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Electronics : hide it Vs show it

G

G.smith310

pfm Member
Who does what ?

I prefer to hide my electronics (except turn table if I had space) but I get the feeling most people have theirs on show.
 
I have never given it any thought at all.
HiFi racks are pretty much all open shelves and I have never used anything but shelves - in fact only ever the precise same ones.

I can't bear the thought of the sheer hassle of bunging stuff inside some kind of cupboard - the nightmare of cables. That ignores the need for at least some ventilation.
 
Main components on show, turntable, amps and players. Everything else hidden away - phono stages, sky boxes, routers etc.

when I rebuild the new tv ‘wall’ everything will be hidden away apart from the preamp and turntable.
 
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I have a closed cabinet with plenty of ventilation slots. So most things hidden away behind It’s dark glass doors.
Only thing I have out on top is the component that has the main volume control.
Can’t beat the feel of a big solid knob for this.

now, now children. No giggling at the back please.
 
I've never hidden my hifi. It'd be a faff to adjust volume (no remote), make mix tapes, even insert a CD behind closed doors. Even my class A amp prefers to be in the open for obvious reasons. The only two item that wouldn't matter hidden is the phono stage and streamer. Everything else requires a physical touch to operate.
 
Show, definitely, though I don't think that my wife approves tbh! We have a through lounge and all of the equipment is in the far end, so in main part of the lounge itself, you only see the loudspeakers , but I haven't made any attempt to hide any of it and it's on a stack of Mana too.

I only found out recently, that she has a photo on her phone of the hi-fi, so that she can show her workmates what she has to put up with.
 
Since my speakers are active, they have 6 amplifiers hidden inside them, and my DAC and associated netbook just sit on the lower shelf of a coffee table in a corner. My CDs are all hidden in the cloud.
 
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I have two enormous JBL 4435s driven by two Bryston amps via an external crossover, fed by a streamer using a Melco (which - I think! - makes a difference). Frankly? The novelty of looking at the kit wore off aeons ago, I wish I could hide it somewhere or make it less intrusive and just focus on the music.
 
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Show, definitely, though all my kit is in the ‘vintage classic’ category and looks superb IMHO. I’ve never understood the desire for sparse, bland ‘follow estate-agent mentality’ rooms. My house is full of really cool stuff! I’d far prefer to look at a TD-124 or TL12 Plus than some bland poorly-framed picture of someone’s ugly children, which seems to be what many display in their empty echoey homes.
 
Most of my Hi Fi is in a purpose built cabinet. My turntable and SUT sit on the cabinet. Other than that the only things on display are my speakers and a my power amps which sit on the floor because of size/weight/heat issues.
 
Tony L said:
Show, definitely, though all my kit is in the ‘vintage classic’ category and looks superb IMHO. I’ve never understood the desire for sparse, bland ‘follow estate-agent mentality’ rooms. My house is full of really cool stuff! I’d far prefer to look at a TD-124 or TL12 Plus than some bland poorly-framed picture of someone’s ugly children, which seems to be what many display in their empty echoey homes.
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How sad.
Some can do both.
 
I'm happy to have mine on display. Mrs BB would much prefer everything hidden, apart from the turntable but never complains about it because she has carte blanche to decorate everywhere as she thinks fit (she has good taste) and knows the HiFi is my 'thing'. I do insist on input in the kitchen design as I do all the cooking.

Cheers BB
 
Tony L said:
I’d far prefer to look at a TD-124 or TL12 Plus than some bland poorly-framed picture of someone’s ugly children..
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That is a bit cruel Tony!

My wife has pictures of the family on the wall, though most of the family aren't impressed when they visit tbh! In the room that houses the hi-fi and records, I have pictures of Zappa, Peel, Beefheart, my late Brother & LP album frames, currently displaying PJ Harvey.
 
All open for accessibility, ventilation and remote visibility.

OH isn't too bothered about things looking tidy or a few wires and loves decent music.
 
I think it depends on the setting. I really quite like the minimalist look but it has to be in the right property. What looks right in a glass and steel contemporary home wouldn’t look right in a 500 year old country cottage and vice versa. As ever, horses for courses.
 
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