9 years in the past I made a decision to get back to making music after a really lengthy hiatus. At first, my setup was extraordinarily humble, that includes an getting old ThinkPad and an affordable MIDI controller. I didn’t even have an audio interface for correctly recording my guitar.
Since then, properly, issues have gotten a bit out of hand. My synth assortment grew from a pair toys (a Casio VL-1 and a Stylophone) to properly over a dozen devices. I’ve extra MIDI controllers than any human may ever want. I picked up respectable studio displays, an audio interface, and even some ADAT expansions so I may maintain extra of my ever growing gear collection completely linked.
One factor that didn’t change, nevertheless, was my desk. Up till simply a few weeks in the past, I used to be nonetheless making do with the identical low cost Ikea Lagkapten/Alex combo ($220). It was a big desk, nevertheless it didn’t give me numerous flexibility for laying out my setup. Now that I’ve had a possibility to take a look at the up to date model of De-Fi’s Platform Studio Manufacturing Desk, which has devoted mounting factors for rack gear, area for audio system, and a pull-out keyboard tray, I don’t know that I can ever return. For those who’re out there for an reasonably priced studio desk in your music-making and try to resolve between cheaper choices and a devoted desk like this one, learn on.
Getting Settled
For all of its aesthetic angles and recording studio glamour, the Platform Desk, which was initially made by a model referred to as Output that has now rebranded to De-Fi, nonetheless goes collectively like Ikea furnishings. It’s a chunk of flatpack that that you must assemble with the help of a screwdriver and an Allen wrench. It’s undoubtedly extra substantial than your common Malm piece (what with it being made out of plywood as an alternative of particle board), however the primary idea is identical.
{Photograph}: Terrence O’Brien
As laborious as it’s to consider, one space the place Ikea does have a leg up on De-Fi is the standard of the directions. There may be a video walk-through of the assembly that’s OK, nevertheless it could possibly be extra detailed. The “print” model, properly, don’t hassle printing it. For no matter motive, it’s formatted as a single-page PDF when it ought to clearly be 5 – 6. While you attempt to print it out you find yourself with a slim, illegible strip down the center of a single piece of paper.
The elements record additionally failed to say that there was an influence drill bit for the hex screws in one of many luggage. I solely found it midway via meeting, after my fingers had been aching and I’d stripped a couple of screws with the Allen wrench.
It’s additionally value mentioning a few small quality-control points I encountered throughout meeting. The shelf pin holes for the highest stage had been lacking on one facet, and I needed to drill them in myself. And among the edges weren’t significantly neat. I even obtained a reasonably nasty splinter from the lip of the desktop.
Residing in Tight Areas
There was one fairly apparent con as soon as all the pieces was totally assembled: the scale of this desk. I stay in NYC, so area is at a premium, and becoming the 60-inch-wide by 38-inch-deep desk was troublesome. People with numerous area will not have the identical situation, nevertheless it’s value wanting into the scale earlier than ordering. My dwelling studio can be my workplace and my visitor bed room; it was a bit cramped to start with. Beforehand there was sufficient room to stroll between the unfolded pullout sofa and my desk. Now even my chair received’t match between the desk and the foot of the pullout. With a purpose to make room for the desk, I needed to ditch my monitor stands (the desk has elevated areas for displays to be positioned).
One other instantly apparent con is that the Platform Desk has no drawers. Granted, studio desks usually don’t, nevertheless it did imply I needed to maintain across the Alex drawer unit from my previous desk for typical desk-y storage. The overall flooring area taken up by my revamped recording space had all of the sudden exploded.
