Part of setting up a professional home theater, recording studio or other high end audio application is choosing furniture to properly house and protect your valuable equipment. After all, if you’re going to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on gear then you want to ensure it will stand the test of time, not the mention the abuse from daily usage. Although you can choose just any type of furniture to house your equipment, there are pieces designed specifically for audio equipment, and these are known as audio towers.
If you’ve ever shopped for an audio tower then you know that the choices are nearly limitless. With that said, it’s important to know what constitutes a professional audio cabinet and what doesn’t. Buying a piece of furniture that just happens to fit your audio equipment doesn’t necessarily qualify. What I’m referring to are towers that come equipped with integrated power distribution and cable organization. A professional tower also needs to have enough room to comfortably house your audio/video components while providing them with the space and air flow they need to prevent overheating. I love the built in power and the cable organization of these things. Gone are the days of taping bunches of cables together
Although professional cabinets were once all very industrial looking, this is no longer the case. In fact, you can buy a high end unit that looks similar to other types of furniture you would keep in your home, which is great if you’re looking to set up a serious home theater. There are cabinets made to be placed in their own media closets and also those that are designed to be freestanding. There are even corner audio towers if you simply don’t have the space to place it against a flat wall. If you really want to get fancy, there are even racks available that feature slide out shelves so that you can easily maintain your equipment when necessary. Anyone that’s ever had to diagnose an audio or video problem in a traditional entertainment center knows how much of a pain it can be just to reach their cables and connections. Getting in an awkward twisted position while trying to hold a flashlight to see your work is not something you want to be doing.
So, get out there and see what’s available. I think you will be surprised at the many options that exist when it comes to providing your equipment with a professional home.