Studio RTA Producer Station anyone?

[naths101]

bump

am thinking about buying a used one off a friend sometime in the next few weeks but was wondering if it's possible to do the following mods...

- screw a piece of wood across the entire vibrating metal sheet, that should surely stop it ringing.

- cut down a rack strip (with the square holes) and screw it to the vertical poles in front of the current rack strip.
(might have to get a sheet metal company to make some mods too)

- attaching heavier duty castors

would this work?

nath

[BTByrd]

Since we've spilled over to a new page, I'll ask again...

Can anyone confirm how many rack spaces are available up top and in the larger racks on the side? The product literature says it has many more spaces ("dual 20 space racks with 8 spaces up top") than most of the user photos make it seem.

[BTByrd]

I finally pulled the trigger on the producer station, ordering from Guitar Center with a 10% off discount code. Musician's Friend has them for slightly cheaper, but they're back ordered for 2 weeks longer than Guitar Center is.

[BTByrd]

UPDATE:

The Producer Station is here. Even though I ordered from Guitar Center, it shipped from Musician's Friend. It's interesting that a single firm would have two prices for the same good from two different storefronts. Why compete with yourself?

Anyway, I ended up with the cherry (my first choice - the maple looks too much like it belongs in an elementary school). I had no trouble putting the thing together in about 2 hours by myself. The rack rails lined up just fine. This thing is heavy. The metal components are not, but they do the job. I would have preferred a bit more robust construction in that department, but it's quite a solid desk as is. It got my monitors off my desk/table top and at proper ear level. The soundstage has improved dramatically as a result (I also got some Auralex pads for my monitors, pointed down 8 degrees). And all my gear/cabling is nicely organized. And it's on casters, which is more handy than I'd expected. It's definitely not an Argosy. But for only $450, it's a total steal. No regrets!

[4damind]

Originally Posted by BTByrd

UPDATE:

The Producer Station is here. Even though I ordered from Guitar Center, it shipped from Musician's Friend. It's interesting that a single firm would have two prices for the same good from two different storefronts. Why compete with yourself?

Anyway, I ended up with the cherry (my first choice - the maple looks too much like it belongs in an elementary school). I had no trouble putting the thing together in about 2 hours by myself. The rack rails lined up just fine. This thing is heavy. The metal components are not, but they do the job. I would have preferred a bit more robust construction in that department, but it's quite a solid desk as is. It got my monitors off my desk/table top and at proper ear level. The soundstage has improved dramatically as a result (I also got some Auralex pads for my monitors, pointed down 8 degrees). And all my gear/cabling is nicely organized. And it's on casters, which is more handy than I'd expected. It's definitely not an Argosy. But for only $450, it's a total steal. No regrets!

Jep, looks good and the Auralex are a good idea (I use the same and it was a big improvement). Can you always move the complete desk?

[BTByrd]

Originally Posted by 4damind

Can you always move the complete desk?

It's pretty heavy. I usually just move one end at a time, unless I'm moving it laterally (in which case, I can just push or pull it to where I need it to go).

[Eightspace]

I really like my Producer Station, although I have made some modifications. The monitor shelf was too high so I reduced its height to 2U using a saw, removed the shelf and CD holders, widened the supports to allow room for a 49 note controller keyboard, and also added a metal support along the front of the shelf just in case. Now it's the perfect height as you can see.

[jb4674]

Originally Posted by Eightspace

I really like my Producer Station, although I have made some modifications. The monitor shelf was too high so I reduced its height to 2U using a saw, removed the shelf and CD holders, widened the supports to allow room for a 49 note controller keyboard, and also added a metal support along the front of the shelf just in case. Now it's the perfect height as you can see.

Eightspace, I wanted to ask you a question regarding the producer station. I currently have a PC that's housed in a Corsair Obsidian 800D case. The case is 24" high and I'm wondering if I can fit it under the desk (either on the right or the left). This would save me a lot of room.

Thanks

[Eightspace]

The headroom on those lower shelves is about 24.5" so I presume you'd be ok.

[Sri Vishnu]

Originally Posted by Eightspace

I really like my Producer Station, although I have made some modifications. The monitor shelf was too high so I reduced its height to 2U using a saw, removed the shelf and CD holders, widened the supports to allow room for a 49 note controller keyboard, and also added a metal support along the front of the shelf just in case. Now it's the perfect height as you can see.

I've been looking at this desk for awhile, and the high shelf has been my primary concern. It's always looked way too high and clumsy, but your modifications look great and I may do something similar. I have also wondered about using some sliding rack shelves since there's no rear rails, and I'd like to mount a control surface and MIDI controller on both sides. It looks like you have a shelf and a rack PC, so how did you secure them?

[Slikjmuzik]

Very nice mod there!!

My producer station is still going strong now after at least 3 years.

Pictures at www.earcandystudios.com

[Eightspace]

Thanks, I'm glad you like it.

My rack PC is just sitting on the lower shelf of the desk, it's very heavy so I didn't want to risk hanging it in the racking.

The shelf you can see is just a simple 19" metal racking shelf, I had 2u of spare space so it was a useful place to keep my notes..!

[Honch]

Originally Posted by BTByrd

Anyone?

More like 12 or 14 if you can cram them in. Sorry, didn't see this until now, but I think the rack space issue has been adressed before. It ain't gonna line up properly, because those spaces aren't done by any rack standards at all.

The cabling system is ... well, hype. There's holes here and there, but can you see "spot the assembling fault" with this picture? : It's their top AD pictures on Thomman germany... see if you can guess the assembly error they've made, especially on the cabling issue...

[Adlen]

Originally Posted by Honch

see if you can guess the assembly error they've made, especially on the cabling issue...]

never noticed that before, brilliant!

[Peter Csonka]

i bought this desk used, yesterday for 150 € (thats around 195 US Dollars)
for that price im really not entitled to go harsh on its bad things

the only thing i really dont like is how my screen is too high, but thats it.
i have no problem with the rack holes, the ones im using for now allign perfectly.

getting behind the gear can be a bit of a sweat becouse of that black support thing at the back of the desk,
but i think that the rolls kinda make up for it so it makes it atleast abit easier to move around.

i actually like all those little holes in the support bracket behind the desk
got all my cable managment mounted to it with cable ties

there is only one cable running away from my desk and thats 1 power cable
wich is from my rack mounted power strip,this way everything else is "plugged" into the desk

there are minor scratches on the left side of the table but nothing too noticeable especially when you got gear covering it
(mind you, i bought mine used)

all in all, i really love this desk, and for 150 Euros it was well worth it.

[Breaks Dude]

OK I need to know if the top shelf will hold a set of Mackie HR824s and a set of 19" flat LCDs? I do like the mod someone here did in bringing the shelf height down. The top shelf looks entirely too high to me.

[PeterPortugal]

Hello,

I'm new in this forum..this is my first post.
I bought a StudioRTA Creation Station desk 4 months ago, and the main table is resonating at 121.75 Hz - measured with FFT analyzer with measurement microphone and contact microphone, and the result is the same. the desk is resonating at this specific frequency, in the studio, or out, so have nothing to do with room acoustics. I decided to fill the desk legs with sand, so the metal ringing sound disappeared, and put rubber strip (for isolating purposes) in all connections between wood pieces. In this way, the upper shelf and the main table and the vertical wood blocs are decoupled with rubber. I have the monitors (on auralex mopads) and the imac on the upper shelf, and profire screwed and a drawer full with stuff. If I put heavy things on the main table to increase the mass, doesn't work. The resonance still. The 121.78Hz frequency is audible with the speakers OFF. By simply making "humm" with my voice at that frequency, the desk resonates, and if I put my finger at the table, it's obviously vibrating..

Anyone found a cure for this desk singing disease?
I have no more ideas to end with this resonance.
All the help it's welcome..

(I'm portuguese, so, any grammatical issue it's possible, so don't beat me!

[Honch]

Originally Posted by PeterPortugal

Hello,

I'm new in this forum..this is my first post.
I bought a StudioRTA Creation Station desk 4 months ago, and the main table is resonating at 121.75 Hz - measured with FFT analyzer with measurement microphone and contact microphone, and the result is the same. the desk is resonating at this specific frequency, in the studio, or out, so have nothing to do with room acoustics. I decided to fill the desk legs with sand, so the metal ringing sound disappeared, and put rubber strip (for isolating purposes) in all connections between wood pieces. In this way, the upper shelf and the main table and the vertical wood blocs are decoupled with rubber. I have the monitors (on auralex mopads) and the imac on the upper shelf, and profire screwed and a drawer full with stuff. If I put heavy things on the main table to increase the mass, doesn't work. The resonance still. The 121.78Hz frequency is audible with the speakers OFF. By simply making "humm" with my voice at that frequency, the desk resonates, and if I put my finger at the table, it's obviously vibrating..

Anyone found a cure for this desk singing disease?
I have no more ideas to end with this resonance.
All the help it's welcome..

(I'm portuguese, so, any grammatical issue it's possible, so don't beat me!

The issue has been brought up before, on the Studio RTA Producer Station... which is ... ahem... this thread! This topic/thread is NOT about ANY Studio RTA, especially not Creation. Read it all through, the remedy for this has been brought up before, on PRODUCER model only. Mine had metallic ringing also, but I put foam inside the metal panels holes (took a while) and the ringing stopped. It just to ring metallic in high frequencies when I did a loud sneeze even. Now, it's down to nothing. You have to play pretty loud now, before it vibrates. What's up with yours I cannot tell, and probably no other one around this thread because they only own the Producer RTA, not the Creation.

Well, we all now why they are the cheapest around, by now don't we?

Some can live with the design flaws at THAT price, and some can not. I am all for the latter.

[PeterPortugal]

Thank you Honch, for your answer. You are completely right, some can live with that, I can't.
I read the thread twice, but the it seems that the main problem is the rack holes. It worked for me, with some luck, I put a drawer and the profire and fits correctly..but wasn't easy.
My BIG problem is that 121.75Hz resonance which I can't kill.
It's unfortunate that exist in the market such "audio super cool worstation desks with rack supports and everything" that is all less neutral. That frequency it's killing me.
Anyone figured a solution?
Must be a way to damp that horrible sound.

[Breaks Dude]

Originally Posted by PeterPortugal

Thank you Honch, for your answer. You are completely right, some can live with that, I can't.
I read the thread twice, but the it seems that the main problem is the rack holes. It worked for me, with some luck, I put a drawer and the profire and fits correctly..but wasn't easy.
My BIG problem is that 121.75Hz resonance which I can't kill.
It's unfortunate that exist in the market such "audio super cool worstation desks with rack supports and everything" that is all less neutral. That frequency it's killing me.
Anyone figured a solution?
Must be a way to damp that horrible sound.

Go to a home supply store, buy some 1/4" rubber mat and some Liquid Nails. Cut the mat to size and adhere sections to the inside of the long metallic piece in the back (maybe even the sides). I am pretty darn sure this would quiet it way down, even better than foam. My desk has the same issue. Fixing it should be easy with heavy mat. Cannot imagine this fix costing more than $30.

[Breaks Dude]

OK so I bought this desk. It's not too bad. I like the size of it. A few things.

The top shelf is definitely a bit high. At Lowes I bought a shelf made by Sauder for $9 that is almost the same cherry color as my RTA. I chopped the shelf into 3 sections that are roughly 3U height (I cut them to 5.75"). I also took some old rack ears in my garage and used my chop saw to cut those down to 3U. Haven't bothered to take my desk apart yet to reconfig the top shelf.

My solution in the short term was to push my monitors further back on the shelf so as not to have to crank my neck to see them. Still not optimal but it'll do until I feel like tearing things apart again.

The top shelf is rated for 35lbs total. But, because of those metal CD holder thingys, I am able to support my Mackie HR824s no problem and those things weigh 33lbs each. No bowing at all...as long as the CD holders are underneath. When I lower the shelf, however, I am going to move the left and right supports outward so as to support the weight of the speakers (since the metal CD holders will no longer be able to fit).

The rack hole spacing is off for sure on these desks. I don't use much rack gear and what's screwed in is mainly for aesthetics but it was kind of a PITA to line things up. Photo of my desk is below.

[OffTheCuff]

Hi guys this is my first post - Im about to purchase one of these but my main concern and any help would be much appreciated is that im not sure if im going to fit x2 krk vx6 monitors & x2 monitior screens on the top shelf,,i noticed in one of the pics this is possible but its hard to see the actual size of screens !! any help or advice would be appreciated - idealy if i cant do this think i will still purchase & buy some speaker stands ;-)

[PixelDJ]

Originally Posted by OffTheCuff

Hi guys this is my first post - Im about to purchase one of these but my main concern and any help would be much appreciated is that im not sure if im going to fit x2 krk vx6 monitors & x2 monitior screens on the top shelf,,i noticed in one of the pics this is possible but its hard to see the actual size of screens !! any help or advice would be appreciated - idealy if i cant do this think i will still purchase & buy some speaker stands ;-)

I just bought this desk and I don't know about the KRK VX6 but I have to KRK RP8s and 2 19" flat panel monitors and they fit snugly on the top shelf.

[McSpinn]

Hey folks -

Hopefully I've not missed this somewhere, as I've scanned the thread.

Can someone tell me the measurement of the main deck, from the front to the rear shelf support? I'm hoping to fit an Allen & Heath Xone:DX onto there, with a 24-inch monitor behind it.

Attached an image to specify where I'm looking:



Thank you!

[themixtape]

jacko - I absolutely love those blue pads/baffles whatever behind your desk... may I ask how you made them or where you bought them from? They look quite effective! Let me know, thanks!

Originally Posted by jacko

here is mine
It is hard to believe to have something that good for such a low price...
It really helped to organize my little studio

[Darenzo]

I'm loving this thread & i love my producer station ....and here it is

[PhrozenThumbz]

Originally Posted by Darenzo

I'm loving this thread & i love my producer station ....and here it is

Niiiice. I have this sister version and I love it as well. Pic attached.

[BaconTastesGood]

Is there an alternative to this that may cost a bit more but without some of the more irksome problems (ringing, resonance, rack hole issues, weak upper deck)? The Omnixrax I'm looking is almost 3x the price.

How hard is it to 'mod' the Producer Station -- is it possible to put in new rack rails if those are an issue?

[Honch]

Originally Posted by BaconTastesGood

Is there an alternative to this that may cost a bit more but without some of the more irksome problems (ringing, resonance, rack hole issues, weak upper deck)? The Omnixrax I'm looking is almost 3x the price.

How hard is it to 'mod' the Producer Station -- is it possible to put in new rack rails if those are an issue?

No, I've tried it. It's hard on the metal side of things. The rack "rails" so to speak, are molded, or welded onto the side bars that hold up the lot, and the metal panels surrounding the desk, can't be changed out to "caged nuts". You have to make them from scratch, and you'd be better off doing a complete new desk all by yourself from scratch. I would have done a rack rail faced backwards at the end of the desk too, so you can have power units, power strips racked at the back.

The thing I wanted to do, but wasn't possible, was to lower the upper shelf, and make a clear ONE space that is just high enough for a keyboard to tuck underneath, or slide underneath, and move the 4-5 rack mount gear I have there to the left or right rack spaces. As well as to lower the flat screen monitors for better viewing angle. As for now, at the rack spaces, there's just one power strip, a drawer, and... Well nothing more.

I am trying to get rid of the CD holders too. It's a bit too "noughties" over that and obsolete by now. I don't know anyone who uses CD's/DVDs anymore. They, as well as I, use USB sticks or portable hard disks. If ones do use old CD/DVDs you keep them in booklet type storages.

I did once tried to think of having DOORS attached to buck some of the noise from computer, but as it turns out, with all wishes, and changes planned, I'd be better off doing a brand new desk from scratch, because there's too much and so much to be changed out, that the amount of labour and new material involved exceeds making one new desk from scratch anyway.

[Allgood]

im trying to find the cherry desk like this

Originally Posted by BTByrd

UPDATE:

The Producer Station is here. Even though I ordered from Guitar Center, it shipped from Musician's Friend. It's interesting that a single firm would have two prices for the same good from two different storefronts. Why compete with yourself?

Anyway, I ended up with the cherry (my first choice - the maple looks too much like it belongs in an elementary school). I had no trouble putting the thing together in about 2 hours by myself. The rack rails lined up just fine. This thing is heavy. The metal components are not, but they do the job. I would have preferred a bit more robust construction in that department, but it's quite a solid desk as is. It got my monitors off my desk/table top and at proper ear level. The soundstage has improved dramatically as a result (I also got some Auralex pads for my monitors, pointed down 8 degrees). And all my gear/cabling is nicely organized. And it's on casters, which is more handy than I'd expected. It's definitely not an Argosy. But for only $450, it's a total steal. No regrets!