is there a recommended position in a rack for certain equipment to keep stuff cool?

ie, amp/receiver near the top?

i know heat rises so i was thinking it would make sense to put the hotter stuff at the top?

i have searched using several different strings and can't find anything. i thought i saw a post the other day talking specifically about this...

There is some talk about it in Chinadog/Bud's thread (Blazing Ridge) - that's one of the longsest threads here, but the "search this thread" may help. My limitted understanding matches yours, and I put my hottest stuff up high, and spaced all the heat generators (amps, receivers, PS3, DVR) as much as I could. Here is an early stab at a layout:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u129/dc_pilgrim/rackplan.jpg

Generally that is the right idea. Keep in mind that some racks tell you to keep at least half the weight in the bottom 1/3 of the rack. This is especially true if the rack moves (in/out or rotate)

So I have the opposite which is receiver/UPS in the bottom of the rack. My rack is pretty open in the back and side so there is no issue with places for heat to escape.