Thanks to everyone for contributing to this site - have been reading through the forums for a few days and have learned a lot.

I am entirely new to the Home Cinema game, but am about to invest in a new set-up.

I've decided to go with the Panasonic 42PV70 (same as 42PX70 but without integrated digital tuner). I am considering the Sony STR-DA1200ES receiver, Denon 1930 DVD player and Q Acoustics 1010 5.1 speakers. Also have NTL digital box, and NTL broadband router.

First of all, if anyone has any comments or alternative suggestions to this selection I'd be hugely grateful for your input! But I know this part of the forum is about AV furniture etc., so I'll get to the point.

I am tempted both by a 3 shelf Atacama Equinox AV and the Atacama Equinox AVI stands. Keep changing my mind about which to go for ;-). My concern is about size - given the equipment I'll need, is the Equinox AV the one to go for? Also in terms of the height of the TV screen, will the 3 shelf Equinox AV be too high / just right for someone sitting in an average armchair? And the Equinox AVI?

If anyone has alternative suggestions to these racks for around the same price point please speak up, any and all input much appreciated.

Thanks all.

Shimmie - (complete) newbie from Dublin

[u02ai]

Hi i just bought one of the equinox HIFI modular stands and they are very nice. Piano black glass and in matt black- being delivered this weekend. Have you thought of wall mounting your telly and going for one of these or the atacam XL pro? I also own a sony 5200es and it is a great amp. I would maybe stretch to afford a 3200es as it can pass audio via HDMI (DTS/dolby etc) and the 1200es cant as far as I am aware.

[u02ai]

sorry didnt read your post correctly- I have bought one of the atacama HIFI stands not the AVI or AV so cant really comment on how hight the telly would be. Still would think about wall mounting - looks cool I also have just bought a Denon 3930 (arrived today!) and from what I understand the 1930 is similarly excellent and probably the best in this price range.

Hi,

Thanks for your input. Unfortunately I'm renting my apartment, so I can't really wall-mount the plasma screen (unfortunately!).

In order to swivel the screen on the Equinox AVI I'm worried I'll have to move the whole stand out from the wall, to give it room to swivel - know what I mean? Anyone any thoughts?

More I think about it, more I'm thinking that although the AVI stand might have a bit more of a "cool" factor, the AV stand (with extra shelf) without the swivel mount might be more practical, in the long run?

Appreciate any input, including any alternative stand recommendations??

Thanks again!!

Shimmie

[mattkhan]

Hi

if you get the Equinox AV and don't wallmount the screen then unless the centre speaker is small enough to sit on the top shelf with the screen you may have to put the NTL boxes somewhere else or accept the centre speaker being slightly off axis assuming the 2 NTL boxes can sit on top of each other. I don't recall whether the AVI has 2 or 3 shelves so you may have the same issue there anyway.

I currently have the AV stand and have an LCD on the top shelf, a large centre speaker (B&W CC6 S2) and a Denon 2900 on the middle shelf then a Denon 3805 amp & a HTPC on the bottom shelf. This means I have to have the centre speaker slightly off the centre of the screen but it still sits within the screen as a whole. I don't find this makes any difference to the sound. YMMV here though.

Cheers
Matt

The Equinox AVI comes with 2 shelves, but like the AV unit you can add a third shelf.

With 3 shelves on the AV unit and your LCD screen on top, is the height ok for the screen? Do you find it is at the right height for watching from a couch / armchair?

Thanks for the help.

[mattkhan]

Originally Posted by Shimmie

The Equinox AVI comes with 2 shelves, but like the AV unit you can add a third shelf.

are you sure about that?? ISTR emailing atacama and asking them about it and getting a response back saying "no extra shelves available". I could be remembering that incorrectly though

Originally Posted by Shimmie

With 3 shelves on the AV unit and your LCD screen on top, is the height ok for the screen? Do you find it is at the right height for watching from a couch / armchair?

yep, absolutely no problem.

Cheers
Matt

You might be right there in relation to the Equinox AVI and extra shelves. Not sure where I got it, but no mention of extra shelves being available on the Atacama site or dealer websites.

So ability to add the additional shelf works in the AV's favour.

I'm also still concerned with possible need to have the AVI stand positioned away from the wall a bit, to allow room for the TV to swivel. With the AV stand, it could be put against the wall and presumably when the TV needs to be swivelled, you could simply move it a bit on the surface of the top shelf to do the job?

[mattkhan]

Originally Posted by Shimmie

I'm also still concerned with possible need to have the AVI stand positioned away from the wall a bit, to allow room for the TV to swivel. With the AV stand, it could be put against the wall and presumably when the TV needs to be swivelled, you could simply move it a bit on the surface of the top shelf to do the job?

yes you could do this, my TV is positioned fairly near the front of the top shelf so it swivels without hanging over the back of the shelf by much at all. Note that if you do have it right back up against the wall then you will find accessing the rear of your kit (to fiddle with cables etc) pretty tricky. This may or may not be a problem though (e.g. if you have it set on spikes then the only way to move it out will be to physically lift the whole thing at once, I tried this, it's not easy with lots of boxes on there!)

Cheers
Matt

Fair point about the placement of the stand Matt - will probably leave a few inches of space behind it. The floor is laminate/wood, so I'll have to put it on spike shoes to avoid damaging the floor - and since I'm only renting the apartment I'm sure the landlord will agree with that!!

I'll have, intially at least, a centre speaker, AV receiver, DVD player, NTL digital box, NTL broadband cable modem and Netgear wireless router on the stand - I think that should all fit ok with a 42" plasma on a 3 shelf Equinox AV stand, don't you?

[mattkhan]

Originally Posted by Shimmie

I'll have, intially at least, a centre speaker, AV receiver, DVD player, NTL digital box, NTL broadband cable modem and Netgear wireless router on the stand - I think that should all fit ok with a 42" plasma on a 3 shelf Equinox AV stand, don't you?

yeah I think that should fit, I could post a pic of how mine looks with a similar amount of stuff on if you wanted one

If its not a lot of hassle that would be terrific Matt - much appreciated. Don't go to any great bother though.

[mattkhan]

here you go, pic is a bit crap but shows that you can fit 4 big bits of kit on there quite happily along with the TV. My TV is only 32" but there is plenty of room on there for a 42" TV.



btw, I'm also in a rented flat and just put 1p coins under the spikes, a lot cheaper then spike shoes

Cheers
Matt

Matt,

Thanks for that - always helps to see something in a real-world situation. Appreciate the effort.

I see what you mean about the size. Looks like enough room for the black Sony STR-DA1200ES I'm hoping to get, black Denon 1930, front speaker and the (relatively small) NTL digital TV box, modem + wireless router. Also considering getting a CD player and/or tuner at some point down the line (not soon) - could probably stack on top of the Denon DVD player and still fit.

Bought the Panasonic 42PX70 yesterday, collecting it tomorrow. V excited I must say. Its black, as are the amp and DVD player I'm thinking of. Front speaker may/may not be black, or could be wood veneered.

I'm wondering if going with the black finish on the Equinox AV with black glass is the way to go, keeping everything black, or if it'd be good to get the "antracite" glass with black stand, or graphite stand with either antracite or black glass. Just thinking if everything is black, would it be too much? Would the graphite stand and/or antracite glass be more aesthetic or is it better to go with everything black? I know we're into the territory of personal preferences etc., but any opinions would be nice!

Atacama site with sample photos:
http://www.atacama-audio.co.uk/equinoxav.htm

Think I'll order it later today.

Thanks again,

S.

[mattkhan]

Hi

definitely getting into the realms of personal preference here

FWIW I have the graphite stand with anthracite glass and I was surprised at how dark the stand was. As you can see my kit is a combination of silver and black (mainly as most of it is 2nd hand) as I'm not especially bothered about co-ordinating the colours, it's a nice to have but I'd rather it sounds good. Having said that I bought graphite in the knowledge that my kit would probably be a mixture of the two so getting a stand that comes between silver & black seemed like the best approach to make sure nothing stood out too much.

Cheers
Matt

Thanks Matt for all the help.

Given that all my (planned!) kit will be black - Panasonic tv, Sony receiver, either Denon or Oppo DVD player - I went with a 3 shelf Equinox AV with the black metal with piano black glass. Ordered today.

Now moving on to choosing a DVD player (torn between Denon 1930 and Oppo 981), receiver (probably Sony STR-DA1200ES) and 5.1 speakers (no idea really yet!).

Thanks again,

Simon