Does anyone still want more enclosed hi-fi stands?

Bump! Is the answer to this no then?

I'm not sure about closed sides because it helps with heat dissipation. Aesthetically, I prefer a rack not to have too much gap at the sides, and to save space, likewise at the back. One of the reasons I think HiFi Racks are great, you can have custom sized plinths:

I had my system in an excellent, welded, gloss black, steel stand with smoked toughened glass and semi enclosed ends for over 11 years.

I almost danced for joy the day I sold it!

By the end of that 11 years I was convinced the hideous thing was 'lurking' menacingly and I began to believe it was actually sucking sunlight from the room. (Aided and abetted by black Yahama, Rega and NAD components and black KEF Q35.2 floorstanders and a black telly and DVD recorder.)

Nowadays my system (despite being black) is housed in - and on - a pale oak unit and (since the KEFs) my speakers have all been finished in Maple (or some other light wood) veneer to match.

Compared to 15 - 20 years ago, there are more attractive, design conscious, domestically acceptable rack choices available now. Welded black steel racks with smoked glass (or black MDF) shelves have hopefully had their day. (Wish i could say the same about speaker stands.)

The ones we've seen are either all black, all oak or all walnut - the effect with black legs actually looks quite impressive with black kit.

So if there are any equipment stand/rack manufacturers out there, I think I'd scrub the plans for equipment cabinets, then...

I'd hold out for a greater sample than 3 replies though first!

Yes please! I'll have a locking cabinet anyday - excellent for keeping the twins off the gear. shame I can't do much about the floorstanders though. My son pushed both of them over the other day. Luckily, only superficial damage to the wood, but resale value just went down rather steeply...!

Sorry to hear that. We've all been there at one time or another and although it is gutting its worth remembering it could have been worse! Enclosed stands are an interesting concept really that has become less popular due in part to the more "open" designs looking much better to a greater extent - but with the drawback in some cases that you can see cables from the sides and you can't keep little hands off as easily. Also, there are the isolation benefits you get with an open stand, but there's something to be said aesthetically for a good closed stand with or without a glass door. One of the only available options now is Quadraspire's QK which is a very good stand. It would be great though if a few more options were available.

I'd love an enclosed stand with sufficient cabinet space to let equipment breathe. I think many open stands are ugly, even the more expensive ones, especially as every cable is on display from all angles. There's a reason advertisements adorning the pages of WHF and similar publications show equipment "unplugged," so to speak, with no cables trailing round the room. Some open stands can look sleek until the rear resembles an aerial photograph of spaghetti junction...

I have a open tv stand but it's filled up & pushed against the wall so i don't see any wires, the same goes for my blok 300 stand, my only complaint is that it collects dust.

strapped for cash:

I'd love an enclosed stand with sufficient cabinet space to let equipment breathe. I think many open stands are ugly, even the more expensive ones, especially as every cable is on display from all angles. There's a reason advertisements adorning the pages of WHF and similar publications show equipment "unplugged," so to speak, with no cables trailing round the room. Some open stands can look sleek until the rear resembles an aerial photograph of spaghetti junction...

The only issue with enclosed stands (other than the current trend) is sufficient isolation from a more connected frame, but providing the shelves inside are smaller than the frame and isolated themselves, this shouldn't be a problem. Many open stands look stunning, but there is something quite nice about a more enclosed stand where equipment is a little more snug inside!

So are you planning to make some enclosed racks, then?

Ventilation - QuietPC sell lovely little units. I find two do a great job almost silently.

Enclosed stands, open back for me. Only way to protect my gear from my three boys, also helps with partner approval factor - kit rack just looks like a piece of furniture (well except for the centre speaker grille!)

I prefer (Read This as My Wife Prefers ) the neatness of an enclosed stand/Cabinet, I have an old pine unit with Glass door on the front but no back, I cant use a spiked cabinet because I need to pull the unit forward if I want to get in to it for some reason and and open stand would show up ALL the cables and there are a LOT of them.

I would love to replace the current cabinet but as yet have not found anything suitable, the door is not that important as long as it is enclosed and hides most of the mess, something like the Alphason FW stuff but I don't think it is tall enough for my kit.