What are you all using for studio desks?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tadpui
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mjbphotos said:
.........Tweeters are supposed to be aimed at mid-ear height, right? So I guess its's not important where they are, just how they are aimed - plus the factor of unwanted reflections
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Well, speaking from experience and standards, it is recommended that monitors (speakers) be tilted NO MORE than 8 degrees. I have tilted mains, in-wall speakers to 11 degrees but that was due to the large CR/ TR window and it DOES cause issues. ;)

It is best to have your main, critical listening speakers perfectly perpendicular to the floor and their horizontal acoustic center right AT ear level when listening. This means that, if we're talking about near-fields, the horizontal acoustic center must be 120 cm or 47 1/4" high.

Cheers,
John

PS. I'll try to find time to 'fix' the images I posted earlier. Those were done a long time ago. :)
 
Okay, two things from these observations. First, I'm tall and the Rokits don't really point at my head. Even with my chair in fully down position, I'm ear level at the cone of the woofers on the M3's. So my listening height is poor on the Rokits, but they're not my primaries.
Second, at full chair height (where I usually sit while mixing), I'm ear level at just below the blue lights, and that is where they are brightest. M-Audio's little sweet spot indicators. Figured that was correct based on the lights. Did I understand someone to say, I should have the tweeter/mid array at ear height, cause the lights start to dim when I get that high? At this listening distance it's only about 2" of movement up/down, left/right that dims the light.

Ya know what? What am I saying? I'm going to do some movement and see what SOUNDS best, and not worry about where it LOOKS good. :) Silly ol' bear.
 
I had a budget of $15,000 to start and was saving a lot as I went. (building a music/film/animation studio). When it came to the desk (furniture) I freaked. The ones I needed were around $1500 for crap. Here is my solution. It is working for me. I got two of those narrow card tables and set them up in an "L" shape with the leg to the right. I then cut two boards from 3/4 " ply birch, one 24" x 84" and the other about 24" x 36". These I sanded with an orbital sander and stained a light maple and varnished with poly gloss (easy to clean) I edged them with 3/4" trim and plaid them out on the tables. Everything fits and they look great. The weight of the boards prevent any wobble. I spent $25 each for the tables, and about $50 for the boards and trim and varnish. That's $100 versus $1500. I hope that helps.
Rod Norman
Engineer
 
+1 Rod.... Necessity is 'mother', isn't it?

The point of custom desks is for better reflection control and/or elimination. If you can't fit it or afford it, you gotta go with what works. :thumbs up:

Cheers,
John
 
Thank you, John. I am working out how to mount my JBL 4311Bs and my M-Audio Pro nearfield monitors. Your advice here will help me a lot.
Rod Norman
 
Pair of those JBLs just went for $231 on repocast...12"w x 5"m x 1 1/4"t Nice specs. Wish I'd known before it was over...
 
My desk is kind of a 'Frankenstein' thing. I modified a glass top/metal framed desk then built a second tier behind it with cinder blocks (painted black) and 1" thick OSB that one of my video monitors and security/iso room video monitors are mounted to. Both pairs of audio monitors are on this isolated stand with Mopads angling them down at approx 8 degrees as I need them above the main monitors. I am thinking I need to lower these a bit. Never thought about cutting down a couple of the blocks to get the height perfect until now. I notice I have to back up 12" or so to see the tweets pointed directly at my ears.

Next on my to-do list.

Thanks guys! :)
 
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jimmys69 said:
My desk is kind of a 'Frankenstein' thing. I modified a glass top/metal framed desk then built a second tier behind it with cinder blocks (painted black) and 1" thick OSB that one of my video monitors and security/iso room video monitors are mounted to. Both pairs of audio monitors are on this isolated stand with Mopads angling them down at approx 8 degrees as I need them above the main monitors. I am thinking I need to lower these a bit. Never thought about cutting down a couple of the blocks to get the height perfect until now. I notice I have to back up 12" or so to see the tweets pointed directly at my ears.

Next on my to-do list.

Thanks guys! :)
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Wait a second...back up there...you have security monitors?

I secretly wish I had a surveillance system set up. But my believes-in-the-goodness-of-all-people wife doesn't see the allure.
 
Tadpui said:
Wait a second...back up there...you have security monitors?

I secretly wish I had a surveillance system set up. But my believes-in-the-goodness-of-all-people wife doesn't see the allure.
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Well yes, the system is tied together for a dual purpose. I have 4 video cameras at this point. One points outside the front door so that I can see who is coming and going. The others are for the isolation rooms and one that points behind me so that I can see the performers in my control room.

When I have a band in here recording, I set up the drums in their room and guitars in another. The guitar players and vocalist are in the control room with full PA volume if they wish while tracking. The video monitor allows them to see the drummer playing and can have interaction with that.

I record vocals in my control room and have a camera that points at them so I do not have to turn my head or guess when they have an issue. I can see them on the monitor.

Then there is the security aspect that I have multiple angles being recorded if some twat was to try to steal from me...

I found out which of my dogs was showing his disrespect for the 'budget' treats by pooping in the drum room once...
 
Wow, that's super fancy. I never thought of the value of control room/live room video monitors. And catching a canine in the act of defiling a room would definitely be handy! But really, isn't it really your own fault for buying the cheap treats? :D
 
Tadpui said:
Wow, that's super fancy. I never thought of the value of control room/live room video monitors. And catching a canine in the act of defiling a room would definitely be handy! But really, isn't it really your own fault for buying the cheap treats? :D
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Yeah, but how do you think I paid for the cameras? :)
 
yippie.gif


My table's just a cheap foldaway thingy I bought at Ikea. My older son uses it for his homework. I prefer having my monitors on stands. I got stands primarily because there are two rooms I could mix in.
 
So you caught the dog with the camera that you could afford to buy because you bought the dog cheap treats that caused the dog to poop in your room. Net loss, a couple of "presents" to clean up and a system to keep the dog out of that room. Net gain, a nice video monitoring system. Good trade.

Reminds me of Indian Joe on his way home and he picks up his friend. The friend notices two brand new blankets and a bottle of fine whiskey in the back seat and asks, "what's with the stuff in the back?" Indian Joe responds, "I got them for my mother-in-law." To which his friend replies, "Good trade!"
 
I'm using an old typists desk salvaged from the Seattle PI that was built around the 1920s or so. It's got a really large surface and it's built of solid wood so I like it (It needs a refinish job pretty badly tho). It's also got a spring loaded heavy duty shelf built in that hides behind a false set of drawers that they'd put an old school heavy typewriter on (it swings out right around where you'd put your computer mouse and is sturdy enough that you could sit on it without it buckling), so that's kind of cool to give me lots of extra room to put extra gear and what not onto if I need extra room.
 
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