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Want to make a simple audio component rack, need advice

13K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  Garasaki 
#1 · (Edited)
I would like to make a very simple and clean audio component rack to house a 300 disc changer and a receiver. I would also like to house the two speakers directly under the components side by side and cover that area with one large custom made speaker grille. So basically the bottom shelf will just above the speakers and the components will go on that shelf and one above it. I don't have a lot of experience with furniture work. I'm guessing that nailing, filling nail holes and staining is not going to look very good. I don't really know how to make any furniture joints, like biscuit and such. I was also thinking about maybe going the cam and shaft route, like those ready-to-build furniture units you buy. Any suggestions?

Like this: BTW, obviously not to scale to that person - I forgot to remove the person in sketchup. :)




 
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#2 ·
Do not place speakers in the cabinet or on attached shelves. they will vibrate and distort your sound. If you insist on doing so place on foam rubber padding... may help some.
Building the cabinet is easy. But if you are not comfortable with this you can buy door and drawers and drawer fronts from http:///www.rockler.com and the cabinet box from [URL="http:///www.cabinetparts.com"]http:///www.cabinetparts.com[/URL]
rockler will also have all the accessories you need.
 
#4 ·
Do not place speakers in the cabinet or on attached shelves. they will vibrate and distort your sound. If you insist on doing so place on foam rubber padding... may help some.
Building the cabinet is easy. But if you are not comfortable with this you can buy door and drawers and drawer fronts from http:///www.rockler.com and the cabinet box from [URL="http:///www.cabinetparts.com"]http:///www.cabinetparts.com[/URL]
rockler will also have all the accessories you need.
Thanks. I fully intend to anchor the speakers with brackets or eliminating the bottom shelf and having the legs go over the speakers.



In stereo sound (2 speakers) each one projects slightly different sounds, like slashes guitar may only be playing the the right speaker. For this reason, don't place the speakers so close together or it will eliminate the stereo sound in a way.

Thanks. I installed audio for a few years. The stero phasing will definitley not be great with speakers so close together, however, for a home stereo system, phasing is almost never great. The only way it works is it you align the speakers to one certain place and you stay there while you listen. If you are using the system for ambient sound, the speakers will always be out of stereo as you walk/work around the house. So it's not really that big of a deal. I'm more worried about the construction aspect than I am the audio. Thanks for the suggestions though.
 
#6 ·
If you want inexpensive, then go with cinder blocks and 2 * 12's.

You can use the pre-made items that are MDF and contact paper and it will look like MDF and contact paper.

If you want something decent looking, then swing by a local cabinet shop of find a local hobbyist woodworker. They could whup up a piece like that in no time. It's pretty much a sheet of 3/4 plywood and some 1x to make a face frame. You could also save a little money if you finished it yourself.
 
#8 ·
If you want inexpensive, then go with cinder blocks and 2 * 12's.

You can use the pre-made items that are MDF and contact paper and it will look like MDF and contact paper.

If you want something decent looking, then swing by a local cabinet shop of find a local hobbyist woodworker. They could whup up a piece like that in no time. It's pretty much a sheet of 3/4 plywood and some 1x to make a face frame. You could also save a little money if you finished it yourself.
Thanks. I would rather take on the whole project myself to be honest with you.
 
#10 ·
Any solid connection will transfer the sound vibrations into the cabinet. Keep the speakers at least 5 feet apart. Use 3/4" birch (Cabinet Grade) to make the cabinet. If you do not have a joiner than use trim screws. These are like drywall screws with small heads.
Thanks, I'm not really all that worried about transferring vibration. If they were subwoofers, I would be. But these are not really aggressive speakers. Also, I intend for the audio rack to be pretty solid and I'm not really going for audiophile kind of sound. The only problem with screws would be hiding them, no?
 
#14 ·
Dado the shelves (or at least top and bottom, if shelving is to be adjustable), peg or biscuit the face frame. Use a finish nailer and the holes that will need to be filled will be really small. The key is to fill the hole, not slather the wood with the filler all around the holes.

You can also biscuit or peg the face frame to the shelves and avoid nails completely.

No clue about speaker placement, but makes sense to space them out a bit as other posters have pointed out.

A good sheet of plywood will run $45-80 depending on what species of wood you want as the outer lamination. You can make it out of solid wood as well, but may have trouble locating decent wood that is as cost effective and straight as a good sheet of ply.
 
#15 ·
You can make your audio rack just like you did the one you showed a picture of.

Just go to a BORG and buy a pocket hole kit, buy some straight nice wood (go to a real woodworking or hardwood supply store if you can, and have them provide a S4S (surfaced on all 4 sides) board), and build the carcass (box) however you want, then put the face frame on the front. Use the pocket hole kit to screw the face frame edges together as well as to connect it to the carcass.

If you can, dado's are also what I would have thought of for this project but if you want it real pretty, you'd want to dado it THEN put a face frame on it to hide those joints.
 
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