Rack Order

Hi Jedi,

I think you'll get more response when you post this question in the 'Hi-Fi corner' section of the forum.

Regards, Jeroen.

You'll always compromise with a single stack. If possible try to have two at this level of equipment as it's easier to separate brains and brawn (non mains powered and powered) and makes cable dressing easier, particularly where Burndy cables are concerned. If you are stuck with 1 stack then i propose - 

282

300

NDX

HICAP (on right of shelf)

XPS2

300PS

NAPSC under rack or if not then next to HiCap. 

The logic here is -

282 likes to be at top,

300 head contains no PSU so fine under 282. 

NDX next, PSU not being used so fine under 300

HICAP positioned to right of shelf so it sits under NDX unused transformer and streaming board. NAPSC can sit happily on shelf next to it, or if room then sit under rack. Take care dressing the DC cable from this unit to the 282 - keep it away from signal and mains cables. 

XPS - smaller transformer so sits above 300PS

300PS - biggest transformer so sits at bottom. 

Good logic from James there. You can also swap your 300 head-unit and NDX around - you already power it from XPS so shouldn't make too much of a difference and may look 'better' on the rack.

But... better to split the components on two racks - everything with a transformer that is being used - on the right hand side. Every other component with no / not-used transformer on the left rack (so 282, NDX, 300 head unit).

Thanks everyone - I'd like to split the racks brains/brawn but room is an issue unfortunately 

From the bottom 300ps, xps, Hicap/PSC then start with NDX, 300,282 but don't leave it like that, swap around the top 3 though I'd say the 282 needs to be in the top 2 and the 300 not on top.

I run a 282/Hi//CDX2/250 system in a single stack and there the CDX2 above the 282 was optimal. I also run a 552/500 based system and here the 552 was better above the CDX2 (before I moved the latter to the 282 system). I don't know how an NDX will stack up compared to a CDX2 so can't be definite but there's nothing like experimenting yourself to find the best layout but it helps to limit the permutations a bit.

My findings were that 282 on top with NDX next was better, and that's with only a 200DR below rather than separate PSU boxes. Of course, there are cable dressing issues influencing this order too.

The only component position that I consistently prefer is the NAC on top and in the clear... and this might of course have something to do with easier cable dressing as well.