Been doing recording work for some time now? I’m sure at times you would wish that your work-space was more organised…with less clutter?
That’s where a recording studio rack comes into play; its the best way to keep your studio organized.
So what exactly is a rack?
Its basically an elegant way of stacking all your hardware, consolidated in one box.
What hardware commonly goes in there?
Anything you like! Just get rid of that pile of recording equipment and put it in the empty rack.
Though everybody has their own preferences as to what goes in there, here are certain equipment that are best placed in the recording studio rack, commonly seen in most studios as well!
1. Audio Interface
Most professional studios have audio interfaces placed in a rack. Usually, the high-end audio interfaces are rack-mountable (especially those designed to work with Pro Tools HD). This is the hub of your rack (sort of), with every other piece of recording gear connected to the audio interface in some way.
2. Microphone Preamp
Most pros use dedicated, multi-channel mic preamp for recording. This should be one of the essential pieces of gear in your rack. To keep things organized, connect it to a cable snake with a junction box so that you don’t have to open up the back of the rack to connect microphone cables.
3. Headphone Amp
The headphone amp is another equipment that is a good fit in a rack. You can tuck it away somewhere at the bottom, if you won’t touch it quite often. However, if you are using a cheaper headphone amp, you may have to constantly adjust the headphone volumes for each performer/instrument when you are recording.
4. Power Supply
You need power supply to power to all the other gear in your setup. So this one is a must-have unit for your rack. The good thing about this setup is that instead of having several power cables coming out from the back of your rack, you will have just one.
5. Monitor Management
Though most prefer to have their monitors on the desktop, or on stands, you may also have these in your rack.
Recommended Studio Racks
Here are some good options:
Odyssey CRS08 8 Space Carpeted Studio Rack
Odyssey’s CRS08 carpeted studio rack provides 8 slanted spaces. It has an open back, no panels front or rear. Features a 12″ top depth, 16″ bottom depth, and a fully carpeted exterior.
Studio RTA Producer Station
For the pro, this producer station offers plenty of room to accomodate all your electronic gear, and offers the perfect solution to keep your workspace more efficient and ergonomic.
To Conclude
If you’re new to music recording, probably you may not need it yet, but if you have a good set of equipment and have been recording for some time now, you need a recording studio rack. As mentioned, just get these 5 basic units in the rack and you’ll have a compact, yet highly functional, studio setup with plenty of free space for you to be more productive.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
I have a question. I’m starting my first dedicated home studio and I have all the aforementioned rack gear on your list. What order should I place them in my rack? Thanks!