Ok I'll try my best to explain this....below is a picture of part of my floorplan. The empty box with the black outline is the couch. Next to that the empty box is the subwoofer. The large rectangle across from the couch is the TV and center speaker (which is inside the TV's entertainment center). The two small boxes on either side of the TV are the front speakers. The box with the grey X is space on the floor, carpeted where I'm going to put the following equipment on small wood planks on the floor. (Haven't seen a stand for the equipment that fits and looks decent without costing a ton)
Dish 722, Marantz SR6003, PS3, Wii

So here's my question....the 722 and PS3 have hard drives. Clearly they're right across from the Subwoofer (the distance between the front of the subwoofer and the hard drives would be between 5 - 6 feet). Is that a really bad idea or would they be okay since its carpeted and they're on something on top of the carpet. Will this shake the hard drives too much and damage them?

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/2956/18008869.gif

You will be fine. I've got an Epik Castle that sits about 1 foot to the right of my tv stand with a PS3 and DVR on it. It's been like that for over a year with zero issues.

You will be fine. I've got an Epik Castle that sits about 1 foot to the right of my tv stand with a PS3 and DVR on it. It's been like that for over a year with zero issues.

Even though mine are just sitting on a plank of wood on the floor? No stand really...

The magnets on your sub may be powerful enough to play with a tube TV but to affect your hardrive they would need to be much more powerful. At that distance I wouldn't think twice. You'll be fine.

The magnets on your sub may be powerful enough to play with a tube TV but to affect your hardrive they would need to be much more powerful. At that distance I wouldn't think twice. You'll be fine.

Ya, I wasn't so much concerned about the magnets as I am the shaking. It's just a PB12-NSD but I was worried that if played at a high level it would shake the floor, in turn shaking the head on the HDD, ruining the platter.

As far as vibration, if you are really concerned, look at some isolation devices like Isonodes (really almost any rubber feet).

I've gone through a fair chunk of subwoofage (currently a PB13U, prev dual MFW's and b4 that dual PB12+) and never had a prob w/PS3, DVR, HTPC, etc. Of course, due primarily to aesthetics, my equipment has been in some type of rack. I'd still wager you would be fine, but I understand the concern.

Ya, I wasn't so much concerned about the magnets as I am the shaking. It's just a PB12-NSD but I was worried that if played at a high level it would shake the floor, in turn shaking the head on the HDD, ruining the platter.

My PC12-NSD in the corner is exactly 41cm from the PC, no issues yet

you will be fine. don't worry.

Thanks for all the replies. Last question I have is, with the sub. It's better acoustically to have it firing at the equipment than to flip it around and have it fire towards the wall/have it bounce off....correct?

Have my Airport 1tb Time Machine sitting right on top of one of my towers, no problems at all, been there for almost a year. Still ticking....

Thanks for all the replies. Last question I have is, with the sub. It's better acoustically to have it firing at the equipment than to flip it around and have it fire towards the wall/have it bounce off....correct?

This will probably be room dependent. I'd try it both ways to see if it makes a difference. It's often very difficult to predict what effect slightly different sub positioning or orientation will have in a room without trying it.

in my room I fire my ultra directly at the ps3, from approx 6 feet away. The sub does shake the room but so far the ps3 is fine now for over a year.