All my equipment is off to the side, except my old Belles amp that sits on the floor between the speakers. Why? Well, as it makes sense to me, equipment between the speakers can screw with the imaging and soundstage in the center. I have a fireplace between the speakers, which is covered with diffusion panels. Also have absorption panels and diffusion panels behind the speakers flanking the fireplace. When I sprung for new speaker cables, I decided I didn’t want long speaker cable runs, so moved the Belles on the floor between the speakers (on the fireplace hearth). As has been suggested to me, it is better to have a longer RCA (in my case) run from the pre to the amp, rather than 16’ +/- speaker cables.
Works for me. Personally, I don’t like to see a rack between the speakers, but as I understand, can also provides sonic improvements.
The downside to all this, the fireplace doesn’t get used at all. I miss burning a nice fire in the winter, but when weighing the two, my rig and sound is more important to me.
Works for me. Personally, I don’t like to see a rack between the speakers, but as I understand, can also provides sonic improvements.
The downside to all this, the fireplace doesn’t get used at all. I miss burning a nice fire in the winter, but when weighing the two, my rig and sound is more important to me.