New desk day - The Colourbox/Piano Matt HQ - need to add speakers - ideas?

thecolourbox

I do enjoy seeing the various pictures and posts about your space and setup, a model example of what can be done with the knowhow and also to match the quality of output. I'm obviously at the exact opposite end of the scale in pretty much every way but there's still tips and info to be gleaned from it to make things better, even for my little hub. Such as the cabling, and the reminders to forward plan and not run yourself into so much of a corner as I have with my (otherwise decent) little table.

I think my cabling should be pretty good once set up as I don't imagine it being too changeable really. An interface and my keyboard, by USB to the computer, swap headphones between each of them depending on which I'm using. I've got some small velcro strips to take care of the power cabling, and some cable ties if required. Maybe just get one of those snake things people use for the cables behind their TVs for that element. I tend to use my cheap wireless system for guitar input as I'll get all wrapped in cables otherwise.

Not being able to add any speakers will obviously help in that regard as well because for that to work I'd need to set up a mixer or some kind of selectable patch bay as well, then cabling from the interface and keyboard (and anything else) would need to be increased to run through that then out to speakers.

I do have a Behringer Patch bay rack unit thing but i've always assumed it to be crap and just increased my cabling unnecessarily, plus the controls are on the top so positioning it to be accessible for those is a bit annoying. I have a couple of Behringer Xenyx mixers also, they are ok but a bit hissy so not sure I'd want to use those. They just have no sale value to enable me to replace them, and also the others available in the same budget price range seem to be the same things with different badges on so can't imagine it would be worth the investment.

I do want to buy a desktop computer as my laptop is woeful, and that could spell the end for the little metal drawers in their current position, they're a bit flimsy anyway but once I've moved the stuff currently to the right of my desk, they could go there to be fair. 

Sporky

thecolourbox said:

Thanks Sporky, I did take a look over the weekend but I'm afraid I'm not operating in that kind of budget level. 

Ah, sorry. 

octatonic

thecolourbox said:

I do enjoy seeing the various pictures and posts about your space and setup, a model example of what can be done with the knowhow and also to match the quality of output. I'm obviously at the exact opposite end of the scale in pretty much every way but there's still tips and info to be gleaned from it to make things better, even for my little hub. Such as the cabling, and the reminders to forward plan and not run yourself into so much of a corner as I have with my (otherwise decent) little table.

I think my cabling should be pretty good once set up as I don't imagine it being too changeable really. An interface and my keyboard, by USB to the computer, swap headphones between each of them depending on which I'm using. I've got some small velcro strips to take care of the power cabling, and some cable ties if required. Maybe just get one of those snake things people use for the cables behind their TVs for that element. I tend to use my cheap wireless system for guitar input as I'll get all wrapped in cables otherwise.

Not being able to add any speakers will obviously help in that regard as well because for that to work I'd need to set up a mixer or some kind of selectable patch bay as well, then cabling from the interface and keyboard (and anything else) would need to be increased to run through that then out to speakers.

I do have a Behringer Patch bay rack unit thing but i've always assumed it to be crap and just increased my cabling unnecessarily, plus the controls are on the top so positioning it to be accessible for those is a bit annoying. I have a couple of Behringer Xenyx mixers also, they are ok but a bit hissy so not sure I'd want to use those. They just have no sale value to enable me to replace them, and also the others available in the same budget price range seem to be the same things with different badges on so can't imagine it would be worth the investment.

I do want to buy a desktop computer as my laptop is woeful, and that could spell the end for the little metal drawers in their current position, they're a bit flimsy anyway but once I've moved the stuff currently to the right of my desk, they could go there to be fair. 

Cheers.

Those Behringer patchbays are not usually as bad as what Behringer usually turn out, although for a little more you could have the Neutrik ones. I would almost always prefer using a patchbay to not, but it depends on how many sources and what you are trying to do with them.

You can easily test by recording two identical signals, one through the patchbay, one not, then flip the phase on one of them and see if it cancels.

Patchbays save a lot of time- there are five things that matter here.

1. Layout: outputs on top, inputs on the bottom.

2. Labelling, I do this using a colour laser printer, a laminator and then cut it with a small guillotine.

3. Normalling scheme. Most of the gear is half-normalled to the audio interfaces/converters so I can bring everything up in Pro Tools or Logic. This means you only break the connection by patching into the bottom row of each bay. This means I can send any source to two destinations (for instance recording a source to two tracks, one with EQ and compress, one without).

4. Strain relief. You want to have some slack in the cables to be able to take the patchbay out to make changes but you need to secure the cables in some way. My Audio Accessories bays have built in strain relief, some patchbays have lacing bars, otherwise cable tie it to the inside of the rack, but allow enough movement to take the bay out. Use releasable cable ties. Trust me.

5. I never, ever put microphone preamp inputs on bantam bays. That is what the combi XLR/1/4" rack at the bottom is for. If you forget to disable phantom power when inserting or removing a cable with some microphones (particularly ribbons) there is a chance you can fuck up the mic. The only time I would consider doing this is if I had a cloud lifter on the front end of every mic preamp input but who is realistically going to do that?

I also don't like putting powered monitor inputs on a patchbay- use a monitor controller or connect the monitors to your audio interface.

thecolourbox

Blimey that looks like the tardis! Making the space for my patch bay would be worth the while for the inputs and outputs I have, especially considering I can't have speakers (for now at least)

Inputs:
Guitar into interface - usually via wireless. If I rig my HX FX up to use for sounds at any point rather than just midi, then just 1/4" jack into the interface, wireless from guitar to effects
Mic into interface (sometimes two at once). Can't be done on my patch bay as it's only 1/4"
Keyboard goes in via USB so no need for audio cable

Outputs are just headphones which again doesn't work with the Patchbay. If I were to use speakers I think just a better quality small mixer than the crap ones I currently have would be better,I've used the bigger one I have in that role before, i just have to keep all the levels really low because of the hissing.

Useful info though re patch bays in general and i've added it to my "useful info for future" notepad just in case it's ever needed.

I think yours is the Ferrari, whereas mine is the Fiat

octatonic

thecolourbox said:

Blimey that looks like the tardis! Making the space for my patch bay would be worth the while for the inputs and outputs I have, especially considering I can't have speakers (for now at least)

Inputs:
Guitar into interface - usually via wireless. If I rig my HX FX up to use for sounds at any point rather than just midi, then just 1/4" jack into the interface, wireless from guitar to effects
Mic into interface (sometimes two at once). Can't be done on my patch bay as it's only 1/4"
Keyboard goes in via USB so no need for audio cable

Outputs are just headphones which again doesn't work with the Patchbay. If I were to use speakers I think just a better quality small mixer than the crap ones I currently have would be better,I've used the bigger one I have in that role before, i just have to keep all the levels really low because of the hissing.

Useful info though re patch bays in general and i've added it to my "useful info for future" notepad just in case it's ever needed.

I think yours is the Ferrari, whereas mine is the Fiat

I don't quite know how it happened to be honest.
When I moved from Oz in 2001 I had two guitars, one amp and a laptop.

Yes, from what you are describing a small mixer like a Mackie 1402VLZ (or smaller) would be ideal.

thecolourbox

octatonic said:

I don't quite know how it happened to be honest.
When I moved from Oz in 2001 I had two guitars, one amp and a laptop.

I think that's what happens when you move from a nice place to a less nice place, you need distractions!

thecolourbox

Are there people who you can pay to come out and sort this kind of thing out for people? I had a bit of a go recording some piano yesterday for something I'm working on and it was a nightmare with cables everywhere, drivers not working on the laptop as usual, and without speakers so headphones were getting in the way.

I wondered if there were people who come out and spec something up even if they don't fit it, so I can be on hand to say what does or does not suit what I want, and find some clever solutions?

Still struggling with what to do about the speakers to be honest. but there's plenty of other bits and bobs that aren't quite working for me in the "grab and go2 sense of things, which is what I wanted.