Official Flat Panel furniture thread [ Found possibly perfect Plasma furniture] [Text View] - Page 14

louky

10-24-09, 12:52 PM

In case anybody is interested this is what they sent me when I asked for the dimensions.

i have a bigfoot and it would not fit in the old design so i had given up on this cabinet. now with the specs you posted it seems possible...

the big foot is 25.5 wide. the specs you posted say the usable center space is 25x20, which if this is the case, it still won't fit. however, it shows an expandable section of 26.38. so my question is why does it say usable area is 25 then show an adjustable space up to 26..?

any insight you can provide on this matter would be appreciated.

edit - here is a pic of the driver position...based on the "adjustable" specs it seems like the bigfoot would fit, but the question i guess is would the vertical wood bars on the u22t block the drivers at all

http://i36.tinypic.com/i4022c.jpg

Jon SS

10-24-09, 02:05 PM

I measured the shelf at 25", if you put your speaker further back on the shelf and the sides of the speaker go behind the metal bars and into the 2 side cabinets then it will be about 5" or so from the front of the door/grill so pretty far back.

image1

10-26-09, 05:03 PM

Alkaar

10-26-09, 11:38 PM

image1

10-29-09, 12:00 PM

Might be a dumb question but isn't the exhaust on most devices on the top and the back? So wouldn't those holes on the bottom of the shelves be taking in heat from the device below it rather than having a shelf with no holes would not be taking in any of the heat at all?

No such thing as a "dumb question", just one that is answered in a FAQ ;-)

Granted I don't have degree in physics but I do know that heat rises. I agree that cooking your gear is a bad idea so I don't put gear that generates heat "under" gear that doesn't. My hottest piece is an Onkyo 805 and it runs very hot hence I don't have anything above it. In fact, I under volt a 120mm case fan via powered USB hub and place it face up (blowing-up) on top of it. StudioTech has a great "How-To" article Keeping Your System Cool (http://www.studiotech.com/knowledge_base/how_to_articles/keeping_your_system_cool/heat_buildup_and_your_components.html). Clearly they understand airflow. If you can stack your gear in the right order natural convection (aided by a fan in my case) will draw air up through the slots in the bottom, mesh panels, shelf holes and vent them out at the top. That aided by the fact that the metal pole construction effectively makes the interior of the cabinet one open space side-to-side helps avoid heat build-up in any one "stack". Not that the case is perfect, I have made some suggestions to StudioTech for improvement myself, but it's the most "functional" piece of A/V furniture I was able to find so I was willing to part with 1k to get it.

Mike7200

10-30-09, 10:23 AM

I recently replaced a 61" CRT RPTV with a 60" Pioneer 151FD. I looked at over 1000 stands online and chose a Transdeco TD853SB because it met my two primary concerns - room for Bigfoot and high enough for proper viewing in my environment.

The lower shelf has 14.5" of usable vertical space, enough to tilt Bigfoot upwards. There is a second shelf above that with 7.5" of vertical space for components.

The top shelf is 25.5" high and supports 250 lb, more than enough capacity for just about any TV out there.

It is all black glass with powdercoat steel supports in glossy black or stainless steel, so it's not a piece of fine furniture, but it suits my needs pretty well. It is also available in other combinations of clear glass and uncoated SS supports.

Google it for full details and a picture. It can be found at several online retailers for about $330, shipped.

Ksound

10-30-09, 04:55 PM

sajohnson33

10-31-09, 12:37 AM

image1

10-31-09, 03:03 AM

Hello all,

I'm a new member here and am going to start building a custom cabinet in the coming weeks. I'm very excited about creating a design and building it. My cabinet will be three sections with the middle section bumped out.

This will be a fully built-in cabinet between a wall and a fireplace.

I have 88" in length to work with and a depth of 22". I've noticed that the average height is around 20" on these type of cabinets.

My question is... if the cabinet is going to be built-in and flush with the wall, how would I address cable management? I won't have access to the backside as it will be a perminate piece.

Your input is appreciated.

Thanks!
how about this: build an sub-structure to frame out the space and support the top and front face plate. Build the three component sections as individual "towers" with heavy duty casters underneath them. Place them behind a full width front "face" frame that incorporates the doors using detachable hidden hinges. Create a removable "toe kick" to be placed under the face frame that is the same height as the base of the "tower" section so it will hide the casters (you could incorporate venting into the toe kick as well). I may not be describing this well but, the idea is that when you look at the unit from the front it looks built-in but when you need to access your components you can remove the toe-kick and the detach the doors and roll the individual tower sections out the front and rotate them to access the backside of the components.

Ksound

10-31-09, 03:16 AM

Those are good ideas. But generally once you set up your system you don't need to access the back do you? I have a receiver, xbox, speakers, DVR, CD, etc, and I rarely need to access the back. It seems more about how do I manage the cables. Although I'm not totally opposed to building something that I can pull out to access the back.

pwjone1

10-31-09, 08:08 AM

Studio Tech U-22T v3 Center Space measurements: (will post pic later tonight)

Exterior/front of door = 26 5/15" x 18 1/4" (w x h)

door thickness = 3/4" (d)

door backside frame extends in 1 11/16" from left (as viewed from inside), 2" in from right (hinge side), 1 11/16" in on top and bottom plus each corner has a triangle 1 5/8" high and 1 5/8" wide cutting 45 degrees across each corner

inside post to post is 24 7/8" wide, once back from front posts 28 1/8" wide side shelf to side shelf
distance from front edge to back edge of posts is 7 1/4" (i.e. how far from front edge you need to place the speaker to be behind the front posts and open up to 28 1'8" wide)

maximum size of center speaker clearing both posts and side shelves 28 1/8" x 13 7/8" x 18 1/2" (w x d x h)

Thanks for the info. I have a 23.5" wide center speaker, sounds like it would fit. I was looking at the Studiotech web site, they have a lot of info up, but for some reason I cannot find the U-22TX or v3:

http://www.studiotech.com/products/component_cabinets/ultra_u-22t/index.html

was about as close as I could find. The brochure also doesn't seem to be updated for the wider center. Depth would run a little tight on my AVR. I do like that they make a regular rack, I kind of need one of those, too, for all the audio stuff, handy if it matches.

I do have one question. How do the metal doors work for you? I understand the cooling advantages, and I can see from the pictures that the look isn't too bad, but it would at times be kind of handy to be able to see the AVR display, see what audio mode I'm in, or the cable box table/time. Do you run with the doors shut or open? Do the remotes work reliably?

Thanks.

IceTBC

10-31-09, 01:06 PM

Hello all,

My question is... if the cabinet is going to be built-in and flush with the wall, how would I address cable management? I won't have access to the backside as it will be a perminate piece.

Your input is appreciated.

Thanks!

Try looking at these from Middle Atlantic:

http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/roll/reb.htm
http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/roll/asr.htm
http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/roll/asr_hd.htm

I have the middle one, the ASR 36 size, which is a 36" height for my full height wooden AV pier. I have about 100 lbs of equipment on 4 shelves on it and can pull the whole rack out such that is fully cantilevered and THEN rotate it 90 degrees so I can get to all of the cables behind my eight different components. The smaller one listed first above is just for 2-3 pieces of equipment in an under the display piece of furniture.

The Middle Atlantic parts are heavy duty and well engineered. My brother in law who is a carpenter/cabinet maker and helped me install mine commented on how well made and sturdy it was. This also means they aren't cheap. ;)

AxelF

11-01-09, 06:50 PM

Hi all,

Here is the tv console I finally decided on. Bought at Cymax Stores online.
It's a Kathy Ireland piece of all things. LOL. Anyway, I have a question.

http://www.cymaxstores.com/Common/NoBot/Kathy-Ireland-by-Martin-Bradley-Flat-Screen-TV-Console-IMBR369.htm

http://media.cymaxstores.com/Images/42/151258-SM2.jpg

I have a 5:1 home theatre system and the receiver barely fit without the shelf in. With the shelf I gave up.

What options are there out there for better sound for watching movies on my PS3 without all the damn wires? Even if wireless and 3:1. I just don't want to see any speakers or wires anywhere, period.

Thanks!
AxelF

AxelF

11-01-09, 06:53 PM

Here is the actual unit. Nicer looking in person. Hard to move around.

AxelF

11-01-09, 07:12 PM

Zivman

11-01-09, 08:14 PM

Thanks for the info. I have a 23.5" wide center speaker, sounds like it would fit. I was looking at the Studiotech web site, they have a lot of info up, but for some reason I cannot find the U-22TX or v3:

I called them. They haven't updated their site with the new specs of the U-22T.... that is the model number for what Jon SS. The pics of the U-22T are of the new revision and have the dimension based on the PDF that Jon SS posted. The new revision U-22T is not instock and as of last week was about a 3 wk lead time.

I have been going back and forth with the U-22T and the majestic grand from standout.... but I HATE when things are not instock. In this economy one would think they would be ready to ship on a moments notice, not 3wks + lead time.

I think I am going to splurge on the standout stand, as it looks more like furniture and it will be going in our living room. I might get the studiotech stand for my basement as it looks more audio/video'esk.

pwjone1

11-02-09, 05:11 AM

I called them. They haven't updated their site with the new specs of the U-22T.... that is the model number for what Jon SS. The pics of the U-22T are of the new revision and have the dimension based on the PDF that Jon SS posted. The new revision U-22T is not instock and as of last week was about a 3 wk lead time.

I have been going back and forth with the U-22T and the majestic grand from standout.... but I HATE when things are not instock. In this economy one would think they would be ready to ship on a moments notice, not 3wks + lead time.

I think I am going to splurge on the standout stand, as it looks more like furniture and it will be going in our living room. I might get the studiotech stand for my basement as it looks more audio/video'esk.

OK, thanks. Odd that Studiotech hasn't updated the web site, but I suppose they might be waiting until they have some in hand. Not too unusual. Ironically, I think you'll find that Standout Designs, as with any furniture maker, sometimes will have delays while they build the stands. That's especially going to be common in this economy, as manufacturers keep inventory low, unfortunately.

pwjone1

11-02-09, 05:29 AM

In case anybody is interested this is what they sent me when I asked for the dimensions.

This is kind of odd. The U-22TX is an older Studiotech model, they stocked it at one time, I remember because it has the wider middle shelf, but it seemed to disappear off of their web site some time back. Interesting. I wonder if they had an older model in stock, or if they're doing basically a build-to-order type thing, or if they're really going to bring it back. There's a lot of people making units with 18-19" width middle compartments (most of the Studiotech line is that way), but not as many with the larger speaker room and decent depth for larger components (basically Design Standouts, BDI, Diamond, Wood Tech, Sanus and Salamander).

pwjone1

11-02-09, 05:37 AM

Let me know if I should move to another forum. and which one.
But here is an option regarding my question above.
I'm not looking for WOW, just some more pow. This is the formal living room afterall. I can mess up the family room.
Let me know your thoughts or if you've heard anything about it.
Thank you.

http://www.amazon.com/ZVOX-550-Low-Profile-Single-Cabinet-Surround/dp/B001MA2AYG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31TWgqDDqaL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Well, probably this is the wrong forum, but I have an earlier model Zvox, you do get pretty decent sound out of such a small box, but it is still a very small box, you're not going to get the same sound out of it (or one of the sound bars) that you will out of larger speakers. So I would look to use a Zvox in a den or Dining area or something where you want unobtrusive sound, but somewhere where you want real Hi-Fi, look at real speakers. The Zvox also works better kind of stand-alone, not in a cabinet. I use mine for an iPod speaker, it's definitely good enough for that, but if you can find the room, you probably want to go bigger, say some of the smaller speakers from Definitive or PSB or the rather ubiquitous Boses.

ZVOX

11-02-09, 06:39 AM

Full disclosure: this is Tom from ZVOXAudio.com. Thought you might want to know that ZVOX last month introduced a much larger version of the ZVOX 550 -- the 575. It uses bigger speakers, a bigger amp and dual 6.5" subwoofer and puts out sound pressure levels approaching those of discrete 5.1 systems.

michanecash

11-02-09, 08:21 AM

Zivman

11-02-09, 10:59 AM

tripleM

11-02-09, 11:58 AM

I used to have my center speaker on a shelf above a 50" Tv and sat about 11-12ft away, now I have the speaker underneath the TV in the cabinet and sit 9-10ft. I don't notice too much of a difference (the center speaker is a Monitor Audio Gold Reference).

Attached a picture (how do you put the pic in the posting directly?).

I would think that seating height may possibly have something to do with it.
Theoretically your ears should be equal to the tweeters & the center channel should be @ a level as close to the L&R speakers as possible.

My 50" setup similar to yours has the L&R speakers top 39.5 inches with me sitting 7-8 ft back in a upright position. Putting my ears about that high up.
My center channel is directly under the TV at about 5" off the floor.
Still not optimal but I think I noticed the most improvement by elevating the L&R fronts to ear level.

image1

11-02-09, 01:26 PM

Just thought I would let you guys know, standout has free shipping till the end of the day on their stands. nice little incentive for me to order.

I have a grand majestic in espresso on maple coming..... but not for a few weeks

congrats on the "grand majestic"! I spent a long time going back and forth between the Studiotech and Standout Designs. I really like the look of the Standout Designs units and the fact that they are solid wood but, when it came to pulling the trigger I decided that for my application the Studiotech would be a better choice.

I don't think you can go wrong with either of them.

image1

11-02-09, 01:57 PM

This is kind of odd. The U-22TX is an older Studiotech model, they stocked it at one time, I remember because it has the wider middle shelf, but it seemed to disappear off of their web site some time back. Interesting. I wonder if they had an older model in stock, or if they're doing basically a build-to-order type thing, or if they're really going to bring it back...

FYI - The StudioTech model is U-22T v3 (the v3 designation was on the shipping boxes) The long lead time is likely because they stopped production of the "v2" model about 4 months ago and had some issues with the first run of the "v3" units.
I've mentioned to them that the website is out of date and may be costing them sales because of it. I would expect that the site will be updated soon.

@pwjone1 - The metal doors do intermitently block IR signals maybe 10% of the time. If you move the remote from side-to-side a few inches everthing works well. Personally, I'd like to replace the stock metal inserts with metal grills that match my Boston E60 grills for two reasons: 1) I like things to match. 2) The Bostons have a much finer perforation pattern and I expect I would be able to read the displays on my equipment better.

@Zivman - I've come to expect things shipped in just a few days but, when it comes to good furniture that's just not the case. Even though I waited 4 months for my U-22T, that is no longer than I waited for my bedroom or livingroom furniture.

sanhacker

11-02-09, 02:29 PM

I have a grand majestic in espresso on maple coming..... but not for a few weeks

I've had the N702 in Espresso on Maple for several months now.
It's likely the best piece of furniture in my home. :)
Makes my old MDF and particle board entertainment center look like a childs toy in comparison. :rolleyes:

Jon SS

11-03-09, 12:12 PM

Checked my box as well and is the V3, the U-22TX pdf I got from Studiotech in the summer when they had just started production. It took a while for the shipments to get to Canada and I think I bought the first one. I was hounding the distributor here as it was taking so long to get from California to Toronto.

motoman

11-03-09, 02:36 PM

Just thought I would let you guys know, standout has free shipping till the end of the day on their stands. nice little incentive for me to order.

I have a grand majestic in espresso on maple coming..... but not for a few weeks

I bought a N701 in black when they had the blowout sale a few weeks ago. Arrived very well packed and didn't even have a mark on the box. Great company to deal with also. Very happy in my dealings with them and a great product made here in the good ol USA. :)

Jim

Dragonfly47

11-05-09, 04:01 PM

nlpearman

11-05-09, 04:40 PM

pwjone1

11-06-09, 06:25 AM

Two StudioTech U22d's in rosewood with a homebrew shelf for LCD and center speaker. (One door screen removed for access and airflow to HTPC and receiver).

http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv314/Dragonfly47_photos/Living%20Room/IMG_4337.jpg

Interesting. Does the the 2nd. from the right door have a metal screen? It kind of looks open or maybe glass? I ask, because maybe the flash is misleading me, makes it look more transparent than it is, but the components look quite visible.

pwjone1

11-06-09, 06:53 AM

I was wondering if anyone has played with wire shelving, for their media center. I ask, because I was in a Container Store, and they had a special on some units, kind of black wire shelving, the stuff that gets used commercially a lot. I went to the manufacturers' sites, and it comes in quite a few sizes (up to about 72" wide), and since the shelves are available in wire and solid forms and can be positioned at 1" intervals, you can pretty much come up with any form factor you might want. Here's an exampe, this with Chadco doors, etc.:

http://www.chadko.net/v4/assets/photos/enclosures/web_u11_wh_tv_large.jpg

I can see several distinct advantages, going something along these lines:

Extremely Strong
Adjustable if you end up with a new component or whatever
Wiring would allow electronics to "breath" a lot more

The weight the shelves can support is quite a lot, depending on size, can be in the 600-800 pound range. That's pretty much as strong or stronger than most entertainment units. And particularly if you have something that runs relatively hot (AVR, PS3, PC, whatever), then the extra breath-ability might mean you can skip the fans. So in terms of functionality, pretty hard to beat. Price can work it's way up, I suppose, but with the decent entertainment centers starting at $400-500 and going on upwards of $2k, well, you could build up quite a fancy setup. You can get leg levelers, or wheels, if you like. Various colors, also. And you can configure it however you want, single wide unit (which gives flexability of placement of the components), or two-column and three-column or whatever (sort of like what Salamander does with their custom units). And of course whatever heights you wanted (at least with a hack-saw, you could make it pretty low).

The main disadvantage I can see is appearance (WAF). I don't mind so much the "functional" appearance (really loved the old Boltz stands, but they don't seem to want to make one wide enough for current TVs, not so keen on the newer welded units), but it would be nicer if the wired shelf bits were a little better hidden, say maybe with some colored strips or whatever. Probably pretty easy to work those up.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Dragonfly47

11-06-09, 07:42 AM

Interesting. Does the the 2nd. from the right door have a metal screen? It kind of looks open or maybe glass? I ask, because maybe the flash is misleading me, makes it look more transparent than it is, but the components look quite visible.

I removed the screen from that door. My HTPC has a 7" LCD screen that I obviously need to see and I also wanted to have the display on the Onkyo visible. I may eventually replace it with a custom cut piece of glass, but for now it's "running naked" (which also helps with the airflow, since there is an air conditioning return register located in the wall right behind those two components).

protechie

11-06-09, 03:54 PM

pwjone1

11-07-09, 05:43 AM

These would work great if the look appeals to you. A word of caution, however: We use them at work and the longer shelving sags with too much weight. Also, the metal is very strong, but the shelves (at least the ones we use, which are identical to those pictured) are attached to the framing with plastic holders. Still, unless you're putting on a ton of weight they should support everything fine, you just have to look out for the sagging. Also, they're kind of a pain to set up and take apart (again, the plastic pieces).

Interesting. One thing I've noticed, is that just about any long-run shelf has some potential for sagging. It seems that MDF is particularly prone to it, and even solid wood will show some sagging (over time, with some weight in the middle of the span). Glass as a shelving material, can sag a bit, and that worries me a bit because the failure mode there is kind of spectacular, not as much warning there. A lot of it of course keys off of shelf support. Here's an example of glass shelving that would "worry" me a bit:

http://www.jonalexander.com/D6024b.jpg

Which is from www.jonalexander.com, a fairly reputable outfit, and one that supports a lot more weight than most other metal/glass stands, but look carefully at the bottom shelf, with components on it, may be an optical illusion, but it looks to me like it's sagging. Some of the European manufacturers use still thicker glass, I've been in buildings where the floors were glass, so the material is able to support a lot more weight, but most of those stands are not imported into the US. Too bad really.

Which brings us back to the metal. I have some metal wire shelves, conventional application (storage/kitchen type stuff), granted they're in the four foot span range. I haven't seen much sagging at that length. It wouldn't surprise me that if I got into the 500+ pound range, or longer lengths, that it might, but it's really well enough cross braced. I would agree that the shelves are kind of a pain to put together, but then so are all these knocked-down assemble-yourself type stands. But in general, the wire shelves have less sagging than about anything else I've run into. And I suppose even that could be brought down, essentially to zero, by going with a 3 column type setup, sort of like what Salamander Designs does with their Synergy line:

http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/syn/imgs/prd_img_triples.jpg

The black supporting elements, running vertically, are extruded aluminum. They're visible on the unit, external. The units are not all that bad, particularly if you stay in a non-contrasting color, kind of all blends in, pretty strong really. And you could do something similar with the wire shelves. Go with shorter runs, say 24" x 3, black shelves with black doors, maybe just the top element in solid, to help with air flow through the unit. But at 24" spans, more vertical support poles, seems like it would be about as strong a unit as you could get too, close or perhaps even stronger than the old Boltz units. Highly unlikely to sag all that much.

pwjone1

11-07-09, 06:24 AM

pwjone1

11-07-09, 06:30 PM

At last my tv doesnt look silly stuck on the wall.

http://i34.tinypic.com/2uj2qyw.jpg

Just search wallscape on ebay.

Well, the TV kind-of sort-of looks like a football, which might be considered silly by some :rolleyes: Not that there's anything wrong with that, especially if you like football.

Anyway, with the growth of screen sizes over the years, I'm not sure I would want to get into a wall-mount that pinned things down, size-maximum wise, quite so much. A friend of mine had his spouse by a nice piece of furniture to go around his 35" direct view TV, had to buy a fairly small LCD TV to fit in the same space when everything went digital. But he does love his wife, and she does love that piece of furniture.

MarcW

11-08-09, 01:29 AM

FYI - Studiotech has the rosewood U-22D on sale right now for 45% off if you buy directly from their website. I guess it's not selling as well as the black one, heh. Works out fine for me...the rosewood should match my speakers. :)

http://www.studiotech.com/misc/thumbnail.ashx?image=/images/products/photos/large/ultra_u-22d_u-22d_rw_b.jpg&width=230Arrrghhh!!! I can't believe I've missed this sale :( I've been waiting for this stand to go on sale for over a year. And then my life gets busy and I don't have time to check avs every day and I miss it. How long was this on sale for? Does anyone know? Just my luck.

VeNoMiZeD

11-08-09, 05:02 PM

I just wanted to show my tv stand that was bought for my 58" V10. When I searched I don't think anybody had this stand here. I could be wrong, but anyhow here it is. It was bought at:

Costco

"Newcastle Television Console with Doors
Ebony Finish"

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11333126&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|93|23006|57994&N=4018906&Mo=25&pos=2&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=57994&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC11457-Cat23006&topnav=

I just moved in to my new place so its kind of empty around the TV and I don't have any other components other than my XBOX 360. The stand is nice quality for the price and nice color black too:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/venomized/7bec2ccc.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/venomized/33ea88e3.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/venomized/cb948f61.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/venomized/9dc7c694.jpg

sajohnson33

11-08-09, 08:53 PM

Nice stand! I might have purchased that one myself had I seen it in Costco.

image1

11-08-09, 10:02 PM

I was wondering if anyone has played with wire shelving, for their media center...
...Thoughts or suggestions?

FWIW, I made a movable closet rack out of NEXEL wire shelving. I used five 18" x 24" shelves with four 74" poles mounted on stem casters with 5” polyurethane wheels (two with brakes) and 3.5" donut bumpers. I converted a coat closet into an A/V closet in my last house and was easily able to roll my gear in and out with this setup. It made getting to the wiring nice and easy. I used a Xantech IR repeater system to control it all from the sofa.

I went with NEXEL because its "real" industrial shelving that I have used in the food service industry, not the wimpy stuff that some home stores sell. IIRC each shelf is rated for 400 lbs and though I only had 200 lbs at most on it, I have no doubts that it would hold 2000 lbs considering the abuse we put NEXEL through at work. I've never had an issue with sagging even on 6' lengths carrying 250+ lbs. per shelf. However I can only vouch for NEXEL. I've seen "home store" shelving fold under less weight. (you get what you pay for)

I picked up the parts from www.nexelshelf.com

That said, its WAF tangents on zero so if it's not out of sight I don't use it. :-)

janessa kristia

11-09-09, 03:57 AM

If you want as cheap as possible then use wood! You can have MDF cut at home depot. Just figure out your dimensions for your center. You can get (3) 8' x 18" shelves out of 1 4x8 sheet of 1/2" MDF or (6) 4' x 18" shelves and so on.
You can spray paint the cinderblocks outside ....whatever color you want. I would pult some adhesive felt things on the bottom ones to keep them from scratching the floor. The MDF can be primed with water based Kilz-It and you can have it tinted to your paint color.

Dragonfly47

11-09-09, 01:20 PM

Arrrghhh!!! I can't believe I've missed this sale :( I've been waiting for this stand to go on sale for over a year. And then my life gets busy and I don't have time to check avs every day and I miss it. How long was this on sale for? Does anyone know? Just my luck.

I bought two on sale in July. I believe the sale was on at least until the end of September. Terrific stand (http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv314/Dragonfly47_photos/Living%20Room/IMG_4337.jpg).

VinnyC

11-09-09, 05:45 PM

I've got an Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver, a slim ps3, a wii, a n64, an snes, and a Sony SS-CN5000 center channel (it's a larger one). Is there a stand that will fit all these components with room to breathe AND not cost MORE than a nice TV? I've looked at the following but they seem like a tight fit after reading the dimensions of the compartments:

TechCraft ABS60
TechCraft SWP60
Prepac Ferentino
Whalen BB68DBCON

Alkaar

11-10-09, 11:53 AM

The Bruiser

11-10-09, 07:28 PM

lots of great stands im seeing here, here is mine that has a broken leg on it and not enough room ... i ordered a new one in today and will hopefully post up some pics next week,,,

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/mm372/theguzz10/DSC00094.jpg

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/mm372/theguzz10/DSC00093.jpg

michanecash

11-11-09, 09:07 AM

Well, the TV kind-of sort-of looks like a football, which might be considered silly by some :rolleyes: Not that there's anything wrong with that, especially if you like football.

Anyway, with the growth of screen sizes over the years, I'm not sure I would want to get into a wall-mount that pinned things down, size-maximum wise, quite so much. A friend of mine had his spouse by a nice piece of furniture to go around his 35" direct view TV, had to buy a fairly small LCD TV to fit in the same space when everything went digital. But he does love his wife, and she does love that piece of furniture.

I like that a lot. That is really cool.

image1

11-11-09, 11:29 AM

Was wondering anyone with a StudioTech U-22T BA/B v3 how cool are your components in it? Do you need extra cooling? I like the enclosed cabinet but I would alike amble airflow as well though this one seems to have the most ventilation of most enclosed consoles. I have a NAD receiver, 360, PS3, Wii, APC H15, eQ.2, and a fairly large center channel with a possibility of a cable box.

Also I plan on moving into a bigger place sometime down the line. Would this be a pain to move or take apart for a move trying not to ding it up?

I have a 120mm case fan laying on the top of my Onkyo 805 (blowing up) to break-up any pockets of hot air and have left the rear pannel covers off but that is all I'm doing for additional airflow in the U-22T v3 (note: Onkyo 805s run very hot). I house the Onkyo, PS3 slim, dvd player, DVR cable box, Roku M1000, powered USB hub, 1 tb western digital external HD, Draft N router and my center speaker in the stand.

As for moving, I wouldn't plan on taking it apart for a move (you could but, RTA stuff is better built once and left alone.) It's heavy but has lots of good hand holds for picking it up and the shelves and doors all come off/out really easy. It will be much easier to get through doors than your average full size sofa or arm chair.

SOG9

11-11-09, 07:48 PM

Alkaar

11-12-09, 11:11 AM

I have a 120mm case fan laying on the top of my Onkyo 805 (blowing up) to break-up any pockets of hot air and have left the rear pannel covers off but that is all I'm doing for additional airflow in the U-22T v3 (note: Onkyo 805s run very hot). I house the Onkyo, PS3 slim, dvd player, DVR cable box, Roku M1000, powered USB hub, 1 tb western digital external HD, Draft N router and my center speaker in the stand.

As for moving, I wouldn't plan on taking it apart for a move (you could but, RTA stuff is better built once and left alone.) It's heavy but has lots of good hand holds for picking it up and the shelves and doors all come off/out really easy. It will be much easier to get through doors than your average full size sofa or arm chair.

Thanks that helps a lot. Planning on moving into a condo and hopefully a bigger place sometime later and need some furniture for my gear but I want to buy something that I'll want to keep for a long time. I'll probably get the rolling casters so that should help except for the elevators and stairs. Probably will pick this up in a month or so once I'm all ready to move out.

IceTBC

11-12-09, 01:29 PM

I'm trying to find a modern or contemporary television armoire (needs to be a fairly tall piece that can hide a LCD and a blu-ray player) that I can put in my master bedroom. I've looked in this thread and didn't come up with anything like that. Clean lines, no exposed hinges, and real wood would all be great.

Anyone have any suggestions?

If you want modern try these links. However most might be too big for your bedroom plus most aren't really armoires. Really really tough to find modern styled AV armoires. These are from my saved links of modern AV furniture. I suspect some of them are a little pricey also but you didn't specify price.;)

http://www.soundations.com/product.asp?loc=HT&c=c
http://www.furnitech.com/
http://www.plateaucorp.com/html/enclosedcabinets/newport40.htm
http://www.jsp-industries.com/home-theatre.asp
http://www.1contemporary.com/hometheater.html

SOG9

11-12-09, 08:00 PM

If you want modern try these links. However most might be too big for your bedroom plus most aren't really armoires. Really really tough to find modern styled AV armoires. These are from my saved links of modern AV furniture. I suspect some of them are a little pricey also but you didn't specify price.;)

http://www.soundations.com/product.asp?loc=HT&c=c
http://www.furnitech.com/
http://www.plateaucorp.com/html/enclosedcabinets/newport40.htm
http://www.jsp-industries.com/home-theatre.asp
http://www.1contemporary.com/hometheater.html

Thanks. Lots of stands; not a lot of armoires. I will continue to search.....

xela19115

11-12-09, 08:54 PM

This is my family/entertainment room setup. Please pardon hanging cables. I recently moved into a new place and this setup is somewhat temporary. For a next year or so while I'll building a basement into a home theater.

The furniture is IKEA Docent.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/4061416275_90a7f77a8d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/4003327566_73aec44b92_b.jpg

James A

11-13-09, 09:54 AM

I posted awhile back I was getting a stand custom built to my specs and here are the pictures of the completed product. It is 8ft wide, 2ft high and 2ft deep made of cherry. The drawers are on heavy duty ball bearing sliders, the shelves are all removable and adjustable. The back panels are removable for access to the components in the rear, vents for heat dissipation and cooling fans in the rear.

waltzonice

11-13-09, 10:50 AM

I just pulled the trigger on the Hammary Hidden Treasures Entertainment Console

http://www.tvstands.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=HAM2452

TVStands.com has been offering a 15% off coupon (displayed right on their website). I had seen this stand at a local furniture store and thought it looked very nice, with the leather etching and the nailhead detail. It's a little taller than I wanted at 28" (I was targeting 24") but after shopping for 2 years, I finally buckled and got this even though it wasn't exactly what I wanted.

I'll post pictures in a few weeks after I get it all set up!:)

IceTBC

11-13-09, 01:22 PM

Thanks. Lots of stands; not a lot of armoires. I will continue to search.....

I did find this site with actual armoires and maybe a few that would be called modern depending on your tastes. The problem with armoires and current flat screens is getting one to fit the width of your display. If it's at least a 42" display you won't find a lot of armoires wide enough. Good luck.

http://www.cymaxstores.com/Common/Product/TV-Armoires-Armoires--C436-1542.htm?Sort=&Count=96

tdogroeder

11-13-09, 04:17 PM

wolfgaze

11-13-09, 05:16 PM

This is my family/entertainment room setup. Please pardon hanging cables. I recently moved into a new place and this setup is somewhat temporary. For a next year or so while I'll building a basement into a home theater.

The furniture is IKEA Docent.

You should go to home depot and pick up some Wire Mold so you can hide that Center Channel speaker.

Overall great piece of furniture you got there. How much was it?

VinnyC

11-13-09, 05:20 PM

Yino

11-13-09, 05:20 PM

I'm not sure what it is called, but for lack of a better word, I am looking for a "riser" for my plasma? Right now it sits on a dark walnut colored TV stand, but it has no spot for my center channel, which is mounted on the wall right now. However, because I live in the bay area, I am getting nervous that a quake could knock my nice center channel off the wall right on top of my plasma. In less than a year I will be moving and upgrading the furniture anyway, so I'm kind of looking for a temporary fix. Does anyone have any ideas?

Also, does anyone have any ideas for a very cheap audio rack? I'm buying a new amp and it also doesn't fit in the cabinet below the TV. Again, I'd like something to just get me by for a while until I can get a new cabinet when I move.

Thanks!!

xela19115

11-13-09, 07:15 PM

You should go to home depot and pick up some Wire Mold so you can hide that Center Channel speaker.

Overall great piece of furniture you got there. How much was it?

IKEA Docent series is unfortunately discontinued but originally I paid for the whole setup ~$530 for everything.

I'm thinking of re-arranging the components a bit to make it look a bit better.

James A

11-13-09, 07:39 PM

Very nice stand. Is that solid cherry or veneered, and how much did that cost you?

It is a mix, the top is veneered due to the large size and the rest is pretty much solid, except for the shelves. It was $1900. I got quotes from 5 different places which ranged from a little lower to little higher, but they were all in the same range. Pretty much the same as the standout designs that were my 2nd choice as they are not 8ft long like I wanted. I could have gone with it being all solid but the cost goes up substantially and the benefit is small vs. the cost.

ChemDoctor

11-16-09, 01:47 AM

pwjone1

11-17-09, 04:38 AM

Finally got some photos of my setup. Customized Munari System M1 (http://www.diamondcase.com/MUNARI/Munari_HTML_Files/SysM1.HTML) from Diamond Case Designs (http://www.diamondcase.com/) (thanks Steve and Molly!). I opted to have shelf space instead of a drawer below the center channel, and I didn't put a cover on the center channel shelf because I like the look of my speaker. Not shown are the smoked glass panels on the left and right cabinets; haven't had time to install them yet. Apologies for the picture quality; my room lighting is not very good and my photography skills are subpar. :o

TV is a KRP-500M, L/R speakers are Aerial Acoustics 10T, and the center speaker is an Aerial Acoustics CC5. I really like the look of the system. :)

https://docs.google.com/File?id=dtd53sp_3c8pdh5fk_b

https://docs.google.com/File?id=dtd53sp_5fq2rjzg9_b

Definitely a nice setup.

I assume that you started with something like:

http://www.diamondcase.com/MUNARI/Munari_HTML_Files/SysM1_Open.HTML

and then customized it?

A couple of questions:

Do the component units fasten together?
How is the air flow, any components run hot when you have the door and back on?
How easy is it to see through the black glass doors when they're on?

The Diamond Case stands certainly look nice, but I'm after something contemporary looking, and that sort of limits it down to the Munari line, the reset seem to read to me traditional or at least don't have simple lines. Granted, if you get it in Black, might not much register. And they sound like nice enough stands, have good depth, etc. Any comments on materials, fit and finish?

9_miles_up

11-18-09, 08:03 PM

Can anyone tell me what stand this is? I found it on a Kuro setup pictures thread from a few months ago, but it wasn't identified by the poster. Thanks.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p306/KJaquith/Kuro15115.jpg

a_ok2me

11-18-09, 08:13 PM

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p306/KJaquith/Kuro15115.jpg

Can anyone tell me what stand this is? I found it on a Kuro setup pictures thread from a few months ago, but it wasn't identified by the poster. Thanks.It's a Salamander; a Synergy modular custom. That 'triple' stand is too narrow for the display; the display dwarfs it. A 'quad' with enclosed doors and side panels is much better suited for the display. But given that room dimension, a 'quad' with the speakers wouldn't fit. Personally, the Synergy models are too generic for me.
http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/products/av.jsp

Ragtop 99

11-19-09, 05:15 PM

I'm getting a 65" Plasma and am looking for a stand that will accomodate my center channel speaker, electronics, and some storage. The TV will be on the furniture (not wall mounted). I'm looking for a unit that has doors & sides and is at least 70" and 84" would be better. Something like what is shown in post #3304 or #3309 is the general style I'm looking for. I've seen the Salamander Design site and their synergy quad would probably work, but by the time one buys doors, sides, etc the price really climbs towards $2k which seems high for build it yourself furniture.
Can Synergy be bought at a decent discount to their list site?
Are there other brands that you can recommend that have wide units? I'd like to stay under $1500.

Marty1781

11-19-09, 05:49 PM

Check out some of the stands at www.standoutdesigns.com . Solid wood and they come fully-assembled.

denze

11-19-09, 06:29 PM

Bradley Ewas from Living Spaces (http://www.livingspaces.com/ProductView.aspx?vendorId=&cat=ENTERT&coll=5534-ENT&title=&best=&y=352)

Apparently it has a shelf for a center ch, but it looks a bit narrow

Ksound

11-19-09, 07:34 PM

denze

11-19-09, 08:08 PM

Ksound

11-19-09, 08:19 PM

For those who want a cherry finish I would use birch plywood with edging. Birch has a nice grain pattern and looks good with a cherry finish. You could make paneled doors which look nice and spend more on nice hardware - hinges and pulls. I actually already have the wood in my garage so I just need to buy the hardware and stain.

If you use MDF you could always slap some laminate or veneer on it and it would look really sharp.

Besides you can say that you are the only one who owns that piece of furniture. :)

ChemDoctor

11-20-09, 02:10 AM

Definitely a nice setup.

I assume that you started with something like:

http://www.diamondcase.com/MUNARI/Munari_HTML_Files/SysM1_Open.HTML

and then customized it?

A couple of questions:

Do the component units fasten together?
How is the air flow, any components run hot when you have the door and back on?
How easy is it to see through the black glass doors when they're on?

The Diamond Case stands certainly look nice, but I'm after something contemporary looking, and that sort of limits it down to the Munari line, the reset seem to read to me traditional or at least don't have simple lines. Granted, if you get it in Black, might not much register. And they sound like nice enough stands, have good depth, etc. Any comments on materials, fit and finish?

Yes, I started with the basic M1 system and worked with the folks at Diamond Case to customize it. I was impressed in my dealings with the company - just drop them a line if you have specific questions. Some detailed responses to your questions:

1. It is manufactured and shipped as one unit. I think the top can be removed, but you definitely cannot separate it into three sections.

2. Air flow has not been an issue for me. And that's a good thing, because some of my components (especially the Krell KAV-1500 amp) run quite hot. There is a removable back panel with openings for cables that I chose not to install

3. The glass doors are more opaque than I expected. Definitely cannot see through easily in a low-light environment. My room doesn't really have any "bright" light capability (hence the crappy camera picture quality), so I can't comment on that.

4. Overall, I like the construction of the unit. I believe the finish is laminate. It's on hidden rollers, so it is easy to move around.

hepalex

11-20-09, 12:10 PM

Or have a local builder make a custom cabinet for you. These cabinets are a piece of a cake to build if you know how to do it. You could probably save on costs if they build it out and you sand and paint it.

I'm about to build my own cab to accommodate my new 50" plasma and equipment. The cost for my cabinet should be right around $300 or less.

I agree about building your own if you have some time and a few tools. I have been meaning to post here since I built my own custom stand back in June but haven't had a chance. My inspiration came from a post by a_ok2me here

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=133891&d=1234932121

Both a_ok2me and another member silverfx inspired me to attempt to build my own since I couldn't find one that was exactly what I wanted. I designed the stand using google sketchup and built it myself over a period of about four weekends. I really don't have any woodworking experience other than 25 years ago from one year of woodshop in high school and I am not really handy when it comes to tools but this was a fun project. I used solid pine. I was going to use oak plywood but found some pre-glued pine panels at Lowes the exact size as my design so decided to go with that. The finish is just a satin black spray paint with clear coat and I think it came out pretty good. Cost of all materials was around $325. It may not be up to the standards of some others on here but I like how it turned out. Here are some pictures (excuse my poor camera skills:o).

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb234/hepalex/P6300245.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb234/hepalex/P6140235.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb234/hepalex/P6300246.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb234/hepalex/P6300259.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb234/hepalex/P6300251.jpg

Here is the design from google sketchup. I don't know how to display a PDF file.