Has anyone moved audio equipment to a Closet?

EWizard

EWizard

Super Member
Hey everyone.
I am in the execution phase of my next large audio install at home.
Last year I bought a pair of Bozak Concerto Grosso speakers (aka 305's) with the center gear cabinet.

When moved all of my gear out of the old cabinet, and moved it into the Bozak, my current HK AVR was too wide for the partitioned cabinet. No worries, I installed it on the diagonal. Looks ugly with the door open but I have an IR relay, and can keep the cabinet closed and still use my remote.

Then I was thinking that I would be able to put my Empire turntable in the top compartment of the console. After all the guy that sold me the Bozak stuff had an empire in the top compartment of the cabinet.
Well, the Empire 208 was much too tall to fit in this hinged top compartment.
He must have had a lower profile Empire (598/698 maybe).

This fall I am planning on upgrading my receiver to the TOTL Denon 4520 AVR.
Since this unit is even larger than the HK, I am considering moving all of the equipment to the front coat closet of my house.
The 4520 has an onscreen display, so I think it will work out ok.
I also plan on using an IR relay, so remote control won't be an issue.

I think this will give me bonus points on WAF to go this route.
And it will allow me to put records in the Bozak console.

Just curious if anyone has put their gear in a closet?
 
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I had three turntables in rotation in one system. Passed one to a relative whose formula for audio appreciation included a belt drive model. And then there were two. Acquired a Technics SL-1800Mk2 and put it in the rotational system. It hasn't moved out since then. So there are two turntables in storage. Plus two working cassette decks. And one CD player.
 
Relating to post one; I don't use anything that is controlled by remote, and like the look of stereo equipment, so no. I may someday incorporate some sort of music server that will be hidden away.

Relating to post two; yes, I still have plenty of unused equipment, despite having gotten rid of loads of it in the recent past.
 
Running equipment in a closet will require ventilation. Heat management is the issue ...
 
BrocLuno said:
Running equipment in a closet will require ventilation. Heat management is the issue ...
Click to expand...

Depends on the equipment and the closet. If the doors have space on the bottom and top, you have a chimney. If its not tube gear, it should be fine unless you are running it at full blast for hours.
 
I moved my equipment to a closet. Love it. Would not go back.

I have a Lexicon DC-1 in the closet as well as the Playstation3, tuner, eq's, DBX Rack Drive, etc.

I feed the remote commands to the closet via an IR repeater. I don't have fan noise, DVD noises, or any of that in the listening room. In fact, my sub is mounted on the wall in the closet and I have a big cutout. The speakers are in the main listening room and are powered, but don't use fans. If I still used a turntable, I'd stick it in the closet too. It'd be nice to hear a record with less acoustic feedback.
 
I cut into the wall on the side of my entrance closet, and sunk an old audio cabinet about 2/3s of the way into it. So, I have an unusually shallow audio cabinet in my living room, and can access the wiring from inside the closet. I would have liked to sink it all the way in, making it flush to the wall, but my wife really wanted to keep some closet for coats etc. I've been considering adding a pair of fans at the top, to vent into the attic, but it only seems to get moderately warm in there, so I don't know if it's worth the trouble & noise. I really like how solid it is... no worries about foot traffic vibrations getting to my turntable!
 
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In the past I've had servers in the coat closet of a different house.
It did get warm enough to warrrant putting in some venitlation.
What I did was put a tunnel in the wall between the closet and my son's closet, and mounted a 120V biscuit fan to pull the hot air out of the coat closet vented into the other room.
That worked really, really well so venting is not an issue.
The room on the other side of the wall is the garage, so I would have no problem venting into there.

My wife is very difficult when it comes to stereo equipment showing.
I settled on vintage Bozak's because they look like mid-century furniture.
The Empire 208 can also be considered fine art, and she has no problem having it in the living room.

A pic of the Bozak's and console:
C75CEC21-33E9-43A3-AAB0-2482B4889329-7311-000005CC353B6F84.jpg
 
EWizard said:
My wife is very difficult when it comes to stereo equipment showing.
I settled on vintage Bozak's because they look like mid-century furniture.
The Empire 208 can also be considered fine art, and she has no problem having it in the living room.
Click to expand...

I think your wife has good taste. That looks very nice and well thought out :)

I don't mind at all that they want a say in how things look and feel (WAF). B&O used to cater to the "it has to look good" crowd and they did pretty well.

Bling and style are not bad concepts, unless they go over the top.

In my case I'm hiding most of the HT system in an alcove around the corner in the stairwell. As long as it works for all and for the tunes, it's good :music:
 
I have several pieces in a basement closet. They're not anything I could sell but I don't want to give/throw them away yet. Maybe someday.
 
I have 3.5 pair of spkrs, 1 tuner, a mini-componet stereo system, and a TON of cables in the closet...In boxes.
 
I once had my system set up like this in my closet:


I built the shelves and drilled holes in the back to run wires. Ventilation wasn't an issue because I took the doors off. I no longer have my system in there as I have purchased a baker's rack recently and have moved my LPs and tapes onto the shelves now.
 
EWizard said:
Then I was thinking that I would be able to put my Empire turntable in the top compartment of the console. After all the guy that sold me the Bozak stuff had an empire in the top compartment of the cabinet.
Well, the Empire 208 was much too tall to fit in this hinged top compartment.
He must have had a lower profile Empire (598/698 maybe).
Click to expand...

Sounds like he had a 498 in the cabinet. That was Empire's "low profile" turntable which was perfect for consoles. (i.e.: low profile and the spring suspension would make it ideal for installation in a console that also contained speakers.) The 598/698 would be about as tall as a 208/298/398.
 
BrocLuno said:
Running equipment in a closet will require ventilation. Heat management is the issue ...
Click to expand...

This, plus some areas have code restrictions on high voltage outlets in what is designated (or still partially used as) a 'closet'. Think it through, and ask a local electrician about any issue they might foresee.

je
 
I did that in our previous home. It was quite a neat installation as the only things in the room were the speakers.

On the minus side I found it to be rather unhandy. As you can see by my signature line remotes were/are not part of the equation. Having to attend the system or make changes was a something of a pain.
 
empirelvr said:
Sounds like he had a 498 in the cabinet. That was Empire's "low profile" turntable which was perfect for consoles. (i.e.: low profile and the spring suspension would make it ideal for installation in a console that also contained speakers.) The 598/698 would be about as tall as a 208/298/398.
Click to expand...

Does a 498 use the same motor?
Could a 298 be slimmed down with a different base?
 
Does a pantry count?
All audio wires in my house lead there.
However, not the main system.
NAD 7120 and an iPod dock for BG music.
For serious listening into the basement where I belong.
 
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