Tube amp location

My last solution with your wife exceptance problem, why not just buy another entertainment center. I would look for a larger unit with more room inside for your gear. Something that you both find attractive be it wood,metal,marble, and granite or any other material's or a combo that would go with your decor. Look for a unit with good ventalation and solidly built.

Many posters seem concerned about the transmission of vibration from the speaker cabinet to the amplifier if the amp is placed on top of the speaker. IMO this concern is misplaced and over stated. The speakers are not flimsy. The Cornwalls are constructed of heavy plywood with a veneer layer. They are more than sturdy enough to support all but the most massive monoblocs. Tube guitar amplifiers are typically built to be positioned right on top of the speaker cabinet(s). The sound volumes from the guitar amps go much louder than home speakers, yet there is little regard given to vibration transmission. It doesn't appear to effect the sound, nor does it impact reliability. Are people forgetting that tubes are very rugged (that's why the Russians used them in their military jets). If you place the amps on an MDF board (or other material) and then isolate the board from the speaker with cork, sorbothane, etc. then you will have solved the "vibration issue". Is it as good of a solution as getting dedicated Gran Prix amp stands? No, but it's simpler and more cost effective than placing the amp in an airflow limited cabinet.

BTW, tube damper are a good idea whether you place the amp on top, inside, next to or even underneath the loudspeaker. They can do a good job at lessening thru air sound transmission artifacts.

My wife was not too sure about my pair of McIntosh 2102 amps, either. Then she noticed this is where the guys all gather as they just stare into the blue lights while I explain my system.

I waited a while before pointing out that this is where the guys can finally go while she and her friends hang out in the kitchen.

Amps can be really beautiful. How about getting her that piece of furniture she has been wanting...?

Can you leave the doors open while playing? Since you have efficient speakers, you could use low wattage SETs and the heat should not be a problem.

I spend a lot of money on isolation of my amps on special racks between the speakers. Even putting them on the floor behind the speakers is unthinkable to me, much less putting them on the speakers If you are going to put the amps within the entertainment center, you also need to consider isolating everything in the cabinet. Certainly, no entertainment center provides much isolation for anything including the television.

Much depends on your goal here. If you are only concerned that the amps might fail, I would just leave the door open while playing. If you want good sound, put them on good stands behind the speakers, isolate the speakers from the floor, and isolate everything within you entertainment center.

UncleJeff,

I have to agree with you, with all of the polished shiny aluminum on the turntable and rack and the lights on the mono amps people just ask does that really play music? In regards to the wife, yes, buy her furniture, in my case a new kitchen, now I have a kitchen pass, no pun intended, to get my next big thing if I want it, hmmm, 2 more mono amps, or 2 more tonearms, or whatever, hmmm.... but I think I might be done, really.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life