Studio furniture

[mitchb2]

Well, this is a hardware question, I guess.
I am looking for a studio workstation that will accommodate an 88-key MIDI controller, as well as 2 PC monitors, a pair of studio monitors, etc., so that I can have everything in front of me.

It\'s not necessary to be able to house my mixing board.

So far, I have heard of the Omnirax ($3200!!!), and the Argosy Console Dual 15k.

Anyone know of any others?
Anyone here have the Dual 15k? Opinions?
It\'s about $1700, shipped, and I\'m really concerned that it would be cheap construction. Since they sell direct, there\'s no way I can go to a store and check it out.

[Hans Adamson]

If you have an IKEA store in your area, check out their computer furniture. I\'ve got mine from there for a fraction of the cost I would have paid for \"studio furniture\".

Hans

[timzydee]

I designed and built my own with a friend who knows alot about cabinet making and such. It\'s not setup for dual monitors but it does have a nice pull out shelf for my midi keyboard. It looks really good and only cost a little over $200 to make.

[Simon Ravn]

Tim can you take a photo of your setup possibly? I have been thinking about getting something built myself for a long time, I even did a 3D model of it:) But I am still not sure about the design. Like you, I thought about having a sliding \'drawer\' below the main table plate for a master keyboard, but I am not sure how well this will work when you need to be able to use one/two computer keyboards too etc.

[mitchb2]

I\'m not looking to delve into woodworking as another hobby. I doubt I could justify giving up $200/hr to build a desk. I\'m just looking for a good, ergonomical, solid desk that will fulfill the needs of a music composition/production studio.

[ellle]

http://www.geeknoize.com/audio_links/Music_Gear/Studio_Furniture_&_Stands/ (\"http://www.geeknoize.com/audio_links/Music_Gear/Studio_Furniture_&_Stands/\")

[timzydee]

Simon,

I tried sending a picture to your email on your web page, but it got returned saying that the delivery had timed out or something like that. You can email me at timzydee@yahoo.com.

[composer22]

Heres my next buy

http://www.anvilcase.com/graphics/Products/MICS_sm.gif (\"http://www.anvilcase.com/graphics/Products/MICS_sm.gif\")

[Haydn]

Timzydee,

I would also be interested in getting a picture and maybe plans for what you built. I\'ve been checking into the commercial units and find $2,000 a little steep and still not get exactly what I want. My email is: haydn12@cox.net

[LifeForceExplorer]

I just bought a Bush \"Horizon\" computer desk (Model #MM52402) at Office Depot for 199 bucks and it works/looks great:

http://www.bushfurniture.com/html/computer_17.htm (\"http://www.bushfurniture.com/html/computer_17.htm\")

You\'d think they\'d designed it for studio musicians. Just be ready to assemble for an hour or two and to leave the casters off. This puts the desk top - which extends out a nice 13 inches - right at a good synth keyboard level and my monitors on the two raised platforms right at ear level and back three feet.

Plus an intermediate shelf for a couple of modules. Hehe...your friends will think you spent 2 grand. And that\'s the important part, right?

[composer22]

I have this exact model. You are right...the casters put it pretty high which makes keyboard difficult, but I have a seperate stand for that and use the desktop for my scores

I also didnt glue anything, so I can take it apart if I move again

Not very expensive and montors fit on side table thingys great

[timzydee]

It\'s a small world. I also purchased this, but after assembling it found that it was really too small for my needs. I based my design on this one.

[csduke]

I will ditto the IKEA suggestion. ikea.com I go to the sote in Schaumburg, IL (a Chicago sub). Lots and lots of desk possibilities at very very reasonable prices.

[mschiff]

I also have the Bush computer desk. Here\'s a picture of my setup:

http://www.cdsol.com/cdsol/downloads/studio.jpg (\"http://www.cdsol.com/cdsol/downloads/studio.jpg\")

Notice the cables going under the door. The CPU is in the next room. VERY quiet that way.

-- Martin

[LifeForceExplorer]

Very cool Mschiff. I\'ll hafta dig out the digital camera and make a pic if we\'re gonna start a Bush gallery.

Question: I\'m still quite new to Giga (two months - on weekends) and dont even have a finished piece of Giga music yet.

As I finish work I\'m hoping to record Giga-only music digital out to my stand alone CD recorder. My strategy (which may be completely naive) is to avoid computer noise this way, by staying in the digital realm. Perhaps you also use live instruments or vocals? Or record synth tracks on an audio-in basis to your sound card? Otherwise why the need to have the computer in the closet? One shouldnt have to do this if creating music purely in the Giga environment right? At least thats what I\'m hoping. I assure you that I ask only from lack of knowledge and experience.

[composer22]

mschiff:

So my question is how do you get the distance between the computer and your monitor/keyboard/mouse? Do you have some gizmo repeater to be able to place the puters in the other room?

Curious because I\'d like to move my puters into another room but figured no cable in the world would prevent drops and locks etc...

[A_Sapp]

OH HUSH WITH OVERPRICED FURNITURE! Hell, I bought a piece of furniture at Walmart for 80 bucks that works wonders for my 2 video monitors, speakers, computer, 88 fully weighted keyboard, stereo, lamp, and Gina card. Go to walmart and office depot and look around.

[composer22]

Hell sapp

I bot my furniture at the Texaco station and had enuf money left over for a pair of underwear from Woolworths...which I\'ve been wearing for the last 2 years inside and out...

Who gives a &&@#$(?

[A_Sapp]

Well crap, I lost. I get my hanes at Goodwill. BWA HA HA HA!

[LifeForceExplorer]

Hehe...I know a guy at a Texaco station here with a Casio synth that he plays behind the counter to keep himself amused late at night. He works graveyard at a 24/7 station. It always amazes me how many things those little $199 synths can do. Now he just needs to look and see if that Texaco PC hooked up to the register has a joystick port.

[Mike Auty]

In case anyone is interested in building their own furniture, I thought I\'d post up a photo of my design:

Desk Photo (\"http://homepage.mac.com/mauty/mike-desk.jpg\")

Clearly, it\'s not quite done yet; still have drawers to finish up and whatnot. I also plan to ditch the CRT eventually and build a shelve joining the two rack shelves to hold a couple LCD\'s instead. The lower left cabinet holds both my Mac and PC and is lined with soundproofing to muffle the noise from them. It doesn\'t silence them completely, but it\'s much better than nothing at all. If anybody is interested in plans or wants to pay me vast sums to build another, please email.

[composer22]

FYI:

Although i have done conciderable pc case revamping to elimiate noise (dynamat, silent power supplies, quiet fans etc), the best thing I came up with was moving the whole setup to a hallway..turning that into a machine room...and stringing 25 foot cables to the monitor/keyb/mouse belkin omniport switch box.

[timzydee]

Be careful about putting both systems into an enclosed space. Even though you want them quiet, they\'ll need good ventilation.

[ryounger]

Hey Mike I\'m interested in your desk plans. I don\'t see very well, and I have found \"studio\" furniture tends to set the computer monitors fairly far away. Your desk looks very nice BTW.

[Mike Auty]

Originally posted by composer22:
Although i have done conciderable pc case revamping to elimiate noise (dynamat, silent power supplies, quiet fans etc), the best thing I came up with was moving the whole setup to a hallway..turning that into a machine room...and stringing 25 foot cables to the monitor/keyb/mouse belkin omniport switch box.
<font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">Would you mind sharing some of your experience with quieting PC\'s? I\'ve read some about it already and I\'m sure it\'s been gone over around here before, but I\'d like to know about swapping out PS fans and how much aggravation it is compared to buying a whole new PS instead. I\'m new to the whole do-it-yourself PC thing, being a Mac guy and all.

Btw, I agree with you that a machine room-esque setup would be best but unfortunately I don\'t have the space for doing one.

Originally posted by timzydee:
Be careful about putting both systems into an enclosed space. Even though you want them quiet, they\'ll need good ventilation<font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">There are fairly large openings on the bottom and side of the cabinet to allow air to flow through and out the back where there is a hole for the cables. When I finish the drawer above it I will start to monitor CPU temps and whatnot to see how it is... I think it\'ll be okay though.

Originally posted by ryounger:
Hey Mike I\'m interested in your desk plans. I don\'t see very well, and I have found \"studio\" furniture tends to set the computer monitors fairly far away. Your desk looks very nice BTW.<font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">Thanks for the praise. Perhaps it\'s best to email privately about the plans... Unless there is interest from others for them? And they aren\'t that detailed really cause I tend to work things out as I go, but I\'ll do what I can to remember what I did and write it all down somehow.

[aplanchard]

Wow! Great tip on the Bush workstation. I got it on sale for $130, and I was very close to spending a boatload on studio furniture. No need. The Bush desk works great. Thanks guys for saving me a ton of money. Now where is that list of sample libraries I want?