Rack order sense

[rhodes73]

Hello knowledgeable types!
Here's my question:

Q: I recently bought a rack cabinet and now I have the job of deciding which components go where.

...But I have no idea what the logic in determining the sequence should be. I don't want my decisions based on how far my cords will reach, I know that much. Someone told me that proper sequence is based on which units radiate the most heat. I also heard that the depth of the housings should be a consideration. Is there an easy to remember rule or theorem I can use in deciding because I have been scared to mount some of these things until I am sure. Everything is spread out on tables and stuff. I want to be able to eat food in my kitchen again!

Thanks folks!

 

[LongWaveStudio]

bear in mind heat ventillation, usually with reverb units. but just be sensible really, keep compressors more or less in the same place, where you can see them easily, and reverbs together. there's no real place to put them, but just where it's easiest to acsess and easy for heat to ventilate. i have all my compressors, preamps and reverbs together. everything else just goes wherever.

 

[darrin_h2000]

If you have half rack space gear you should put them on a deeper unit and keep amps on top if they are in the same unit because they put off the most heat.

 

[mikeh]

Obviously, venting for amps (or any other heat producing units) is the first concern. I tend to keep amps at the bottom of the rack (since they tend to be "set and forget"). After that I tend to group my gear in three catagories:

1. Recording gear (Adats, cassettes, CD Decks, etc)
2. Effects/Processing gear (reverbs, compressors, etc)
3. Sound modules

Keep stuff you need to monitor (compressors, etc.) closer to eye level - and keep units you tweak alot (reverbs, sound modules, etc) in easy reach.

The other consideration is depth of the units - some older rack gear is much deeper - if you need to patch cables, you don't want a "small" unit (like a Lexicon MX100) buried between two deep units (or you won't be able to reach the jacks) - oh yeah, that's why they make patch bays!

 

[tubedude]

123

Usually I keep power amps in separate racks.
In the equipment rack, at the very bottom is the rackmount computer, and at the very top is the coverter box, to keep them apart some, and if there are any open spaces, I leave them between the converter box at the top and the next piece, to avoid interferance. Next the patchbay (something non powered to block the next piece from the converters) The next
piece would be my favorite preamp, followed by my next fav preamp, etc, then on down to whatever else will be in the rack. Kinda logical, in a way. I like my favorite preamp at the top, for some reason, then the next most used one next on and on....