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Fully assembled RACKS like Sanus CFR2144 or OmniMount RE42, Worth it? Other Suggestions?

7K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  luvthefloyd 
#1 ·
Hi all,


I am looking foward to get a fully assembled rack, as i am complete noob in this, and would like to initially get into a Rack cabinet that is easy setup, understand the setup, undestand various options then move into higher end racks such as MA.

Currently my AV cabinet is overflowing with gadgets and i would like to stack them into an AV rack. For this i was looking at Sanus CFR2144 and OmniMount RE42 Racks. But somewhere i also read that they are chinese made.


Currently I dont want to spend a lot of money on a high end rack as i dont have a dedicated theater yet, this will be sitting in my living room where there is ample space just for one full sized rack, and wanted to get a good sturdy rack that comes with all the needed panels, doors, casters and shelfs, and doesnt look cheap.

I dont have much understanding in racks to pull out a good deal of ebay, and custom make it per my requirements, which i will eventually get into once i get one now.

Whats ur suggestion?

ANyone here using the OmniMount RE42? Are they worth it? They come fully assmebled with doors and side panels, with faceplates, shelves and other accessories including casters and stands.




Details
http://www.omnimountpro.com/Product/Racks_and_Rack_Enclosures/RE42/


I see deal for OmniMount R342 going as low as 650 dollars including shipping. What are your suggestions.
 
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#2 ·
Guys any suggestions on this? My current AV cabinet is almost broken not able to withstand the weight of the components placed inside it. I have been reading around, and getting to learn a lot, i am doing my part of self learning, but would like to get some guidance from people who have on-hands experience.
 
#3 ·
I picked up an OmniMount RE27 a couple of months ago and have been very happy with it. The only thing I had to do was to pick up a couple of extra shelves, as I did not want to stack anything.
 
#4 ·
I had a talk with couple of people who are dealing in racks cabinets over the phone, and the most common disadvantage i hear about Racks made of steel is these racks vibrate/rumble due to the subwoofer... specially if you have a subwoofer thats capable of outputting LFE sound.

Plus over the years they tend to bend. I found Middle Atlantic's ERK-4425 racks to be ideal for the price. As i will be chooseing the option of custom faceplates to give the rack a cleaner look, i wont be going for the glass door panel.

Any suggestions on this? Do people in here have glass panels and faceplates togather?
 
#5 ·
That's a big rack for a living room, no matter how pretty!



I bought one of the Peerless 32U fully assembled racks for my A/V closet. It's not fully contained (no side panels or door). If you go down the Omni path or one like it, just watch the shipping cost - these usually have to come truck freight, which can make it a non-deal!




I chose this one as it was cheaper than the Omni and other options, and was going to be in a closet anyway. I specifically wanted a rack with carpet-capable casters... With the inclusion of the 5 shelves, it was the cheapest of any answer I could find.


Middle Atlantic also has a "Residential Design" series rack that you might want to look at if it'll be out in the open. But it won't be 42-44U tall (35U max, I think).

http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/sa/rdr.htm


They have options for side/rear panels, too. (I don't think there's a door option)


If you're thinking about the custom faceplates, I don't think you want to pay for a door. That's a lot of money to hide behind smoked glass that you'll never see. If you enclose the rack, you won't see light around the components anyway. Also, check to see if your existing components have rack ears available, and if they're truly rack-unit-height. Some components have ears, but aren't exactly a whole "U" high, and therefore leave a gap if installed without a faceplate.


The good news about the custom faceplates is that they'll fit on any rack. The bad news is that you have to replace them when you upgrade components. Keep that in mind. You can easily spend more on faceplates than the cost of a nice AVR.


Jeff
 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jautor  /t/1445566/fully-assembled-racks-li...re42-worth-it-other-suggestions#post_22715565


That's a big rack for a living room, no matter how pretty!


I bought one of the Peerless 32U fully assembled racks for my A/V closet. It's not fully contained (no side panels or door). If you go down the Omni path or one like it, just watch the shipping cost - these usually have to come truck freight, which can make it a non-deal!


I chose this one as it was cheaper than the Omni and other options, and was going to be in a closet anyway. I specifically wanted a rack with carpet-capable casters... With the inclusion of the 5 shelves, it was the cheapest of any answer I could find.

Middle Atlantic also has a "Residential Design" series rack that you might want to look at if it'll be out in the open. But it won't be 42-44U tall (35U max, I think).
http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/sa/rdr.htm

They have options for side/rear panels, too. (I don't think there's a door option)

If you're thinking about the custom faceplates, I don't think you want to pay for a door. That's a lot of money to hide behind smoked glass that you'll never see. If you enclose the rack, you won't see light around the components anyway. Also, check to see if your existing components have rack ears available, and if they're truly rack-unit-height. Some components have ears, but aren't exactly a whole "U" high, and therefore leave a gap if installed without a faceplate.

The good news about the custom faceplates is that they'll fit on any rack. The bad news is that you have to replace them when you upgrade components. Keep that in mind. You can easily spend more on faceplates than the cost of a nice AVR.

Jeff

Jeff thanks for your detailed response.

You are true about the faceplates getting expensive and building on the final cost of the rack. I had a talk with Chris at CustomAVRack and he was kind enough to explain in detail. he asked me to send him a list of all the components that i have and make sure list the items that have rack ears.

My living room has high ceiling i guess its 13 feet or little up. I realize the fact that the rack might look ginourmous, in the area.. but soon in an year or so i will be building a theater in a basement, this way i can use the same rack. Chris mentioned they have casters that are gentle to floors. I find the ERK-4425 a better deal compared to the MA slim 5 series, specially in the build section.

Hate the fact that none came up with a business idea of manufacturing cheaper faceplates.
 
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