I was idly poking around in these forums looking for posts about a particular piece of equipment, and I came upon these "common sense tips" for how to arrange one's cabling in one's home entertainment system, courtesy of another forum member:

-----------

Here are some of the tweaks I use (straight from my favorite Naim resource site). These are basically just common sense tips

- When plugging in your system, try to keep other stuff like computers and TVs off the same circuit. This will isolate your hi-fi somewhat from all those evil, noise creating switch mode power supplies.

- While wiring your system, it pays to engage in a ritual called cable dressing. Ensure power cords and signal cords don't touch or run parallel. If they must touch, have them meet at 90 degree angles. Signal cords are rather microphonic- flicking the tonearm lead is clearly audible through the speakers. As such, cords shouldn't touch any part of your rack or wall.

- While laying speaker cable, avoid looping extraneous cable, as the tight coil will create unwanted inductance. Instead, create a series of S bends (accordion style).

- Organize your boxes so that amps and power supplies are at least 12 inches away from pre-amps and CD players.

- Make sure your rack is perfectly level and doesn't rock. A skewed rack will affect the performance of your system.

-----------

So my question for the group, then, is a simple one. HOW???

I mean no disrespect, here -- indeed rather the opposite. I'm in awe of anyone who knows this much about improving microphonics and is capable and patient enough to make all of this happen. But I just don't see how a person could stay loyal to every single one of these bullet points in even a modestly outfitted rig of assorted components.

My own rig has a CD-player, a DVD-player, a CD-recorder, a DVD-recorder, a VHS player, a TV, a Tuner, a Preamp/Processor, an Integrated Amp functioning as a power amp, and an A/C line conditioner, all but the TV are loaded neatly into a tasteful (no particle board) entertainment center with nifty little glass doors on the front, etc. From the front it looks like the whole thing was purpose-built. But from the back? Good-Lord-Miss-Miller, if I tried to separate all of my IC's so that they didn't even *touch*, then how would I get them into the preamp? What about all those power cords headed in the same direction for the back of the line conditioner? What about not touching the rack? How on *earth* do I get the cables into the back of the rack, without touching it?

Inquiring minds want to know....