bubinga5 Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) What size rack should be getting for an Aguilar ag500sc a DTR2000 tuner and maybe a draw for cables etc.. Im also concerned with space, for the heat release from the amp.. Whats a cheaper option thats quite lightweight...Also where to buy from? Thanks for any advise Edited July 28, 2009 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I'd google it. Not necessarily because I want to view various equipment mounting boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 HE HE.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Forget the drawer... you won't want the weight in the rack. If memory serves me correctly, the amp is 2u plus 1u for tuner... that makes 3u. Theres not that many decent 3u racks around so you are probably looking at a 4u. (assuming you forget the drawer idea). Don't skimp on a rack case. You want one that will hold up. SKB it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yituool Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 OHHHHHHHHHHH those kind of racks... Dammit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 [url="http://www.cpcases.com/product.asp?productid=11"]EMS[/url] do a lightweight modular rack which is built up in 3U sections. However if you want an extra 1U space for ventilation, then I'd go for the [url="http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=125&o=&offset=1&c=116&s=80"]SKB[/url] if you want a shock mount case, or [url="http://www.boschmacases.com/"]Boschma[/url] if you just want standard mountings. I have rack cases by all three manufacturers and they all have their individual plus and minus points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatgoogle Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I use a SKB, dont know which one as i got it second hand, but its good, and holds up really well and taken a few knocks so far and nothings broken in it. If you only need 3u get 3 u for some reason i got a 6 u and only have 2 spaces fill and its a bit retarded on my part as its a bummer to move, especially as its mostly empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 [quote name='EBS_freak' post='554396' date='Jul 28 2009, 08:31 PM']Forget the drawer... you won't want the weight in the rack.[/quote] What he said. [quote]Don't skimp on a rack case. You want one that will hold up. SKB it.[/quote] Errm, what he said. Go for a 4U. If you're worried about ventilation and can live with the gaps, put the tuner at the top and leave half a U of space between it and the Aggy. It'll leave you with another half U of space under the Aggy, and thus plenty of breathing space. Where to buy? FleaBay can be your friend. That's where I got my Gator 4U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 depends where the heating vents are on the amp tbh. Ive seen plenty of 2u amps in 2u racks and theyve not overheated or anything. Plus arnt rack tuners fairly shallow? So they wouldnt take up much "breathing space" anyway. Get a 3u and shove thecables in the back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee-Man Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I have my AG500 dual channel in an Aggie 2u rack bag, it doesn't get very warm, maybe as it's digital? Unlike my Aggie Valve rig which gets v.v.hot if not ventilated. I have a spare Aguilar 2u rack bag I need to sell if your interested:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 [quote name='MythSte' post='554616' date='Jul 28 2009, 11:40 PM']depends where the heating vents are on the amp tbh. Ive seen plenty of 2u amps in 2u racks and theyve not overheated or anything. Plus arnt rack tuners fairly shallow? So they wouldnt take up much "breathing space" anyway. Get a 3u and shove thecables in the back![/quote] Well, the OP raised his concern about heat, which is why I suggested the breathing space thing. OK, well get a 3U if you can find one. 4Us seem to be much more common and cheaper (in my experience anyway) and you can shove even [i]more[/i] cables in the back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johngh Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I've had a 4U Gator rack for a couple of years now and its been very good, highly recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton346 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Try the [url="http://www.flightcasewarehouse.co.uk/index.asp"]Flightcase Warehouse[/url]. I got a 3U made up for my SWR head and Korg Rack Tuner. With the tuner only being under half the depth of the case and head, it means you will still have plenty of ventilation (accompanied by the fact that the front and back will be open when using your amp anyway!) A much more lightweight and less bulky option to go for instead of the 4U. Great quality cases though, very tough and sturdy (they don't bend in the middle like gator cases do or other cheap plastic versions!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 [quote name='Anton346' post='554685' date='Jul 29 2009, 04:47 AM']Great quality cases though, very tough and sturdy (they don't bend in the middle like gator cases do or other cheap plastic versions!)[/quote] My current Gator case has never bent in the middle. My previous Gator case never bent in the middle. Not even when it had a 60lb power amp in it. None of my other ABS cases have ever bent in the middle, even the cheap ones. None of my friends' ABS cases have ever bent in the middle. I have never even [i]seen[/i] an ABS case bend in the middle. 3U, 4U, whatever. But an ABS case isn't going to bend unless you're doing something really daft with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton346 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Rich' post='554808' date='Jul 29 2009, 09:45 AM']My current Gator case has never bent in the middle. My previous Gator case never bent in the middle. Not even when it had a 60lb power amp in it. None of my other ABS cases have ever bent in the middle, even the cheap ones. None of my friends' ABS cases have ever bent in the middle. I have never even [i]seen[/i] an ABS case bend in the middle. 3U, 4U, whatever. But an ABS case isn't going to bend unless you're doing something really daft with it.[/quote] Wow, ok easy there! You obviously have had better experiences with those cases then. I'm just saying i bought a gator case and if any pressure was put on top of it, it started to bend in the middle. My flightcase warehouse rack i can stand on with nothing in it and it won't bend. I'm just giving advice based on my experience with these cases, i'm not making it up for the sake of it. Edited July 29, 2009 by Anton346 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Ive had a Gator 4u for about 4 years and its done me well, its been beaten badly but kept everything protected. BUT the bloody handles have been sliding out of the slots for over a year and everyone I know who uses Gator cases has the same problem. This can get really annoying and I have had my case drop out of my hands as the handle fell out. I am getting myself an SKB case now as they look a lot sturdier in the handle dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 [quote name='Johngh' post='554682' date='Jul 29 2009, 02:42 AM']I've had a 4U Gator rack for a couple of years now and its been very good, highly recommended.[/quote] ++ Gator (and I think SKB) also do shallow racks if you've got especially shallow gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I had a SKB case and it was just the job. Strong, metal on the corners and robust hinges. Had it for many years and it was as good as the day I bought it (if a little scuffed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdgrsr400 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 These guys appear to have a good range of products (not tried them yet personally but am looking seriously): [url="http://proaudiostash.co.uk/dyn/pages/racking/"]http://proaudiostash.co.uk/dyn/pages/racking/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedontcarebear Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 [quote name='Anton346' post='554685' date='Jul 29 2009, 04:47 AM']Try the [url="http://www.flightcasewarehouse.co.uk/index.asp"]Flightcase Warehouse[/url].[/quote] Was just about to suggest them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 [quote name='Anton346' post='555447' date='Jul 29 2009, 06:59 PM']Wow, ok easy there! You obviously have had better experiences with those cases then. I'm just saying i bought a gator case and if any pressure was put on top of it, it started to bend in the middle. My flightcase warehouse rack i can stand on with nothing in it and it won't bend. I'm just giving advice based on my experience with these cases, i'm not making it up for the sake of it.[/quote] Different experiences I guess. My Gator case was rubbish... and incidently warped in the middle. I guess it depends how much you use it, what is transported in it and how... and in what heat. This is my experience... that's not to say it matches other people's experience. As my rule, racks are best if they are light (unless you have a roadcrew), take a strong ABS over a flightcase unless you really, really need the strength of a flightcase... (and then only the shockmount cases gain any real advantage over an ABS case). Keep as little as possible in them. Don't fit them with drawers and stuff for carrying stuff - the weight of the steel drawer takes it toll at the end of the night when lifting it... Avoid putting in things just to fill gaps. Yeah, power distribution units look cool and have nice lights... but if it's only powering an amp (and maybe a tuner) - it's a bit pointless... and again, heavy. I use SKB because, as other people have stated, they are sturdy, the handles are up to the job (unlike other cases - what are those stupid rubber handles about on some of the competition?) and feel robust enough to do the job - some cases look like they would crack and fall apart at the first opportunity. As for the cooling issue, it depends upon the gear you have in there. For example, my EBS head takes in air from the front and ejects it from the back fans. The last thing I want to do is have an unecessary gap above it - the hot air rising from the rear, when meeting the cold air space above the amp can be drawn through that gap and back into the amp. The result? An increasing cycle of warmer air getting pumped in through the front of the amp. I don't know why Rich seemed to jump on a poster back there - he was just talking from experience like I am. Like I said, what works for one may not work for another for various reasons - but its good to see other people's experiences so you can make an [i]informed[/i] decision on future purchases. Would I buy a Gator rack? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I didn't jump on anyone (and sorry if that's how it came across) - I was just talking from experience like you were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 [quote name='EBS_freak' post='555959' date='Jul 30 2009, 10:45 AM']Different experiences I guess. My Gator case was rubbish... and incidently warped in the middle. I guess it depends how much you use it, what is transported in it and how... and in what heat. This is my experience... that's not to say it matches other people's experience. As my rule, racks are best if they are light (unless you have a roadcrew), take a strong ABS over a flightcase unless you really, really need the strength of a flightcase... (and then only the shockmount cases gain any real advantage over an ABS case). Keep as little as possible in them. Don't fit them with drawers and stuff for carrying stuff - the weight of the steel drawer takes it toll at the end of the night when lifting it... Avoid putting in things just to fill gaps. Yeah, power distribution units look cool and have nice lights... but if it's only powering an amp (and maybe a tuner) - it's a bit pointless... and again, heavy. I use SKB because, as other people have stated, they are sturdy, the handles are up to the job (unlike other cases - what are those stupid rubber handles about on some of the competition?) and feel robust enough to do the job - some cases look like they would crack and fall apart at the first opportunity. As for the cooling issue, it depends upon the gear you have in there. For example, my EBS head takes in air from the front and ejects it from the back fans. The last thing I want to do is have an unecessary gap above it - the hot air rising from the rear, when meeting the cold air space above the amp can be drawn through that gap and back into the amp. The result? An increasing cycle of warmer air getting pumped in through the front of the amp. I don't know why Rich seemed to jump on a poster back there - he was just talking from experience like I am. Like I said, what works for one may not work for another for various reasons - but its good to see other people's experiences so you can make an [i]informed[/i] decision on future purchases. Would I buy a Gator rack? No.[/quote]Thanks, that was really imformative... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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