A rack case looks like the simplest flight case there is. A box, two rails, a lid at each end. Then comes the first show. The rear door will not close over the cables, the lids end up somewhere behind the stage, and whoever packs down at two in the morning reconnects everything by torchlight.
We build 19 inch rack cases so that night never happens.
What the 19 inch standard leaves to the case maker
The 19 inch rack standard fixes the width of the front panels at 482.6 mm and the height of one rack unit at 44.45 mm (1U). Everything else is up to the case maker, and that is where racks turn out good or bad.
The depth has to cover the deepest unit, the connectors behind it and the room a cable needs to bend. Heavy amplifiers and processors should not hang from their front ears alone. Some racks are worked from the front only, others need the back open during a show. And the lids need somewhere to go.
So when you ask us for a rack case, the height in U and the models going in are where we start. How the rack works on site decides the rest.
Lids that never need a place of their own
If you do not want to look for somewhere to put the rack lids and you want to get to work fast, this kind of rack is for you. Plamen Yordanov has known it for a long time, and we were glad to build him a few fine examples of racks with lids you never have to find room for.
The first double racks with retractable doors made in Bulgaria
When people who know what they want work with people who can make it happen, you get the first double racks with retractable doors made in Bulgaria. The single ones are great too. The doors slide back into the case, so nothing comes off and nothing gets left behind the stage.
The cables inside are dressed with real care. That part is for the cable police, and Apostol Grigorov agreed:
The cable police like this.
Apostol Grigorov
For anyone who cannot wait to order the same design, there is good news: there are no royalties to pay.
Mixer cases and consoles that work from the case
A mixing desk is wide, shallow and fragile on top, and it has to work the moment it reaches front of house. So a mixer case usually gets a deep lid and a shallow base, with foam only around the parts that need it. Lid off, and the desk is ready, with the connections you use during a show within reach.
Bigger consoles ask for more. One of our mixing console cases lets a digital console work straight from its case, with a keyboard drawer and a monitor arm. On another, a frame behind the desk hides and protects the rear connections and gives the engineer a work surface within reach. Video mixing desks get mounts for their screens. We have been building for digital consoles for a long time, including a case for a Yamaha LS9-32 back in 2009.
Small desks get proper protection too. Our solid aluminium cases for the Yamaha MG10XUF and desks of a similar size weigh 4 kg.
They do not look budget at all, they look super professional.
Trezor Kroum Kroumov
When the rack becomes the whole system
For DJ Bedros we built a case around a Behringer X AIR XR12 together with wireless microphones, a router and a tablet. The system is compact and light, and the tedious plugging and unplugging is gone.
Take the idea one step further and the rack turns into furniture. Our mobile production workstation has drawers, shelves and a lift-up top on wheels that roll over cables and rough floors. There are more in workstations and furniture.
Built to stack and built to last
Laminated birch plywood that holds rivets and does not swell in the rain. Aluminium edges and steel corners. Recessed handles and butterfly latches that sit flush, so racks stack tight in the truck. Castors with or without brakes once a rack is too heavy to carry. For a series of racks, identical outside dimensions, and a logo or a label on each one if you want it.
Frequently asked questions about rack and mixer cases
What size is a 19 inch rack?
The front panels of 19 inch rack equipment are 482.6 mm wide, and height is measured in rack units of 44.45 mm (1U). Depth is not fixed, so a rack case is built to the deepest unit plus its connectors and cable bends.
What do you need to quote a rack case?
The height in U, the models going into the rack, their depth and weight, whether you need front or rear access during a show, and how the rack travels.
Can rack lids stay with the case?
Yes. Smart Cases builds single and double racks with retractable doors that slide back into the case, and racks designed so the lids never need a place of their own.
Can a mixing desk work from its case?
Yes. Mixer cases usually have a deep lid and a shallow base, so the desk works as soon as the lid comes off. Console cases can add a keyboard drawer, a monitor arm or a frame that protects the rear connections.
Do you make light cases for small mixers?
Yes. Solid aluminium cases for the Yamaha MG10XUF and desks of a similar size weigh 4 kg.
Plan your rack around your system
See the 19 inch rack cases and rack flight cases in the catalogue, or browse mixer flight cases for desks of every size. Then send us the units going into the rack, their depth and weight, and how the system works on site, and we will design the case around it.
