Cable management

[Affordable$$Audio]

One of the most important and overlooked areas of improving sound involves cable management. How do you handle it based upon your rig's setup?

[Charivari]

I use small tie wraps (though I've a couple of velcro wraps in use too) to secure the excess wire and run the interconnects down one side of the rack and power cords down the other. When I need something more to help keep track of what goes where, I use a piece of folded over masking tape near the cable end to write a quick label on. Nothing pretty, of course, but it's only the cosmetics that suffer, not the sonics and that's what I care about.

I will admit that for a short while in the past I did worry about keeping the cables apart, off the carpeting, and only crossing at greater than 45 degree angles. I even tried tying my speaker cables up via a funky suspension system from the top of my 6' tall speakers. Shameful huh? I found out afterwards that all that effort was for nought and made no difference so far as I could tell. So, I went back to the more convenient approach described above. This way I don't trip over my cables near as much.

- JP

[dingus]

the best example i've seen is from Mark W's "Shrine of the Vintage Pioneer". here are some pic's from his photobucket album found
here.

[hifi_nut]

My wiring procedures are a shame.

I have no excuse, for I have what is basically a permanent system, as opposed to many of you who keep rotating items in and out of the rig, so I really should do something about it.

Mark W´s wiring is the neatest I´ve ever, and I do mean ever, seen in my whole life.

Jorge

[bolly]

I don't dare show a pic of my wiring!

BTW, MarkW's is a fantastic wiring job!!

[BroonsBane]

Me neither, it's an absolute disgrace. In all fairness to myself, I'm behind the racks moving stuff in and out all the time, it's very hard to the cables tidy!

[Mark W.]

Well ###### I guess I should say something like thanks guys. Coming from a model airplane and Hot rod background I guess paid off. If only the rest of my crap was as well organized!

The photo's shown here are of the setup last winter. this winter I drastically simplified the Speaker cables and the antenna lead in they now come into the rack from the top and directly to the jacks they need to go to.

Still to come are some improvements to the Power cords along the Right side of the rack.

You will notice at the bottom the power cords going around the side these act like short extension cords allowing my TV DVD VCR CABLE AND TIVO units to be connected into the Power conditioner.

My rack is very complected due to the built in nature. This winter I made a huge improvement by completely rearranging the tool room in my shop which is directly behind the Shrine. This allowed me to put a small access door the back of the rack.

This allowed me to do away with some complicated things I had to do to move the rack in and out of it's little pocket in the wall.

I'm sure I will come up with a few more things to simplify and I am going to be making some different interconnects so that will cause some changes.

OH one thing to add to JP's list of goodies to be used to wrangle wires and such. My interconnects are coax and the plastic clips that hot rodder's might use to organize spark plugs fit perfectly. They are what I use to parallel route the wires

[dingus]

Mark,
i remember seeing pic's of some of your more recent changes and improvements, but these were the only photo's i could find of your cabling work. they still get the point across quite effectively.

[Affordable$$Audio]

Mark:
My wife would love you and hate me if she ever saw those pics!

[OvenMaster]

Nicely done, Mark. An obvious example of great love and care.
Me, I'm a rat's nest of wires type, because with my gear it hasn't seemed to make one bit o' difference one way or the other how the wires were arranged.

Plus, I'm lazy.

[Mark W.]

Well Scott I am without reservation glad to be of service!

I think a big part of why I do this stuff is how much I love the adult version of

SHOW AND TELL .

[Charivari]

We're all in agreement that Mark's cable management is incredible and looks great. However, the rest of us shouldn't feel lacking in comparison. We're providing valuable habitat for our respective rodent populations.

- JP