Studio desk wiring tips and tricks

Axe_meister · September 2023

My Studio desk is about to be delivered.
It includes 3x3U rack units.
Any tips/tricks on wiring the thing up.
Currently what's going into the desk.
1X1U Power Supply (with Rack light) (with kettle lead outs)
1X1U Behringer line level mixer (Two audio interfaces for two different computers and an Alexa as inputs)
1X1 U Rack Shelf with Mac mini
1X1 U With both Interfaces (Both just 2 in 2 out)
Eventually I will get an Interface with 8in/8out so I can track more than two instruments at once.
Should I budget for a cheap TRS patch bay? Would you connect the Studio monitors to the patch bay or go directly out of the interface (in my case mixer)

When wiring should I also cut power cables down to size with a little slack?
Would a standard 3 Pin UK plug rack unit be a good investment (for all those pesky power warts) or would you just hide a
standard 4 way around the back somewhere?
Any other tips and tricks?

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

Calling @octatonic

Nitefly · September 2023

^^ and @Danny1969 ;

jdgm · September 2023

I had a Studiomaster Series V extended to 24-8-2 in my heyday, with MIDI and a Tascam 38.

I had a lot of use for my cheap TRS patchbay. Can't remember what make it was but you could normalise/de-normalise each in & out by reversing the little boards they were on. It all adds to the wiring though.

My desk had XLR sockets for the main L/R outputs but I used the stereo jack monitor output to an amp and then monitors. I infer from your post you have powered monitors....whatever, I'd use the outs from the interface if possible.

And I used standard 4-way mains strips as well as mini-mains extenders for the power; but it was only a small 8-track home studio, so the big guys may have different advice!

Danny1969 · September 2023

It all depends on how you envisage using the system. Think about the work flow and what can be permanently connected and what needs to be re-patchable and draw it out on paper before you screw it all in.

If you get a patchbay think of the use and how it will be configured, normalled / half normalled in use. In the full size studio I had the patchbay was essential but in the project studio I had before I didn't use one at all ... basically using a large analog with directs outs for inputs and and returns.

octatonic · September 2023

Ok, I love this stuff so forgive the long post- it is more than you asked for but it might serve to help others in future.

Patchbay:

I never put monitors on a jack/bantam patchbay.
Same with mic preamps inputs.

Monitors are on a monitor controller or off the audio interface outputs.
Mic preamps inputs are on an XLR panel.

I would avoid 'cheap' TRS patchbays. (ie Behringer)
The cheapest I would suggest is the Neutrik NYS-SPP-L1.
I have a couple spare here if you are interested.
I wasn't looking to sell them but I am not likely to use them anytime soon.

There is a reason a good bantam bay is £1000+.
I half normal almost everything.

ALWAYS power the monitors on last and off first.

Rack management:

Think about airflow.
I put 1/3rd rack space between everything as a minimum.
Which looks like this:

Middle Atlantic do a 1/3rd rack space vented blank but I prefer the airflow without, plus you can poke smaller cables through if need be.

Power:

I always use 19" IEC distribution but where possible.

So this:

Image: https://www.upbeat.ch/shop/media/images/org/M-10xE-rear.jpg

not this:

Image: https://www.dynamode.co.uk/cdn/shop/products/71NERY4htoL._AC_SX425.jpg?v=1603966547

But I have a couple of the latter, they are just messier.

Cutting down power cables:

Only if you can do it safely and properly.
If not then you are risking burning down your house.
Otherwise buy a load of 0.5, and 1m cables and use them where necessary.

Wall warts:

I fucking hate them.
When I absolutely have to use wall warts I use these:

Image: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41XC64AmqEL._AC_SL1000_.jpg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B082VJLJLZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

and hide them in the back of the rack- I prefer velcro to griplock.

Better approach:

Where possible I avoid using wallwarts and instead use these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WHKMPB5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

with a Ugreen or Anker USB charger

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PK1IIJY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Almost all of the synths I have that use wallwarts either run off USB bus power or 12v centre positive so it is easy to cable this way. Make sure that you have the right cable for the device.
Also if using the Anker charger linked above note that the ports are too close together to get 6 on one charger. I use a short USB male/female extender. I have 5 different types here I think. They work fine.

I also use a UPS in the machine room.

Cable management:

Racks are difficult because the more you cinch stuff down with cable ties and velcro the harder it is to make modifications, which is something I do all the time.
But you need to make it tidy enough to be able to track faults or make changes.

Thinking 'ok I am done' is hilarious and wrong.
You will never be finished, it will always change.

I make them 'sort of tidy'- power and analogue audio are kept separate and I use hook and loop cable ties:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B083K8M8Y1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My studio has removable skirting so most of the cables are hidden away but most people don't need that level of anal retentiveness.

Where possible I use multicore.
My channel count is fairly high so for the audio interface to patchbay connections I've run a load of 32 channel multicore which breaks out to 4x DB25's on each end and it means instead of 16 multicore cables, I have 4.
Adopt the attitude of 'fewer cables = more betterer' if possible.

For instance, all of my synth cables are a two way multicore for left and right channel, which halves the number of cables dangling about. Same for things like the Axe FX, Kemper etc.
If I have a drum machine with 8 outs then I use an 8 way multicore if I wanted to have all the outputs patched at once.

I sometimes protect fragile cables (ie optical thunderbolt) with braided sleeving:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071JH14WZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
To do it properly you also need some heat shrink tubing and a heatgun (or a lighter cab work).

I also use wider sleeving to put cables together that always need to be together, for instance a USB and audio for a bus powered synth. I never put mains power cable and audio in the same sleeve.

I do tend to cinch synths down quite tightly because they never move.
This is a finished rack with power, USB and audio:

Rack lighting:

I have several of these in the back of the racks:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08XNJ72S9

They are motion sensitive, charge with USB and are magnetic so you can easily move them about when you need light when you are in the back of the rack.

Labelling:

Final thing- label everything.
EVERYTHING.
Especially wall warts.
I put the device name, on the wall wart body along with the voltage, current and whether it is centre positive or negative.
Some Roland gear is centre negative and you can fry it if you get it wrong.
I put the device name on the plug end.
Brother labellers are reliable.
Don't wrap the label around the cable, create a 'leaf' where the back of the label attaches to itself on each end.
Otherwise they will just fall off.

I've had a number of different labellers and the overwhelming best one is one of the cheapest.
The Brother P-Touch 65, which uses the MK221 cartridge.
This has been EOL'ed and I *think* the successor is the PT-M95 but I'd try to find a used 65 (it is yellow).

I've got some much more expensive and complex labellers including one that connects to the computer and they are all too complicated to work fast with. I keep it in.a rack drawer in the studio as I use it all the time.
I also keep a torch and a stanley measuring tape there.
They get used all the time.

Save the refill cartridge model number in your phone's notes app.

On patchbay labelling, this can be a total pain in the ass.
The best solution I have found is to use a PC application called Patchcad.
Print it A4 (or A3 if you have it) and use a laminator, the cut it with a guillotine.

Laminator: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0833DN8PF

Guillotine: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075N9LD1P

If your patchbay doesn't have a sliding holder type designed then some double sided tape will hold it in place.
This is what it looks like when done properly:

I have a spreadsheet with everything it in different tabs.

Axe_meister · September 2023

Thanks very much for this. Some good info.
The "Studio" is just my loft room, where we may get 3/4 musicians together for a bit of fun. Most recording will just be me, but I do like things neat with cables out of the way.
At the moment my main interface is just a 2in/4out unit, but may go for a budget 8in/8out. What bugs me though is, Combo jacks with either global or sets of 4 jacks, that can be set to phantom power. So I've thinking an XLR patch bay connected to 4 of the Interface ins via XLR the other 4 going to a TRS patchbay, with a bit of gaffer tape over the switch on Phantom power, button and then expand to 16in/out if ever required (and/or I get outboard gear).
In terms of cutting Power cables, I know how to wire a plug and IEC cables, so that should not be an issue.
It's amazing how costs can go up so quickly, just because the components are mount to a rack face plate. Would love to have some forward facing USB ports, but a rack based USB hub, which is probably no better than a £30 powered desktop USB hub costs £150. So it going to be velcro for a desktop hub next to my mac mini.

octatonic · September 2023

'In terms of cutting Power cables, I know how to wire a plug and IEC cables, so that should not be an issue.'

Sure, but do one and take photos and have @ICBM take a look.
Most people do it wrong and unsafely.
I'm not saying you will, but it is just a good idea to have an expert take a look.

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