Here's a visual aid!
See how it blocks the U spaces above and below it? Not cool.
No it won't be, if you a trying to have the equipment one above the other with no gaps for ventilation.
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Sansui Rack Handles
- Thread starter PostAmp
- Start date
No it won't be, if you a trying to have the equipment one above the other with no gaps for ventilation.
pete_mac
Super Member
right. duly noted.
It's just kind of silly that it is sooo close to being correct, could easily have been designed to be compatible, but just isn't. It's the "pretend" aspect that's frustrating. I accept not all gear will rack mount - it's an odd need for the vast majority. But then don't tease!
I think the pioneer spec series is compliant. Some Nikko stuff I saw too looked correct. Sansui tricked me...
Again, the design never had standard racks in mind - the rack ears are designed to suit the Sansui OEM racks only. They never 'pretended' or claimed to be anything other than this.
If a company today designed consumer-grade gear with proprietary rack ears which suited their own model of rack, what's the big deal? Like Sansui, it's not as though they designed the rack ears with the intention that they would be a universal fit.
usedto
Lunatic Member
If memory serves me correct (1979), my O'Sullivan rack had the holes drilled at different spacing, making "equal" spacing between components difficult. I had to lay the unit on it's back and set my AU719, TU717, SE7, and SC1330 in, then slide them around to find the closest holes that would match up all at the same time, and keep the spacing close.
They are now in a cabinet with shelves.
EDIT:
I found a photo of the rack just before I tore it apart. Notice the gap between the tuner/amp, amp/equalizer, and equalizer/ cassette deck all increase as you go down the rack. That was the best I could get out of it. Hey, after a few beers.........................
They are now in a cabinet with shelves.
EDIT:
I found a photo of the rack just before I tore it apart. Notice the gap between the tuner/amp, amp/equalizer, and equalizer/ cassette deck all increase as you go down the rack. That was the best I could get out of it. Hey, after a few beers.........................
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Man, you guys know A LOT about stereos/hifi - but I wouldn't call you experts on racks.
I started it because it's a relevant piece of information for people. One I wish I had known. Others responded, but - yes - I'm right.
THe problem isn't my rack. It doesn't lack holes. (lol@repeating same thing) My rack has the exact hole configuration as that adapter - aka "the standard" - aka the thing no one here wants to admit exists.
Also, the 317 is not "substantial" for mounting. I have drawers that weight more. There are things like digibeta decks that are over 60lbs and mount fine with no need to block bordering spaces.
RE: ventilation...
Usually, you just configure the components to account for that as needed (say, putting a compressor or something not very deep above an amp). Or you mount a blank in the space above it. Or you mount a fan/vent in the space above it. But making the area around it unusable is not some "ingenious design."
In closing...I want to educate potential users on this rack issue. You guys can get all defensive about your brand, etc, but that seems silly to me.
Sansui does not mount properly on standard 19" rack systems. Case Closed.
Those are in homemade racks or sansui branded ones. The maker of my rack is irrelevant. It's Middle Atlantic - but doesn't matter. It's a standard! That's like asking the brand of railroad tracks.
I started it because it's a relevant piece of information for people. One I wish I had known. Others responded, but - yes - I'm right.
You just have to trust me that there's something called a 19" rack standard that's been in use since before sansui imported stereo equipment. I can't keep repeating this point. I want to cry because no one seems capable of understanding this. It's basic.
link? Did it end with "Naw, they fit fine in racks!"
THe problem isn't my rack. It doesn't lack holes. (lol@repeating same thing) My rack has the exact hole configuration as that adapter - aka "the standard" - aka the thing no one here wants to admit exists.
Also, the 317 is not "substantial" for mounting. I have drawers that weight more. There are things like digibeta decks that are over 60lbs and mount fine with no need to block bordering spaces.
RE: ventilation...
Usually, you just configure the components to account for that as needed (say, putting a compressor or something not very deep above an amp). Or you mount a blank in the space above it. Or you mount a fan/vent in the space above it. But making the area around it unusable is not some "ingenious design."
In closing...I want to educate potential users on this rack issue. You guys can get all defensive about your brand, etc, but that seems silly to me.
Sansui does not mount properly on standard 19" rack systems. Case Closed.
pete_mac
Super Member
The only point of contention is that Sansui were somehow inept due to not adopting a universal rack ear design for their consumer-grade gear which is designed to suit Sansui-specific racks. We obviously disagree on this point, and so bet it.
The main thing to take from this thread is your last sentence quite above. :thmbsp:
Yeah I agree with you. Just wish I had known is all. Sansui's system half-conforms (their hole spacing is correct), but then deviates in a way that isn't immediately obvious. That's why it was confusing for me, and unexpected.
Information is power, etc.
Well, now it is obvious to me they certainly did design it specifically for their consumer grade rack. So they could sell their consumer grade racks. Hey - I know the bottom line is the bottom line, but that's still gonna get an eye roll from me even 40 years later.
pete_mac
Super Member
Well, now it is obvious to me they certainly did design it specifically for their consumer grade rack. So they could sell their consumer grade racks. Hey - I know the bottom line is the bottom line, but that's still gonna get an eye roll from me even 40 years later.
At the time when this gear was sold new, nobody in their right mind would have contemplated fitting Sansui gear to anything BUT the OEM rack. It's only an issue these days due to the rarity of the OEM racks and the proliferation of pro-style racks in the following 40 years. As above, it's definitely good to know this for future reference.
Chip Chester
Super Member
The 317's manual calls out the height at 4 3/8". Industry standard rackmount heights are 1.75, 3.5, 5.25, etc. No 4-anything. So there's hint number one of trouble to come. (The rackmount adaptors listed in one of the above posts are to allow mounting 19" gear in 24" telco racks. Not applicable to this issue.)
So The Sansui Substitution (tm) just doesn't allow for immediately adjacent devices to be mounted, because it's undersized (or oversized) and throws off the sequence. If it were 3.5", or 5.25", it would be fine. So, even if the rackmount ears were remade to allow closer adjacent equipment, other standard equipment would wind up with rack holes not matching equipment holes. Because the tuner is not a multiple of 1.75" in height.
The ways around this include modifying standard blank or vent screen panels to get the mounting sequence "back on track", or using a shelf to rest the device on, and installing placebo rack screws in the holes, (that don't actually support it) and living with the open space above and below. You could also mount in in a rackmount adaptor like they use for off-size consumer gear, but it still won't match the visual spacing.
Sourcing or replicating Sansui rack hole spacing would do the trick, but the only way to do that without modifying your MA rack would be to attach the non-standard rails to the standard rails with stand-offs, and use short screws to attach the non-standard pitch stuff. You could do this just for the area of the Sansui equipment, if you have a mixed-brand system, although spacers behind the standard stuff would be needed for all to be flush, and the tuner would still cause a gap unless it's at the top or bottom.
You can believe that Middle Atlantic's products support the current standards.
(And that standard is not "Every 1" a hole" as mentioned earlier. It is: Two mounting holes for every 1RU piece of equipment, PLUS, one centered hole for each 1RU piece of equipment. That way, you can mount current gear with a total of four screws, and older gear or blank panels with a total of two screws.) So the MA rack is fine.
PostAmp did happen upon the main design focus of the series: "That said, the gear looks pretty cool." Looks like that was what Sansui was going for.
Note that a quick trip to the drawer pull aisle in the hardware store could result in cool-looking handles for any gear you want. A dot of double-stick tape will give you stick-on convenience of your desired styling cues -- no rack required.
Chip
So The Sansui Substitution (tm) just doesn't allow for immediately adjacent devices to be mounted, because it's undersized (or oversized) and throws off the sequence. If it were 3.5", or 5.25", it would be fine. So, even if the rackmount ears were remade to allow closer adjacent equipment, other standard equipment would wind up with rack holes not matching equipment holes. Because the tuner is not a multiple of 1.75" in height.
The ways around this include modifying standard blank or vent screen panels to get the mounting sequence "back on track", or using a shelf to rest the device on, and installing placebo rack screws in the holes, (that don't actually support it) and living with the open space above and below. You could also mount in in a rackmount adaptor like they use for off-size consumer gear, but it still won't match the visual spacing.
Sourcing or replicating Sansui rack hole spacing would do the trick, but the only way to do that without modifying your MA rack would be to attach the non-standard rails to the standard rails with stand-offs, and use short screws to attach the non-standard pitch stuff. You could do this just for the area of the Sansui equipment, if you have a mixed-brand system, although spacers behind the standard stuff would be needed for all to be flush, and the tuner would still cause a gap unless it's at the top or bottom.
You can believe that Middle Atlantic's products support the current standards.
(And that standard is not "Every 1" a hole" as mentioned earlier. It is: Two mounting holes for every 1RU piece of equipment, PLUS, one centered hole for each 1RU piece of equipment. That way, you can mount current gear with a total of four screws, and older gear or blank panels with a total of two screws.) So the MA rack is fine.
PostAmp did happen upon the main design focus of the series: "That said, the gear looks pretty cool." Looks like that was what Sansui was going for.
Note that a quick trip to the drawer pull aisle in the hardware store could result in cool-looking handles for any gear you want. A dot of double-stick tape will give you stick-on convenience of your desired styling cues -- no rack required.
Chip
Thanks, Chip.
I used a 4U shelf with the au317 and tu217 standing on it (both with feet). Of course, the shelf knocks the rack handles so they can't even be on there just for show.
The two units with feet are close enough to 5U that it doesn't look too much like anything's amiss.
Now to get speakers!*
*picks up speakers that use some non-standard electrical source.
I used a 4U shelf with the au317 and tu217 standing on it (both with feet). Of course, the shelf knocks the rack handles so they can't even be on there just for show.
The two units with feet are close enough to 5U that it doesn't look too much like anything's amiss.
Now to get speakers!*
*picks up speakers that use some non-standard electrical source.
Chip Chester
Super Member
If the unit below allows, you might try turning the shelf upside down, and sandwiching it between the unit below and the rails. This would basically leave the rails above the shelf unimpeded, which would allow the tuner's rack handles to be as recessed as possible.
Also, not all shelves are narrow -- some are 17", some are 18" -- just barely fitting between the rails. How much is needed for the tuner? Manual says just under 17", but I don't know what the rack handles add.
Chip
Also, not all shelves are narrow -- some are 17", some are 18" -- just barely fitting between the rails. How much is needed for the tuner? Manual says just under 17", but I don't know what the rack handles add.
Chip
That's so funny you suggest that - I had just thought about doing it.
But the stuff below won't mount right with the shelf around it (dueling for screw holes).
I have a 4-post shelf that might work, but it's just too much bother. I'll upload a picture once the whole system is together.
But the stuff below won't mount right with the shelf around it (dueling for screw holes).
I have a 4-post shelf that might work, but it's just too much bother. I'll upload a picture once the whole system is together.
Chip Chester
Super Member
Great minds and all that. Seems like extra holes in a shelf would be a cheap price to pay for rack handle continuity...
Ok, I'm done!
Chip
Ok, I'm done!
Chip