My Console Table Part 1/4

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frederic

frederic

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Greetings,

I had promised a while back I'd post pictures of my homemade console table, so, without further delay, here they are. The first two pictures are the open table without all of the support pieces, and without the gear. I chose to build an open table (meaning no top surface) so this way the tascam mixers I'm using have more than adequate cooling underneath. On the table right now are:

(1) Tascam TMD-4000 mixers - 8-bus mixers connected to two Akai DR8's recorders via Adat cards.
(3) Tascam TMD-1000 mixers, - daisy chained L/R used as a giant digital keyboard mixer. The leftmost mixer has an IF-TAD that connects my Korg Triton Rack via ADAT to the TDIF port, and the second two TMD-1000's have an IF-TAD adat to TDIF converter connecting to two Alesis AI-3 TRS to ADAT converters (using the input side).
The upper left of the front of the console table above the mixers, are the two Akai DR8's. I have two others which will mount directly underneath them, with the two computers I use for composing/mixing/automating.
The upper right area is my Cuepoint, and the power switches for everything. I have the computer/monitors on one switch (so I can surf without the studio on), a second switch for the studio, two dimmer switches (seperate circuits) for dimmers (one for the above-console track lights, one for the vocal booth which isn't there yet), and one final switch that flips on the "recording" lights that I have mounted, not wired, in certain key places. I have one recording light mounted above the bathroom door that connects to my console room, one mounted outside the house above the side door that gives access to my console room, and one in the eave of the front of the house above the garage. This is to encourage people not to flush, ring the doorbell, or honk their horns while the light is on :) Of course, my girlfriend is the only individual that knows what the small 1" red lights mean at this moment.

Anyway, four pictures in all, so enjoy :)
 

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Sweet looking desk there, frederic! I especially like how you mounted the outboard, as opposed to the producer's desk doubling as the equipment rack.

I cannot stand having to wheel backwards to tweak things and nearly fall face flat out of the chair as some of the gear is so low to the ground. Other than acoustics, I can't see why most studios set up their outboard that way.

What kind of monitors are those?

Sweet work!

Harold
 
Hello Harold,

Sweet looking desk there, frederic! I especially like how you mounted the outboard, as opposed to the producer's desk doubling as the equipment rack.

Thank you. The equipment on the left actually are recorders for now, but I'm seriously considering moving them and placing outboard effects there, particularly a Pod Pro and my TC Helicon, both of which would require more knob twiddling than other items. The recorders can go underneath the console or in the back of the room, since I don't have to touch them. The Cuepoint takes care of that. To the left of the recorders, I will be building another section, at a 45 degree angle, with rack rails in the desk surface, and vertical. Patchbays, outboards, etc, can go there.

I agree with you that wheeling backwards is an annoying waste of time. Anything I can control through MIDI, goes to the back of the room in the back six 20U racks. Everything I have to touch, or read the display, will mount in the front at arms length where possible.

Thank you for the feedback, its not done yet, but it was a fun project. I'm impressed and amazed with myself (if I may say so) that its true and level. My woodworking skills are sub-par thus why all my birdhouses over the years leak, and/or remained vacant. :)

What kind of monitors are those?

I figured someone would notice them, and I will tell you if you promise not to laugh. At least out loud :)

They "were" Aiwa AV-SX1000 home theater speakers, that were modified with a homebrew crossover, two Vifa mid-bass drivers and one Scan-Speak D2905 tweeter per speaker, the drivers often used in "Ariel Speaker Kits" if you are into homemade speakers/monitors. After a few weekends of tuning the cabinets with baffles and such, I ended up with two more-than-reasonably flat speakers. I use them for the "Console Out" off the TMD-4000, into an Alesis RA-100 reference amp. I have a pair of JBL 4412's, but I haven't carried them upstairs yet. I have to brace the ceiling a little better for the 4412's ceiling mounts, and to be honest, the Aiwa hybrids sound fairly good after all the tuning thats gone into them. My only disappointment is I didn't document what I did, so I can't make another pair, for 5.1 mixing. yet another lesson learned the hard way.
 
frederic said:


With a picture this time :)

When I have time, I'll shoot a few more pictures with the overhead halogens turned down a bit. I hadn't realized the equipment was so washed out in the photos, assuming everyone is interested.

Finished the electrical this past weekend, and now my studio has two 15A circuits for computers, gear and such, and one 15A circuit for lighting and the in-window air conditioner (which goes away eventually). Of course the studio is on the second floor, opposite side of the house to the breaker box, but its okay, I found enough open holes, crawl spaces, and conduit holes to run the power through.

Next step is to move the new circuits off the breaker box, attach them to the UPS I have, then attach the UPS two 220V off the same two breaker positions. All of the gear (not lighting or A/C) will then have 10-15 minutes of battery backup time to shut down properly in the event of a power failure/storm etc. Also, the UPS has noise filtering and line conditioning, a feature I definately need here. My old place wasn't that bad in the line-noise department, but here in NJ its hum central. Of course, its 61 year old wiring :)
 
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