Splitting my equipment rack..

Pretty much, Mike. The idea is to keep the boxes with transformers away from the sensitive stuff like sources and pre-amps.  Typically the stuff with the latter goes on the left-hand rack (when facing the racks) and the boxes with the PSUs on the right, because Naim locate the transformers on the right-hand side of the boxes so this configuration maximised the distance.  The one of the left is often called the 'brain' stack while the one of the right is called the 'brawn' rack.  The ordering in each rack is often the source of much debate on here but that is fine-tuning and the rough split I've described is the main thing to do.

Power amp is "brawn"?

If it's got a transformer in it like the 200 or 250, yes.  If the PSU is separate, like the 300 and 500, that box counts as 'brawn' and the other one as 'brain'.   

Ta.

Having separate 'brain and brawn' racks will no doubt help in many instances, and the choice of which goes on the L and R is largely down to what enables the best cable dressing, as MDS says. Isoblue sits low to the floor, though, and this might make cable dressing awkward if all the boxes are very low. 

A CD5si or Qute 2 (as streamer) also has a power supply build in, so is that a brain or brawn? And what about a Nait intergrated amp, brain or brawn?

Robiwan posted:

A CD5si or Qute 2 (as streamer) also has a power supply build in, so is that a brain or brawn? And what about a Nait intergrated amp, brain or brawn?

They are both brain and brawn in the same box. The whole point of separate brain and brawn racks is that they increase the isolation provided by separates. You can'y increase separation that doesn't exist in the first place.

ChrisSU posted:

Robiwan posted:

A CD5si or Qute 2 (as streamer) also has a power supply build in, so is that a brain or brawn? And what about a Nait intergrated amp, brain or brawn?

They are both brain and brawn in the same box. The whole point of separate brain and brawn racks is that they increase the isolation provided by separates. You can'y increase separation that doesn't exist in the first place.

okay. I have 2 fraimlite racks (base+level standard height). Which gear in the left and which in the right rack?

Robiwan posted:

ChrisSU posted:

Robiwan posted:

A CD5si or Qute 2 (as streamer) also has a power supply build in, so is that a brain or brawn? And what about a Nait intergrated amp, brain or brawn?

They are both brain and brawn in the same box. The whole point of separate brain and brawn racks is that they increase the isolation provided by separates. You can'y increase separation that doesn't exist in the first place.

okay. I have 2 fraimlite racks (base+level standard height). Which gear in the left and which in the right rack?

I think you will just have to use trial and error. Maybe start by putting the Supernait in the brawn stack with everything you use as a source on the brain stack, and take it from there. Perhaps give priority of isolation to your turntable, phono stage and associated leads, as these carry the lowest level signal, which is most sensitive to degradation. As I mentioned above, your choice may be influenced by cable dressing options as well as actual black box positioning. I generally try (on my single stack!) to ensure that all cables do not touch the rack, or any other cable, always giving priority to low level signal cables, and in particular, keeping these away from mains cables. It can take a bit of time to work out the best way to do this, and the best sounding result is usually not the neatest. Good luck!

ChrisSU posted:

Robiwan posted:

ChrisSU posted:

Robiwan posted:

A CD5si or Qute 2 (as streamer) also has a power supply build in, so is that a brain or brawn? And what about a Nait intergrated amp, brain or brawn?

They are both brain and brawn in the same box. The whole point of separate brain and brawn racks is that they increase the isolation provided by separates. You can'y increase separation that doesn't exist in the first place.

okay. I have 2 fraimlite racks (base+level standard height). Which gear in the left and which in the right rack?

I think you will just have to use trial and error. Maybe start by putting the Supernait in the brawn stack with everything you use as a source on the brain stack, and take it from there. Perhaps give priority of isolation to your turntable, phono stage and associated leads, as these carry the lowest level signal, which is most sensitive to degradation. As I mentioned above, your choice may be influenced by cable dressing options as well as actual black box positioning. I generally try (on my single stack!) to ensure that all cables do not touch the rack, or any other cable, always giving priority to low level signal cables, and in particular, keeping these away from mains cables. It can take a bit of time to work out the best way to do this, and the best sounding result is usually not the neatest. Good luck!

My TT sits on a Pro-ject wall bracket!