Placement of components in new Entertainment Center (1 Viewer)

[David Sorenson]

I just got a new entertainment center and have only 2 shelves to place all my equipment. I know certain components don't like being close to others, but I can't remember which they are. I have the following:
Amp
Tape deck
CD player
DVD player
VCR
I almost think I need to place something under the amp (since I don't want to put anything on top of it). Only the DVD player or CD player are big enough to have the Amp on top.
Any suggestions?

 

[Bill Harada]

David,
Tough call with such limited space. I think the order of priority should always be on venting away heat, then on physical safety.
In general I always put the amp/receiver at the top of any rack so that heat doesn't build up within the other components and also so that nothing is inhibiting the amp's ventilation. However, the weight of a receiver usually means that it's not physically safe to place on top of smaller components. Also, any component which uses a laser (CD, DVD, LD) will generate a considerable amount of heat, so stacking your amp on top of the DVD or CD player means that your amp would be getting additional heat introduced to it. Definately not a good thing.
Could you build/buy a small stand that would fit over your VCR or casette deck that the amp could then sit on? Almost like the kind of stand used to store paper underneath a printer.
Bill