After 2 years of hard labor my basement is complete. It includes: A bedroom and bath suite (that we rent out), an exercise room and a combination movie room / listening room. The layout of the movie / listening room is:

-- Front B&W 684's (No center).

-- Built in surround and rear speakers.

-- Front Sub.

-- Projector middle of the room.

-- Control for movie screen towards the back of the room

*ALL* cables are behind the walls. With the stereo equipment in the rear of the room with patch cables to all the rooms speakers. Then plugs around the room for: front speakers, sub and projector. The plan of the room (that I thought my wife knew) was to have kitchen like cabinets on the rear wall with the stereo on top of a counter top. The patch panel is at the height to be between the top and bottom cabinets.

My wife strongly thinks that is bad. She thinks that the stereo equipment and all the cables are a distraction. She thinks that they should be in a floor to ceiling cabinet. Then it can be closed up and out of sight when not in use. I believe that stereo equipment and wires are really cool and like to look at them.

So what do you think? Is stereo equipment is:

1.) a thing of beauty and should be out on a counter or
2.) Should be hid away inside of a cabinet?

So I can tally up the vote, please title your response as:

"In Cabinet" or "On counter" Then I'll report the results.

Thanks,
Stan