While picking up a new/used compressor today from a guy who is tired of
making music, I was asked if I wanted to take home a nice rack also. I
said yes and he showed me a store bought 18u rack with wood instead of
steel mounting rails that I would use wood screws on for installing the
gear. When I asked him about the wood, he said that wood will prevent
crosstalk between the units and also that they should not be allowed to
touch each other. My first thought was to run right out and buy some
18u steel rails to replace the wood, but then I thought that I would
get a second, third and even more opinions about this. Last thing I
posted here got many answers and also opened a new thread from all of
you guys who make a living doing this. Any opinions, rumors, or input
on this? Thanks!

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:21:13 -0800, wwww
wrote:

wood instead of
steel mounting rails that I would use wood screws on for installing the
gear. When I asked him about the wood, he said that wood will prevent
crosstalk between the units and also that they should not be allowed to
touch each other.

He meant "prevent ground loops". The issue includes AC line and signal
grounding, so you may need to research the whole messy thang. The
FAQ has a decent overview.

Then do a Google search including ground loops plus Scott Dorsey, and
you'll be copacetic.

Good fortune,

Chris Hornbeck
" ** .......... :-0 !!!! "

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:21:13 -0800, wwww
wrote:

wood instead of
steel mounting rails that I would use wood screws on for installing the
gear. When I asked him about the wood, he said that wood will prevent
crosstalk between the units and also that they should not be allowed to
touch each other.

He meant "prevent ground loops". The issue includes AC line and signal
grounding, so you may need to research the whole messy thang. The
FAQ has a decent overview.

Then do a Google search including ground loops plus Scott Dorsey, and
you'll be copacetic.

Good fortune,

Chris Hornbeck
" ** .......... :-0 !!!! "

wwww wrote:
While picking up a new/used compressor today from a guy who is tired of
making music, I was asked if I wanted to take home a nice rack also. I
said yes and he showed me a store bought 18u rack with wood instead of
steel mounting rails that I would use wood screws on for installing the
gear. When I asked him about the wood, he said that wood will prevent
crosstalk between the units and also that they should not be allowed to
touch each other. My first thought was to run right out and buy some
18u steel rails to replace the wood, but then I thought that I would
get a second, third and even more opinions about this. Last thing I
posted here got many answers and also opened a new thread from all of
you guys who make a living doing this. Any opinions, rumors, or input
on this? Thanks!

This is what people do when they don't have a real plan for system
grounding.

The reason people do this is so that they don't wind up with the chassis
touching one another and forming additional ground paths. Usually they
do this because they're trying to isolate a chassis rather than lift signal
grounds, because they don't have a clear grounding scheme.

That said, I have an old maple rack that uses wood rails and it's just
fine. It doesn't hurt anything.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wwww wrote:
While picking up a new/used compressor today from a guy who is tired of
making music, I was asked if I wanted to take home a nice rack also. I
said yes and he showed me a store bought 18u rack with wood instead of
steel mounting rails that I would use wood screws on for installing the
gear. When I asked him about the wood, he said that wood will prevent
crosstalk between the units and also that they should not be allowed to
touch each other. My first thought was to run right out and buy some
18u steel rails to replace the wood, but then I thought that I would
get a second, third and even more opinions about this. Last thing I
posted here got many answers and also opened a new thread from all of
you guys who make a living doing this. Any opinions, rumors, or input
on this? Thanks!

This is what people do when they don't have a real plan for system
grounding.

The reason people do this is so that they don't wind up with the chassis
touching one another and forming additional ground paths. Usually they
do this because they're trying to isolate a chassis rather than lift signal
grounds, because they don't have a clear grounding scheme.

That said, I have an old maple rack that uses wood rails and it's just
fine. It doesn't hurt anything.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:21:13 -0800, wwww
wrote:

While picking up a new/used compressor today from a guy who is tired of
making music, I was asked if I wanted to take home a nice rack also. I
said yes and he showed me a store bought 18u rack with wood instead of
steel mounting rails that I would use wood screws on for installing the
gear. When I asked him about the wood, he said that wood will prevent
crosstalk between the units and also that they should not be allowed to
touch each other.

Where you heard "crosstalk" he probably said "ground loops". Anyway,
he should have :-)

In an ideal world, grounding is arranged so that it makes no
difference whether the chassis of one piece of gear makes electrical
contact with the next. A non-conductive rack can let your grounding
scheme be less organised :-) It certainly can't do any harm.

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect