My studio build

[RFR]

Just put the power supply on the floor in the area your feet go. No one will see it, and you save your precious rack space.

For passive monitors that’s a good spot for your power amp too.

 

[RFR]

I just looked at mine and measured the power cable. It’s approx 4.5 feet long.

Since it connects to the far right hand side of the mixer, that’s plenty of length to put the power supply in the back of the right hand outside rack.

Plug it in to a power strip on the front and you never have to crawl around the back to turn it on.

 

[flyingace]

I just looked at mine and measured the power cable. It’s approx 4.5 feet long.

Since it connects to the far right hand side of the mixer, that’s plenty of length to put the power supply in the back of the right hand outside rack.

Plug it in to a power strip on the front and you never have to crawl around the back to turn it on.

My vertical rack is on the left hand side, so I think I'll just put it on the bottom of the right hand CPU cabinet in the back, it will get plenty of air and doesn't need to be 'bolted' in anyway. I plan to do that with a power conditioner on the front of the desk to turn everythihng on.

Side note, when I was at Tape Camp at Welcome to 1979 in February, Chris Mara, the owner there said that they never turn anything off, they leave everything on. console, 24 track recorder, all rack equipment, etc. He believed the harshest times for this old equipment was the surge of turning them on and off. Said for 14 years they'd been doing that, with no issues. Who knows...

 

[flyingace]

I dig that tuck and roll Kustom. I remember when those were the bee's knees! (or maybe the cat's pajamas... it was a long time ago.) Our band had the black Kustom 100 PA with two 4x8 columns, 4 hi imp mic inputs and reverb. It cost $800 way back then. Add some Shure Unidyne B mics and we were set.

I didn't notice the slope to the ceiling. That definitely should help. I guess I just looked at the pics and figured the slope was due to perspective.

How heavy are the keyboards? I have a Yamaha DGX635 and there's no way I would want to take that down off that upper shelf. It's about 40 lbs.

Thanks, I love that Kustom. It's a 1969 and after a thorough cleaning inside and out, its quiet and got a big big sound! Fun to play both guitar and bass through. Takes the Helix quite well too! I got this one for $250 locally. It used to the Gray Sparkle but the sun and atmo have faded it into a greenish gray sparkle.

Yes, I bought the building specifically with that style roof bc 1. I like it and it looks good on our property 2. I knew I wanted some natural light but didn't want it taking up wall space and casting light on my instruments 3. keeps out prying eyes without having to have curtains 4. asymmetric lines help break up the "box"

I put the lighter weight ones up top. That Jupiter 50 is only like 18lbs. The heaviest of all of them is the Ensoniq ESQ-1 and the Casio CZ-3000, both of which may be sold if they don't prove useful. That's the reason I put the slat wall up, endless configurations. I'll always keep the Roland D-50, Roland Alpha Juno 2, Roland GAIA, Yamaha DX11 and Casio CZ-1000. The rest are come and go. I have a DX7IID in repair right now, but I will likely sell it too.

I'll definitely be keeping my main keyboard, Roland Fantom 7, on the floor stand!!

 

[flyingace]

Today’s work. M-520 and MS-16 have been hoisted into the studio. Heavy buggers! The desk built by Don Hawkins (Hawkins Studio Consoles, et. al.), embarrassingly, was not built correctly. The right side of the shelf for the mixer is 1/2” higher than the right. I used a shim but this means that the M-520’s arm rest will not slide under the new console desk arm rest. Ugh. This will require me to modify the desk. Which I can do, it’s just a pain and it should have been built right in the first place. The builder Don has quit responding to calls or texts. Although I really thought I’d bought a great desk, I now see they are amateurs and did not build it to my specs. There were some issues with the racks not lining up hole to hole that, after unscrewing and moving them up or down, was fixed but another pain. Oh well, I’ll make it right. But I won’t be recommending him to anyone, for sure.
At the end of the day, this studio is shaping up just as I’d drawn it during the year of planning. Now comes the hardest part… wiring! I’ll keep posting as I go but I can already tell I’ll need to make a few cable orders and break out the soldering gun!!

 

[RFR]

Issues aside, mixer looks nice sitting in there.

 

[TalismanRich]

Wow, that fits like a glove! It looks great as it comes together.

 

[flyingace]

Issues aside, mixer looks nice sitting in there.

Wow, that fits like a glove! It looks great as it comes together.

Sure does look nice! Even better since it's no longer in storage sitting dormant!

It's a tight fit. I hope to pull it before the wiring job begins, lower the shelf about 1" and get it back together. I think I need to cut a "tunnel" or a dog house (as my wife says) in the middle bottom panel so I can crawl behind it easier!

One question to you @RFR, as an M-520 owner, when using the tone generator to see levels. When I hit BUSS, 1-8 VUs work, when I hit AUX 3/4 (with the meter switch selected to 3/4, the last 2 VUs respond, but when I hit AUX 1/2 (same switching on meters to 1/2), the VUs that correspond do not move. Am I doing something wrong or will those never show tone levels? I was just trying to do a simple internal test. Manual doesn't really go into that function much or what to expect. I'm hoping everything works. Could it be a jumper not in place or do AUX not work like SND/RCV? How can get meters 9 and 10 to work or show a signal? Thanks! ( I can make video if that helps) I know @sweetbeats is one of the definitive experts on this gear and I've read the long long story post... some of it I understand, some I need to re-read as I'm learning about this board, really for the first time since buying it last year. Lot's to uncover and diagnose.

 

[RFR]

I dunno, been a long time since I used the test tone function and mine isn’t hooked up right now. (Did a major remodel. Mixer has been covered in plastic for awhile)

However aux 1 and 2 should work the same way as 3 and 4

You have the switches up top ( aux 1/2 ) set to aux function rather than stereo master A?

 

[RFR]

Do the meters work properly when using stereo master A?

 

[flyingace]

I dunno, been a long time since I used the test tone function and mine isn’t hooked up right now. (Did a major remodel. Mixer has been covered in plastic for awhile)

However aux 1 and 2 should work the same way as 3 and 4

You have the switches up top ( aux 1/2 ) set to aux function rather than stereo master A?

Do the meters work properly when using stereo master A?

Switch set correctly
haven’t been able to test stereo master A but I haven’t seen them move no matter what I do. What config is required to get sound going through stereo master A? I’ll look in the manual to see if I can glean something there.

 

[RFR]

Switch set correctly
haven’t been able to test stereo master A but I haven’t seen them move no matter what I do. What config is required to get sound going through stereo master A? I’ll look in the manual to see if I can glean something there.

Saw your posts and response. Sweetbeats knows his stuff. He’s familiar with these things inside and out.

May I recommend reading the manual and watching his YouTube videos?

I still do both of the above. ?

 

[flyingace]

Switch set correctly
haven’t been able to test stereo master A but I haven’t seen them move no matter what I do. What config is required to get sound going through stereo master A? I’ll look in the manual to see if I can glean something there.

Been talking with @sweetbeats on the M-520 story, yup, he’s the man and knows his stuff. If the VUs don’t work, not biggie, I’d love it to be fully functioning but I’ll be using Stereo Master B anyway since there isn’t a live room and no need for talkback. (Weird thing about by board, solo/PFL don‘t work in A, they work in B?? who knows?)

I have the manual, reading and re-reading It. Watching his videos for the 3rd time. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[flyingace]

Still along way to go, but testing it going well, patch bays are working and amazing. Still some cables to acquire or create, we’ll see. Still many tests to go, and a lot of equipment to connect still. Also, still have an iMac to configure and get ready to work as a studio computer, then get my interface set up, b/c I’m doing that too.

 

[RFR]

I’ll be using Stereo Master B anyway since there isn’t a live room and no need for talkback.

I used to use talkback. Nowadays it’s all in one room, do no need. I use both of my stereo masters for audio playback. One master for my passive monitors and the other for my active monitors.

One of the benefits/problems with this desk is the immense versatility of patching options available to you. Sometimes it can create confusion.

In time you’ll figure out what works best for your needs.

 

[RFR]

Keep n mind a lot of stuff can only be figured out hands on after gaining experience. Figuring it all out in your head can be daunting.

One other practical bit of advice. If your making cables, go longer than you need to. You may be moving them around and find they’re too short. Once the cable routing is all sorted you can always shorten to length.

(Ask me how I know?)

 

[rob aylestone]

Quick question - do you actually use the smaller speakers? Also - are you going to maybe do a little bit of video so we can have a look around? Spin on your chair maybe?

 

[flyingace]

Quick question - do you actually use the smaller speakers? Also - are you going to maybe do a little bit of video so we can have a look around? Spin on your chair maybe?

I have always used the Yamaha HS5s but when I started this build last year, I bought the JBLs and never had a chance to even try them. They sound great, BTW, and I'll likely either sell the HS5s or move them to the other side of the room to use with the keyboards.

Sure, as soon I can get the rest of my stuff in there I'll do a video!

 

[Ujn Hunter]

Studio looks real nice so far. Question, I have a bunch of those black shelves, but yours looks like it has some type of sliding shelves as well as the normal shelves that usually come with them, where did you get the sliding shelves? The one with the wood block and reel to reel on it?

 

[flyingace]

Studio looks real nice so far. Question, I have a bunch of those black shelves, but yours looks like it has some type of sliding shelves as well as the normal shelves that usually come with them, where did you get the sliding shelves? The one with the wood block and reel to reel on it?

Yes, these are Metro Shelves from Container Store. They have the sliding shelf option. I used to keep keyboards on them, very handy.