Your home studio is nearly complete, but one piece of furniture remains: an ideal desk. A recording studio requires efficient processes for working effectively; selecting an ideal desk is key for its operation.
The Ultimate Support Nucleus 2 modular workstation expands with your equipment. Featuring a keyboard tray, computer monitor shelf, and dual rack spaces – it provides ample workspace.
The Desk’s Depth
Depth is important when selecting a desk because it determines how much room there is for equipment and monitors, keyboards and mice. A 30-in deep desk should provide enough room for most screens; for larger monitors, deeper desks may be necessary.
Another key consideration should be your type of work. For instance, audio engineers tend to require lots of gear not visible on screen such as mixers and other pieces of hardware; therefore, you’ll want an organized desk with multiple shelves and drawers so everything stays safe from damage or tangle.
There are various home studio desks that may suit your needs, like this Gator Frameworks desk that’s both stylish and ergonomic, offering plenty of room for a computer tower and two monitors. Plus, its built-in rack system features adjustable pads to help level out uneven flooring conditions.
Studio RTA’s Creation Station is another fantastic choice for anyone aiming to establish professional-level production setup at home. Boasting two 4U rack spaces with cable management features to help stay organized, this system matches with various extension sidecars so you can add extra storage as your needs change.
This studio desk’s only drawback is its glass surface, which may be too reflective for recording purposes. To ensure optimal recordings, cover it with sound-absorbing material to improve quality recordings and avoid placing this desk directly against walls as this might reflect sound from studio monitors and ruin your mix.
The Desk’s Height
Armocity offers one of the top home studio desks that raise your keyboard to a more ergonomic height, making this compact but spacious design suitable for monitors, computer towers and various gear. Furthermore, it comes equipped with an easily accessible keyboard tray.
An ideal studio desk height for sitting for extended periods is one in which your arms rest comfortably on it and reach all keys of your keyboard, helping prevent fatigue or poor posture from setting in.
Consider also how high you want your monitors. A general guideline would be that they should be about eye level; if you are shorter, consider raising them further up for optimal viewing experience.
Height adjustable studio desks have quickly become one of the most sought-after features on the market, as they enable users to adjust its height according to whether they prefer sitting or standing – which can reduce back pain and other issues. LEEKOUS Studio Desk makes an excellent height adjustable solution with its quick hydraulic lift system and two shelves capable of accommodating up to 35lbs each.
It includes a keyboard tray, an adjustable monitor shelf, laptop/computer space and storage shelf. Installation of the keyboard tray with its thumbscrew clamps requires no tools; while installation of the monitor shelf on either its longer or shorter sides will accommodate two monitors at the same time.
This affordable studio desk is an ideal solution for small spaces and home recording applications, made of medium-density fiberboard for added stability, featuring a large desktop surface that features space for a monitor as well as spacious lower shelves to store audio equipment, basket hooks and headphone hooks for storage purposes.
The Desk’s Surface
Home studios can be an invaluable asset to those involved with music, video gaming, photography, voice acting and online streaming – but having an effective studio desk is essential to keep everything organized and easy to access.
No matter the size or style of workspace you require for home recording studio setup or multiple monitor setup, there are numerous desk options to consider. The ideal desks should be durable enough to support the weight of audio equipment while some popular models include raised tiers for computer monitors, storage drawers for keyboards and accessories, adjustable height features as well as raised tiers.
If you’re working within a tight budget, there are still numerous inexpensive studio desks that can give you all of the functionality necessary for efficient working conditions. An example would be the Quik-Lok Z250 studio desk – an ergonomic stand-up desk equipped with an integrated platform for computer monitors and pull-out shelf for keyboards – designed specifically to ensure comfortable hours spent working at a computer.
SoundTree DT-400 desktop offers another cost-effective studio desk, boasting a spacious top that can comfortably hold two monitors and a laptop. Constructed of medium density fiberboard with steel frames and caster bases, this professional-looking studio desk will not break the bank!
If you prefer building your own DIY home studio desk, there are numerous free plans online available to you. A good plan will provide clear instructions and materials list to get the project underway quickly and affordably. These plans can help beginners learn wood crafting basics quickly while saving both time and money in the process.
Before purchasing a desk, it’s essential to understand its purpose. For instance, when selecting an audio/voice-over booth desk it would be wise to avoid glass desks which reflect microphone sound and can compromise its quality – it might be wiser to purchase wooden or metal desk instead in this instance.
The Desk’s Cable Management
Reddit user simbabeat has come up with an ingenious solution to ensure their cables are neatly managed when using a standing desk setup – otherwise any accidental cable tangle could send expensive computer equipment flying. They put their DIY skills to the test by building a studio desk for their home studio, then optimizing its acoustics with some innovative cable management techniques.
The desk features an MDF frame which is sturdy enough to support a monitor, two shelves, keyboard, cup holder and headphone hooks – as well as being easily assembled and supporting up to 330 pounds. Anti-slip leg pads make assembly effortless while its adjustable desktop is great for most homes. This desk comes at a reasonable size ensuring it will fit seamlessly in most households.
This entry-level home recording studio is one of the more affordable options on this list and makes an excellent starting point for beginners or anyone on a tight budget looking to start recording music at home. It includes everything needed to get going including frame, larger-side desktop, smaller-side desktop and monitor shelf along with its steel cable tray for stability and storage purposes.
This professional-grade desk is ideal for home recording studios, with enough room for a computer, interface, speakers and other gear. Constructed from solid and durable materials, its sturdy frame makes it the ideal place for music or voiceover recording projects – plus there’s even an included keyboard tray and bottom shelf designed specifically to hold speakers!
There are various methods available to you for organizing the cables on a home studio desk. A straightforward method involves using plastic boxes or trays; another great choice would be mounting a server rack beneath your desk, which can hold multiple devices without getting in the way. Or you could create your own DIY cable holder using kits of various-sized wire holders, with sticky adhesive backings designed specifically to hold thin cords firmly against any surface.