Giant Wafer Control Room Re-Model

[TornadoTed]

Well I'm about to start on a re-model of the control room here. At the moment I have a Soundcraft Sapphyre console which is too much console for my needs. I pretty much mix hybrid, processing done with plugins, levels, pans and any buss processing done in analogue. I have played around a fair bit with OTB summing with a console, Neve 8816 and DIY Folcrom and to me the magic happens when everything is coming out of Pro Tools at near unity and volume and pan is set on the desk.

I have a Speck Lilo on the way to replace the Sapphyre. I have a croockwood monitor controller to replace the relatively simple monitor section on the Lilo. I can't remove the Sapphyre until July 18th as I have a few projects to finish but I am making a start on the new front desk and preparing mulitcores.

The problem I have now is that the Sapphyre is in the middle of the monitors and my DAW is on the side which means I spend most of my time side on to the monitors when I am mixing. That drives me mad and with the Lilo's smaller footprint I can switch the DAW and desk. The computer and Magma chassis is currently in the rack on the right hand side but I intend to move it out to a small 'machine room' in the corner of the coffee bar. I can happily live with the Mac but the Magma is too loud for my tastes. I have clients in on the 12th August so that is my deadline to get everything completed and tested.

[TornadoTed]

How it looks now and a basic render of what the new front desk will look like.

[TornadoTed]

I've been in the workshop the last 2 days and have built the 2 legs, the top racks and machined the side worktop. The worktops are oak that I got pretty cheap so decided to make the legs from it also.

[chrissyb]

I'm in awe of these people who make music and have woodworking skills - where on earth do you find the time?

Good luck, that oak looks really nice...

[TornadoTed]

A client cancelled this week as he had flu so I had a couple of days free, nice to get a nice early start in. I have 2 weeks empty before the 12th August and I am hoping that is the only downtime I will have.

[AnthonyRochester]

Your studio looks great as it is, but I guess you're doing more work in front of the computer than on the console eh.. Hooray for Wales, I'm mixing a Welsh band at the moment..

[TornadoTed]

Thanks for the kind words Anthony. Yep everybody wants recall at the click of a button. Most of my work is at the budget end of the market so speed is really important.

[dbjp]

I remember seeing your ns10's inside your desk in one of your threads.
I was going to comment on how horrible an idea I thought it was, but didn't want to piss you off because I wanted to be able to ask you some questions about diy speaker building in the future!
Glad the nearfields are now placed on top of the desk!

[dbjp]

Did you think about placing the controller on a slider above te LILO (the way we used to with lexicons), and then have your keyboard and mouse slide out from under the desk?
Wouldn't that be even better, comsiderig you'll be in the sweetspot whilst using the board?

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by dbjp

Did you think about placing the controller on a slider above te LILO (the way we used to with lexicons), and then have your keyboard and mouse slide out from under the desk?
Wouldn't that be even better, comsiderig you'll be in the sweetspot whilst using the board?

I feel like this is the most ergonomic solution. There is only a bit over an inch clearance from my legs to under the desk so a slide out tray wasn't really possible at this height plus it would have been too low. If I had raised it so the keyboard and trackball were right the desk would have been way too high, as it stands it will be 1/2" higher than on a Speck Lilo stand. This way everything is at the correct height.

It may sound crazy but I used to be in agony after 12 hour editing sessions, my hands and shoulders. I lowered my desk 1 1/2" inches about 12 months ago and it virtually cured the problem. The new desk is exactly the same height as the old one as I know that works for me.

I cringe when I see where keyboard and mics are 'shoved' in some studios, a lot would leave me virtually crippled in a couple of hours! Ergonomics was very important to me.

I plan on using the Lilo for routing, monitoring and summing so it doesn't matter that it isn't in the sweetspot. I do the majority of my processing ITB so it is important for me that I have the keyboard and trackball in the sweetspot. I plan to set levels on the Lilo to the nearest 5dB for easy recall and just fine tune ITB so it never more than 2.5dB from unity!

[TornadoTed]

I've done a bit more today between chopping firewood. The main desk is finished, the next step will be adding all the trims to the racks and leather arm rest to the front. All the cable has arrived (Van Damme Blue Series) and I am going to start stripping cables in the evenings while watching TV!

[brandoncross]

Sorry to hijack this thread but does your command 8 have icon knobs on it? And faders? Are the knobs touch? how did you mod it?
Thanks

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by brandoncross

Sorry to hijack this thread but does your command 8 have icon knobs on it? And faders? Are the knobs touch? how did you mod it?
Thanks

Yes Icon knobs and fader caps available from the Avid store. Just a case of pulling old ones off and putting the new ones on, they work exactly the same and feel so much better than the horrible stock fader caps and knobs.

[TornadoTed]

Not much has happened because I have been on a quick trip to France to see my Wifes Grandparents.

I have done a fair bit of 'hidden' work finishing all the machining and the rough sand. I have also made and upholstered the armrest, try finding a cow 2.6m long!

[TornadoTed]

The armrest as well as where the 2 worktops join is done with bolts so I can easily dismantle it. I need to change the floor at some point but I just don't have enough downtime in the studio to tackle that now which is a shame but I just can't bring myself to turn work away!

I should be able to unbolt everything and move it pretty easily when I find the time next year to tackle the floor.

[TornadoTed]

I won't be doing much for a while as the studio is booked 9 out of the next 12 days with 3 different clients. I need to have 2 days for changeover, cleaning, hoovering, laundry and beds etc

I have however started the bit I am not going to enjoy....the wiring

I started stripping the multicores last night when watching TV and I intend to do some every night after work over the next 2 weeks.

There are 9x 16 way mulitcores, combination of jack & XLR to soldered patchbay.

There are the 8x 8 way multicores for the 32 analogue i/o from Pro Tools, D-Sub to soldered patchbay.

There is also the monitor controller and quite a few other things to move around on the patchbays.

Hopefully by my start date on the 18th July I should have all the multicores done and all the woodwork varnished ready for the old to come out and the new to go in!

[TornadoTed]

Oh yeah and my Speck Lilo is in customs and should have been here tomorrow if it wasn't for the HMRC going on strike today!

My Crookwood monitor controller should be here next week with any luck.

[TapeOpAl]

Hard to complain about being busy eh?! Looking good.

[Syncamorea]

The new desk is looking great! And massive. Properly massive, that is. I look forward to seeing how it all comes together and your reaction to the new work flow.

I'd failed to notice before that the Lilo does not have mic pres. Will you have to add more outboard?

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by Syncamorea

The new desk is looking great! And massive. Properly massive, that is. I look forward to seeing how it all comes together and your reaction to the new work flow.

I'd failed to notice before that the Lilo does not have mic pres. Will you have to add more outboard?

Thanks for the compliments, I am happy with how it is going so far. It's the first time I have ever had a design to work to, I usually have it in my head and make up as I go along

I have 24 channels of DIY API and Neve outboard mic preamps already and have never used the preamps on the Soundcraft Sapphyre so that side of it is sorted.

[TornadoTed]

The first coat of varnish has gone on this morning and the Lilo arrived safe and sound a few minutes ago. It looks great 'in the flesh' and all the knobs, sliders and switches feel really solid. I cannot run any audio through yet as I had the monitor volume disabled as it will be feeding the Crookcood at unity.

[TornadoTed]

While this thread is concentrating on the control room and mainly the Lilo installation this is part of a bigger upgrade to the studio. Work has been pretty good the last 2-3 years and I am pretty happy that I have found a sustainable niche for the studio.

I have bought a few mics to fill in what I considered weak areas of my collection.

I have bought a few guitars as my instrument collection was pretty basic to say the least.

One of my main aims was to upgrade the monitoring. The Lilo and the Crookwood were part of it but I also have some Sonics Animas on the way to replace my old PMC TB2 and a DeQx Express for the main monitors.

I built them years ago,

Ted's Main Monitor Build

It's sacrilege really but I have been using a £40 behringer crossover which hasn't done them justice at all! My aim at the time was to get the DeQx and have finally decided to bite the bullet.

I am tweaking the acoustics in the control room, building a 'machine room' for the stuff with fans, giving the accommodation a new lick of paint and generally giving the place a spruce up.

[Syncamorea]

I hear you on all that. I keep a log of what was bought or built on what date and have a huge buy/build to-do list. With the limited budget that I can afford to apply, it's a slow process - although in the last 18 months it's been pretty good for our toy box.

I wonder how much the devil is paying for untainted souls these days?

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by Syncamorea

I hear you on all that. I keep a log of what was bought or built on what date and have a huge buy/build to-do list. With the limited budget that I can afford to apply, it's a slow process - although in the last 18 months it's been pretty good for our toy box.

I wonder how much the devil is paying for untainted souls these days?

Slow is the word for sure! It's taken me 17 years to get to this point as I've done a bit at a time as money allowed. I am chuffed though as I have no debt and super low overheads. I only need to be booked 2 days a month to break even which means the pressure is never on to pay the bills. April was quiet this year for no reason so I had to do some carpentry work but that isn't a problem as I enjoy the break from sitting in a chair all day staring at Pro Tools!

Anyway here is the star off the show, the Speck Lilo. I am really impressed with the build quality, very neat and easy to maintain which was a huge selling point for me. Good solid PCB's and neat component layout inside, there is no reason this won't be going strong long after I am!

[666666]

Originally Posted by TornadoTed

...Anyway here is the star of the show, the Speck Lilo. I am really impressed with the build quality, very neat and easy to maintain which was a huge selling point for me. Good solid PCB's and neat component layout inside, there is no reason this won't be going strong long after I am!....

Nice! Congrats!

[Vodski]

The Speck Lilo looks no nonsense, military grade. Love the desk build. Where in the Principality are you based?

[dbjp]

Originally Posted by TornadoTed

While this thread is concentrating on the control room and mainly the Lilo installation this is part of a bigger upgrade to the studio. Work has been pretty good the last 2-3 years and I am pretty happy that I have found a sustainable niche for the studio.

I have bought a few mics to fill in what I considered weak areas of my collection.

I have bought a few guitars as my instrument collection was pretty basic to say the least.

One of my main aims was to upgrade the monitoring. The Lilo and the Crookwood were part of it but I also have some Sonics Animas on the way to replace my old PMC TB2 and a DeQx Express for the main monitors.

I built them years ago,

Ted's Main Monitor Build

It's sacrilege really but I have been using a £40 behringer crossover which hasn't done them justice at all! My aim at the time was to get the DeQx and have finally decided to bite the bullet.

I am tweaking the acoustics in the control room, building a 'machine room' for the stuff with fans, giving the accommodation a new lick of paint and generally giving the place a spruce up.

Ted,
I'd reeeeeaaaallly appreciate it of you could give a detailed diary of the integration of deqx with your monitors, and your thoughts on the improvements over te Behringer.
Is It the HDP Express you've bought?
Very interested!

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by Vodski

The Speck Lilo looks no nonsense, military grade. Love the desk build. Where in the Principality are you based?

Yes that was one of the main reasons I went for it over an Audient 8024 or 2nd hand SSL AWS900. They are both great consoles but had more features than I needed and the lack of a modular build and SMT components put me off. I love the simplicity of the Lilo.

I'm right in the middle between Newtown and Llandrindod Wells. You are welcome to swing by if you are ever passing this way.

[TornadoTed]

Originally Posted by dbjp

Ted,
I'd reeeeeaaaallly appreciate it of you could give a detailed diary of the integration of deqx with your monitors, and your thoughts on the improvements over te Behringer.
Is It the HDP Express you've bought?
Very interested!

Yes the HDP Express. I will try to be as detailed as I can. I am using the cheaper analogue Behringer Super X-Pro not the more expensive digital DCX2496.

[dbjp]

Originally Posted by TornadoTed

Yes the HDP Express. I will try to be as detailed as I can. I am using the cheaper analogue Behringer Super X-Pro not the more expensive digital DCX2496.

Cheers!