That would work fine but I feel guilty for sending you down the 'proper rack' road. They are just way too expensive for home use unless you really want to go that way.

A good compromise might be to build a wooden rack sized to allow you to add the metal shelving. This way you gain the benefit of the mesh shelves for cooling and a lower pricetag. Power and additional fans (if required) can still be custom mounted whereever you need it.

After all, in your situation, this will be out of the way and unseen.

Yeah, but he still knows it's there.

While I think wood would work fine, I'm not the handiest person myself, and I think I'd prefer being able to just drop the rack cabinets in. While $400 is a chunk of change for each 42U unit, it would certainly save me some time and frustration trying to get something of my own to work.

I'm probably going to go with a wood frame, but with Raxxess rails screwed to it. You do have to be very accurate with your measurements. Rack equipment only has a few mm of slack with it's mounting holes.

Chris, make the top and bottom mounting holes on those strips elongated, then you,ll have the ability to slide them into perfect alignment, and lock them in place with the rest of the mounting holes.

After looking at the dimensions again for the StarTech 42U unit, I think I'll have to pass on it. It's deeper than I'd like, so I'm going to look at rigging up my own adjustable shelving. Not sure yet if I'll try to frame up something that will take rackmount shelves or not. I'll see what other vented shelving is out there, I suppose. My dad said we could build out the media closet so it sticks into the room a little and can accommodate the StarTech cabinet, but I think I'd like to keep it flush with the rest of the wall.

I still haven't heard back from the local theater on where I can pay for my theater seats and pick them up. I'll message him again at the end of the week if I don't hear anything.

I think the construction company and I may be able to talk my dad into carpeting the HT area instead of tiling it. It would be less work and cheaper, since there would have to be work done to make the floor perfectly level. Carpeting would also mean I wouldn't have to buy a nice area rug. I'd rather put money into sound isolation than floor tiles. Fingers crossed that he'll go for it.

Hmmm... now I'm thinking maybe these:

Middle Atlantic 5-43-26 Slim 5 Series Rack

Middle Atlantic SH-5A-26 Zero Space Shelf

Middle Atlantic UTR1 Half Rack Shelf

I've been shooting out some emails. I emailed Acoustic Sciences Corporation with some preliminary questions about what they might be able to achieve in my basement given some of the obstacles. He has a lot of questions for me, so he wants me to give him a call instead of trying to email back and forth for three weeks. Good idea. As soon as I can get my dad to be available at the same time, I'll call, as I'm sure many of the questions are ones my dad will have to answer.

I also emailed RealTraps to see what they might recommend for my room, either utilizing their ceiling tiles or not. I'm planning on a pair of their MegaTraps for the front corners of the room, at least, and perhaps a couple of MiniTraps for the walls at the reflection points. Of course, I might also just ask Acoustic Sciences Corporation to give a quote on improving the acoustics of the room in addition to their soundproofing expertise. I imagine it will be more than I want to spend, but it can't hurt to ask.

I'm sure I'll have to scale back some of my desires all around. I need more money.

I'm back to thinking I should just make my own shelving for my media closet. I think I'll end up happier that way, and if not, then I can always try again.

I'm thinking I'll use this insulation for the basement ceiling:

ULTRATOUCH™ DENIM INSULATION

Does anyone have any experience with it? It sounds like it's easy to work with, and it seems to have decent sound absorption.

Well, I did it. I ordered a VP180. I HAD to use the coupon code, right? Couldn't let it go to waste. Still wondering what to buy next for the basement, and still waiting to hear what contractor(s) we're going with.