simple....the problem is that old houses are not in square. You have to measure everything you cut to fit the out-of-square house.

@lowrider57  The TT is sitting directly on the marble. Do you think cones for such a cheap unit would help?

Its funny, its just an old mid-level Sony. When I got it the cart was damaged and one of the hinges for the dust cover was gone. Several Linn models use the same hinge. It cost me $35 shipped from England. The Grado Black cart was like $100. The pre-amp is also a cheap-o ($50). So I've got like $185 invested in the old TT. That is still cheaper than buying something like a new low end U-Turn. Anyway, it allows me to listen to my few old LP's and the occasional new one that I buy to help the local vinyl store stay around. ;-)
n80 OP
2,100 posts
 
When I play a good clean and/or new record it sounds good. I can listen to it and enjoy it. But it does not sound great. A little flat maybe. There seems to be too much warmth and not enough brightness....but some of that may be because I listen to CDs most of the time.

I assumed a lot of that was due to the junky phono-pre.

I'll probably never jump fully into vinyl but I don't mind maximizing what I have.

I probably have fewer that 30 albums and half of those are old and worn out....but might improve with a cleaning.
n80 OP
2,100 posts
 
@lowrider57 

"If you start to enjoy vinyl, then make incremental upgrades such as better phonostage and cartridge."

Agreed. 

Now for a little revelation that I'm ashamed to admit: Tonight, just now in fact, I was listening to Alan Parson's Eye In The Sky. Don't know anything about the LP except that it was purchased right when the album came out. I rarely listen to music at higher volume so I've played this album before at the same volume that I listen to most well produced CDs (not overly compressed/loud). Well, for some reason I cranked it up a bit and boy did it open things up and the SQ seemed a lot better, more depth, more precise. Not sure if this is a 'thing' but it sure made an immediate impression with this specific album.
n80 OP
2,100 posts
 
Update:

Now that summer is here and this room tends to run a little warmer than the rest of the house I began feeling the top of the pre-amp. I might be paranoid but it feels a little hotter than it did during the cooler months.

So I bought this:

https://www.acinfinity.com/component-usb-fans/multifan-s2-quiet-usb-cooling-blower-120mm/

I put it over the warmest point of the pre-amp with it blowing out the front and it works like a charm even on the lowest setting. The whole top of the unit is noticeably cooler.

I may get two more to put on the amp. It is solid state and has huge heat sinks but these fans are cheap and can be daisy chained.

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