Studio Diary #3: Picking The Rack

I’m currently getting my home studio more organised, and along the way I’m sharing my thought process, decisions, discoveries and regrets.

The guts of my studio is going to be the rack that most of my gear lives in.

Why A Studio Rack?

To some people, a rack of gear seems very 1980’s. To others, it seems like complete overkill for a home hobbyist studio.

Fact is, it’s actually a very practical way to go.

• If I have everything racked up, that means it’s all got a home. A single rack of gear in the corner of the room is going to take up minimal space. That’s ideal for me.
• I should be able to cable it all up permanently. That should reduce problems caused by regularly unplugging cables, plugging them back in, and other wear and tear.
• Fingers crossed that I can reduce noise by being careful about where I run the signal cables and where I run the power cables.
• And, most importantly, most of the gear that isn’t getting used is meant to live in a rack anyway. So it’s kinda a no-brainer!

It’s going to be much better than simply stacking gear on shelving or on top of other gear 🙂

Choosing A Rack

I’ve struggled with this, for a number of reasons.

First off, I’m not sure what I want. I don’t know how much rack space I really need. Other than being a study unit that’ll securely hold my gear, I don’t know what else I need the rack to do.

I’ve also found it quite hard to research. It’s not something my go-to shops sell, so I can’t ask them. Many of the units I’ve found via online search come with very minimal descriptions.

Most racks I’ve seen seem suited for permanent siting in a professional studio. They come pre-assembled, often made from real wood or a veneer over MDF. They look great, and they’ll probably last forever.

Sadly, I need something that’s flat-pack and self-assembly. A pre-assembled wooden rack is going to be too bulky and too heavy to get into the house and into my little room.

But beyond that? It’s going to be a bit of a punt.

What Rack Did I Settle On?

I’ve ordered the Trojan 16U Wheeled Rack from Studiospares. There’s a couple of things that attracted me to this particular rack.

• The price was really good. It’s cheaper than anything comparable that I could spot at Thomann (not often that’s true), and cheaper than any equivalent 2nd hand racks that I could find on eBay.
• The rack’s got some sort of additional weight-bearing support halfway back. That’ll be great for my power amp.

It’s showing as in stock, and should be here in a couple of days.