Before I start buying my dream components, my wife has one request...

[Geoman076]

Hello All!!

Before I start buying my new stereo pieces, including tube components for my first audiophile type system, my wife has one request.....

I must FIRST get the proper cabinet to put all these components in. I'm talking turntable, Tube amp, pre amp, cd player, and any other component I may want or need.

So, My question is: Where is a good place to buy a proper cabinet. I have a 7 year old, so something with a glass door on the front would be preferable. I guess I'm looking for something like the cabinet Steve has (I saw his picture on a previous thread) Thanks for the suggestions!!!

[Steve Hoffman]

I bought mine at a fine furnature store (crap, can't remember the name). (THOMASVILLE, I remembered!)

If you look at the picture of mine, you will see that it is really two end pieces WITHOUT the TV piece in the middle. I didn't buy that center piece. I think it cost around a grand for the two pieces in cherry wood. Each side has a light on the top shelf and is really nicely finished.

That's a lot of dough just for the cabinets but heck, you have to stare at it every darn day so spend a little.

WARNING: Cabinets like this are NOT Audiophile cabinets, they are for vintage stuff only. Audiophile gear should be on open shelving units made of stone or "approved" materials. Putting your gear on wood (like in my picture below) is a true Audiophile no no...

[Geoman076]

Thanks for the info Steve. Who knows, maybe I'll will be able to justify 2 systems now! Your cabinets sure do look nice. How much does not having the proper surface (like wood) disturb the sound?

[Steve Hoffman]

Well, it's all about vibration damping. Wood doesn't. Marble does. How much better can a properly damped surface sound? Better. BUT, if you have kids and want an enclosed cabinet for safety......Settle for some unwanted vibrations.

[Jason Brown]

If anyone has a cooler-looking picture of their gear than Steve's, I'd like to see it.

[Steve Hoffman]

One of the reasons I wanted a "formal" cabinet like that is because it was going in a sort of formal room in the house:

[Steve Hoffman]

As you can see inside the cabinet, my McIntosh 30's are on towels on wood. Totally NON-Audiophile setup! My "good" Genelex Gold Lion tubes (that the Macs came with) are sitting off to the right of each amp. I prefer the GE's.

[Jason Brown]

Wow, Groove Tubes.
I have those in my Ampeg SVT -- sadly the only tube amp I have, and no good for listening to anyone but myself.

You're just getting by for now with the GTs, right Steve?

[Steve Hoffman]

Those Groove Tubes are GE 6L6GC, the best darn sounding tube out there for a Mac 30! My rare Genelex KT-66 Gold Lions are sitting off to the right, unused!

[SamS]

Where are the Grover IC's? ;)

[BradOlson]

I have a non-audiophile setup as well as you know but that's OK, it's the music that counts after all.

[Jason Brown]

Geo-
This site may be good to get an idea of what's out there: http://www.standsandmounts.com/store.asp

[Metralla]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
One of the reasons I wanted a "formal" cabinet like that is because it was going in a sort of formal room in the house:
Very stylish.

Regards,
Geoff

[Steve Hoffman]

Originally posted by SamS
Where are the Grover IC's? ;)

Oh, they are in there now. That photo is two years old, before the Grover wire was born. :)

[Henry Love]

Nice pad,Steve.

[Geoman076]

Steve,

Thanks for the awesome pictures! My wife has given the "Thumbs Up" to the 2 side cabinets look. I am hoping to post pictures of the empty cabinets when I get them, and then post a new picture whenever I get a component. That's a little bit in the future, but it should be fun. You have a great forum here and I am never leaving!! Thanks again!

George

[Steve Hoffman]

George, we are glad to have you here!

Good luck with this. I hope you can find something you like!

[Lownotes]

I am very lucky. When we finished out our basement, my wife let me have about half of it for a dedicated media room. The equipment is nothing like Steve's, but the money is in the room/prep and I can always upgrade equipment later. One nice piece is the Mitsubishi widescreen. Here's looking forward:

[Lownotes]

Here's the back view. This was right after finish-out.

[Steve Hoffman]

Very nice. I envy houses with basements. No basements in Southern California housing because the ground never really freezes.

[Cliff]

Originally posted by Geoman076
Hello All!!

Before I start buying my new stereo pieces, including tube components for my first audiophile type system, my wife has one request.....

I must FIRST get the proper cabinet to put all these components in. I'm talking turntable, Tube amp, pre amp, cd player, and any other component I may want or need.

Man, you've got it easy ;)

[teaser5]

I got my racks from Sanus. Not sure if they are what you have in mind but take a peek:
www.sanus.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi
Peace
Norm

[DanG]

Steve, nice dog. His attention seems riveted on on your sound system. Audiophile? :winkgrin:

[Geoman076]

Thanks Teaser5, I like the Sanus furniture alot. I think my son is old enough to not touch an exposed tube if I warn him. Would the glass shelving be good enough to sit a VPI turntable on soundwise?? Previously Steve said that wood is a no-no, and from what I've been reading I'm going to try and stay clear of bad audiophile surfaces. There is a dealer close to me that I can talk to. Thanks again!!

[teaser5]

No turntables on glass shelves my friend. Someone back me up on this.
Guys who poured concrete slabs for their TT's don't count :p

Cheers!
Norm