Eight Great Ways to Park Your Gear

In the world of home entertainment, prized possessions run the gamut from media players and perfectly calibrated HDTVs to sophisticated processors and hulking power amplifiers to AV receivers and cable boxes to speakers of different shapes and sizes—all stuff that needs a proper home. You do have a proper home for your AV treasures, don’t you? A home that provides unbending support (think sturdy shelves that don’t sag) and thoughtful features like casters, cable management, and ventilation. A home that showcases your gear or hides it away. A home that doesn’t put components at risk of tumbling onto the floor every time your subwoofer rumbles. If you’re ready to step up your AV game, here are a few racks, cabinets, and mounts that deserve a look.

Soundbar on Board
Salamander teamed with Leon Speakers to develop a high-end LCR soundbar and center-channel speaker, either of which can be seamlessly integrated into AV cabinets in its Chameleon (12 models, Chicago model shown at top of page) and Synergy (eight models) lines. The speakers are built to order with high-quality 5-inch Peerless woofers and 1-inch cloth-dome tweeters: A woofer-tweeter-woofer D’Appolito configuration is used in the center-channel speaker and for the soundbar’s center-channel driver complement, which is flanked by left- and right-channel woofer/tweeter pairs. Chameleon’s contemporary styled Chicago 245 model ($2,899), shown with textured black oak doors in its wall-mount configuration, features a black glass top, aluminum frame, infinitely adjustable component shelves, wire management, and ventilation louvers. A variety of finishes and configurations are available. Price: $899 and up
salamanderdesigns.com


514furn.avrack.jpg Take Me for a Spin
Owning a rack full of AV gear is a beautiful thing that engenders a great sense of pride, but things can turn ugly when it’s time to remove a component if you don’t have easy access to the business side of your gear. Many of us don’t. Canada’s Avrak specializes in easy-to-assemble racks that pull out and spin around 180 degrees so you can get to those cables and connectors without having to summon super powers. The Fatrak double-wide rotating rack (shown with three shelves) features infinitely adjustable 0.75-inch-thick shelves and supports 300 to 500 pounds, depending on configuration (up to seven shelves is possible). An online tutorial tells you how to organize cabling to ensure the rack rotates freely. Price: $1,159 to $1,983, depending on size and options
avrak.com



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Make It Disappear The Phoenix P6932 TV Lift offers a glimpse of the numerous made-to-order AV furniture options available from Anaheim, California–based Diamond Case, owned and operated by the Hartfelder family for nearly 25 years. Whatever style, size, or finish cabinet you want, chances are they have it. The star of this show is a motorized lift mounted in a high-quality wood cabinet available in 16 museum-quality finishes (cherry shown). Press a button, and the TV (up to 65 inches) magically appears—or disappears. Highlights include component and storage areas with adjustable shelves, a concealed speaker/soundbar shelf, “air chimney” ventilation, internal wire management, and numerous options, including display lighting, glass doors and shelves, a TV swivel, and a remote control repeater for operating hidden gear. Prices start at $3,999.
diamondcase.com



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Have It Your Way
One of three models in Bell’O’s Triple Play line, the TPC2133 combines a scratch-resistant metal frame with brushed-nickel accents, solid-wood legs, and black safety-glass shelves to create a stylish and sturdy AV rack that can be configured as a standalone table or with an adjustable TV mount/swivel (shown) that supports TVs with screen sizes up to 60 inches (125 pounds max). Don’t like either of those options? Convert the TV pole into a wall mount. Either way, Bell’O says the rack can be assembled in minutes, without tools. The stand accommodates up to four components and has integrated channels for organizing and concealing cables. Price: $399
bello.com



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Stylish and Practical
The open lattice motif of the Sanus Trillium63 cabinet is not only good-looking but practical because it doesn’t interfere with infrared (IR) control signals and promotes airflow to help keep components cool. Available in walnut or dark cherry (shown), the cabinet is designed to support TVs weighing up to 100 pounds and has room for two components (up to 100 pounds) plus a soundbar up to 40 inches wide. A hinged panel centered directly below the top of the cabinet provides access to the speaker cubby, and dual compartments on either side provide storage for media and accessories. Price: $900
sanus.com



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Out-of-Box Experience
Installing a video projector on the ceiling is the way to go, but it can be a tricky proposition for the uninitiated. OmniMount aims to simplify the task with the PJT40 universal mount, which is described as a complete out-of-box mounting solution for small to large projectors weighing up to 40 pounds. The mount’s “lift n’ lock” design and QuickLock feature make it possible for one person to install a projector. All necessary mounting hardware is included along with a ceiling plate and a 3-inch drop pipe. The use of turnbuckles is said to simplify positioning and, once the projector is in place, fine pitch and roll adjustments can be done by hand. Price: $180
omnimount.com



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Now-You-See-It, Now-You-Don’t TV
Friends will be impressed when you grab that Rembrandt hanging on your wall, pull it out, and flip it around to reveal your TV. Do the same trick from the sofa using a remote control, and their jaws will drop. Either way, Hidden Vision TV Mounts has you covered with manual and motorized versions of its Flip-Around TV mount. Choose a picture frame from more than a dozen options and select one of the 1,500 prints available at mycamera2canvas.com (or upload your own image), and you’ll be wowing your neighbors in no time. The unique mount is designed for DIY installation and uses gas springs and a counter-balance system to neutralize the weight of the TV so the mechanism rotates freely. Price: $599, manual mount; $1,599; motorized version
hvtvmounts.com



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Stand Out Simplicity
There’s something to be said for the simple, open design of Standout Designs’ Amplitude Trio TV console. The solid-oak stand measures 67.5 x 28 x 18 inches (WxHxD) and has three component cubbies, each of which can hold one or two components, plus a 58-inch-wide floating shelf to accommodate a soundbar. Weight capacities of the top and bottom shelves are 150 and 100 pounds, respectively. Finish options include cinnamon, espresso, natural oak, and black oak (shown). Price: $1,900
standoutdesigns.com

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