Share your workspace thread

[BCnSTL]

Very cool! I've never set foot in a "real" studio. Would love to someday. I think it's impossible to have any sort of computer-base home recording setup that isn't messy in some way.

 

[THW]

Well hey thanks! So, in my home workspace, those aren't quantums in the pictures. I LOVE the original quantum boxes but I only use them for location recording. They're *so good though*. What you're seeing in the picture is my favorite hardware device that Presonus has ever made - the Digimax DP88. it's connected like this:

Metric Halo LIO-8mkIV
- Four stereo AES outs and four stereo AES ins
- connected to an AES patchbay
- 8 analog inputs 8 analog outputs
- connected to a tt bantam patchbay
- 32 ADAT inputs and 32 ADAT output
-connected to 16 Channels of Ferrofish Pulse
- 8 channels of DP88
- 8 channels connected to Zsystems ADAT /Spdif bridge
-those eight go to one of three places but that's boring stuff
All adat channels end up at patch bays which are connected to the gear

The multiple computers are connected at the same time through the metric halo which can work as an interface on two different computers at once. The Mac mini under the two screens in between the monitors is my main little guy. The old Mac Pro under the desk is a sample computer. It's complicated only until you sit and use it. People genuinely get around pretty easy in here once they get in here.

I use Studio One for recording, mixing, and production. I still mainly use Pro Tools for editing, but Studio One is the best for using outboard and therefore works best in my workflow.. I don't know of a daw that makes it easier to connect outboard as easily and cleanly as Studio One. I don't use Universal Control, but have messed with it with the Quantums. What seems to be happening with it?

Thanks @ianaeillo !

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Thanks for the detailed rundown, you have a very impressive setup! I had to look up the DP88 -- very cool!

I’m still pretty early in my outboard journey, and it’s genuinely inspiring to see how cleanly and intentionally you’ve integrated everything. Great that folks can get around easy once there!

It’s reassuring to hear you say that Studio One really shines for using outboard easily and cleanly. That’s been my sense as well, even while I’m still figuring out the finer points. I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m slowly getting there through experimentation (and plenty of mistakes).

Thanks again for sharing!

My issues with Universal Control (UC) are described below…I don’t want to derail this awesome thread with my problems and troubleshooting … I’ll make a post in “community support”. I really want to get this figured out...it's been SO frustrating.

I picked up a budget compressor (Klark-Teknik KT76) mainly as a learning tool for tracking vocals, and it’s been incredibly eye- and ear-opening compared to just inserting a compressor plugin. Where I’ve been struggling is routing, specifically with UC. When UC is enabled, I can’t get the KT76 to behave properly as a mono Pipeline XT insert, but everything works as expected when UC is off and I route entirely inside Studio One. I can use the KT76 w/ pipeline xt (mono) no problem.

I’m confident this is mostly user error and part of the learning curve.

Another recent example on the routing side: I wasn’t able to complete a basic loopback test to determine record offset on my Quantum HD8. I followed this Presonus Tutorial -S1 LoopBack/Record Offset Test step-by-step (including using the provided test file in the description, as well as an attempt with a new/blank project), but after assigning the I/O I couldn’t get the input track to record the signal from the designated output…even after trying multiple ins/outs and swapping cables.

I ultimately used a mono Pipeline XT insert to try and derive the offset instead, which confirmed cable works and connected to the right input and output...but then realized this measures round trip latency, whereas S1 record offset s/b only the record side (I think). So...I'm stuck. I want to understand what I'm doing wrong...in the interim I set it to 7 samples and Midi Offset to 7ms.

When recording, my projects are set to sample rate 48khz and block size 128…but I bump up the block size quite a bit sometimes when working with resource intensive plugins/virtual orchestra/large template.

 

[ianaeillo]

Very cool! I've never set foot in a "real" studio. Would love to someday. I think it's impossible to have any sort of computer-base home recording setup that isn't messy in some way.

Ah man. All of these workspaces I've seen around here are real studios though. Some have great vibes, one has a FREAKING AWESOME BAR ATTACHED, some are so packed to the gills with stuff. Some are barebones. All are perfect though. I love seeing where people's creativity thrives. Inspiring.

 

[ianaeillo]

Thanks @ianaeillo !

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Thanks for the detailed rundown, you have a very impressive setup! I had to look up the DP88 -- very cool!

I’m still pretty early in my outboard journey, and it’s genuinely inspiring to see how cleanly and intentionally you’ve integrated everything. Great that folks can get around easy once there!

It’s reassuring to hear you say that Studio One really shines for using outboard easily and cleanly. That’s been my sense as well, even while I’m still figuring out the finer points. I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m slowly getting there through experimentation (and plenty of mistakes).

Thanks again for sharing!

My issues with Universal Control (UC) are described below…I don’t want to derail this awesome thread with my problems and troubleshooting … I’ll make a post in “community support”. I really want to get this figured out...it's been SO frustrating.

I picked up a budget compressor (Klark-Teknik KT76) mainly as a learning tool for tracking vocals, and it’s been incredibly eye- and ear-opening compared to just inserting a compressor plugin. Where I’ve been struggling is routing, specifically with UC. When UC is enabled, I can’t get the KT76 to behave properly as a mono Pipeline XT insert, but everything works as expected when UC is off and I route entirely inside Studio One. I can use the KT76 w/ pipeline xt (mono) no problem.

I’m confident this is mostly user error and part of the learning curve.

Another recent example on the routing side: I wasn’t able to complete a basic loopback test to determine record offset on my Quantum HD8. I followed this Presonus Tutorial -S1 LoopBack/Record Offset Test step-by-step (including using the provided test file in the description, as well as an attempt with a new/blank project), but after assigning the I/O I couldn’t get the input track to record the signal from the designated output…even after trying multiple ins/outs and swapping cables.

I ultimately used a mono Pipeline XT insert to try and derive the offset instead, which confirmed cable works and connected to the right input and output...but then realized this measures round trip latency, whereas S1 record offset s/b only the record side (I think). So...I'm stuck. I want to understand what I'm doing wrong...in the interim I set it to 2ms.

When recording, my projects are set to sample rate 48khz and block size 128…but I bump up the block size quite a bit sometimes when working with resource intensive plugins/virtual orchestra/large template.

Ah yes. I can see how that would be frustrating. That's really annoying and I'm sorry it's happening to you.

I don't know much about checking/confirming/recording with offset in studio one. I use the console in the studio, which is wired through the patchbay, so I don't have any AD/DA conversions happening while monitoring. At home, I don't do any recording, so while I have playback offset with the aforementioned round trip latency. I don't need to offset for recording purposes - just RTL. That sucks and I hope you get it figured out.

Hey that KT76 is pretty cool. I have a Warm WA76, but sent it off to Revive Audio and they made it sound like an entire new beast. I've heard the KT76 modded version and it is even better in the end. The KT is really neat but Revive does an incredible job bringing them up to spec!

 

[THW]

Ah yes. I can see how that would be frustrating. That's really annoying and I'm sorry it's happening to you.

I don't know much about checking/confirming/recording with offset in studio one. I use the console in the studio, which is wired through the patchbay, so I don't have any AD/DA conversions happening while monitoring. At home, I don't do any recording, so while I have playback offset with the aforementioned round trip latency. I don't need to offset for recording purposes - just RTL. That sucks and I hope you get it figured out.

Hey that KT76 is pretty cool. I have a Warm WA76, but sent it off to Revive Audio and they made it sound like an entire new beast. I've heard the KT76 modded version and it is even better in the end. The KT is really neat but Revive does an incredible job bringing them up to spec!

Thanks @ianaeillo ! Yes -- incredibly frustrating. But otherwise enjoying the holiday season

I made a post about it here in the community support section. So many knowledgeable and smart folks on here so I hope I can get some help, and especially that I was clear enough in my explanation of the problems!

I must say, the KT76 has really impressed me. Like I shared, I'm a noobie with outboard, but have learned my way around plugin compressors over the years. The KT76 exceeded my expectation, especially for the price! It can hang with some of my fav. compressor plugins. I've seen some shootouts by folks way more knowledgeable and experienced than me, and it held up. I have also heard about modding the KT76 and it's something I might do down the road -- right now I'm happy with it as is but seasons change and nice to know it's an option!

The WA76 was on my short-list, but I didn't want to spend so much without knowing how much use I'd really be getting out of the outboard compressor. As it turns out, I'm doing a lot more recording these days so I fire it up quite frequently!

I'm glad to hear the WA76 is even more a beast modded! I like Warm Audio products...I really like my WA12 MKII preamp (especially with the tone button engaged). And I do lust over some of the Warm Audio microphones.

After microphone I been saving up for, I imagine any next big home studio purchase could well be from Warm Audio, or Audioscape. Have also been eying these new Behringer products popping up...GAS is real....I'm all good with budget gear as long as it sounds good and works! But with limited space and resources -- I'm trying to be strategic about what I buy and only stuff I'm actually going to use. I've learned my lesson the expensive way (unfortunately more than once! lol).

 

[ianaeillo]

In my mind, stock, the KT76 is a far better tracking comp than the WA76. More predictable and tweakable in the original state. Not taking away from the WA, but I think you made the right choice for tracking.

The noise levels of the WA bothered me prior and that’s what forced my hand to get it modded. Ultimately I wish I had gotten the KT, but the WA is quite lovely now. The compressor I’m currently in love with is a new (to me) summit audio stereo comp. Mannnnnn it’s gorgeous. Love finding new gear that inspires me.

 

[lokeyfly]

Hi Ian, I'm glad you updated the title of the thread. Nice topic.

This is sort of a goof, but I couldn't help myself. : )
So this has been by-and-large my studio for the last year.

We are transitioning to move (I don't wish that on anyone in the transitory stage). In all seriousness, I've used a laptop for the last .... decade, and while I will be setting up a new Studio in our new home, as I still have quite a bit of hardware equipment, patchbays, racks, headphone mixer, several monitors (near field and audiophile), synths, samplers, etc. My current "fly" hardware while in transit is an Atom SQ, Audient iD14 Mk2, and a Komplete Kontrol S49 MK2 (when I can spare the room). Monitoring is through my trusty Sony MDR-7506 cans. Still, I dont feel like I'm sacrificing next to anything. I set up where I want, be it living room, back yard, on a plane.... friggin anywhere!

The OLED screen on this new computer is OUTSTANDING! If anyone wishes to chime in on using an OLED monitor with Studio One, please do so. To have one is to never go back. I'm serious. The RGB keys are individually adjustable, and I've duplicated the colors from the standard S1 key overlays that can be purchased for about a buck and a quarter. Only here, I can see them under any lighting condition. Change them for any app, etc. Software wise, there are all the bells and whistles to making the environment anything from Abby Road, to Sunset Sound. Now that's future shock!

Anyway, just adding to the versatility of this thread and looking forward to others and displaying their place of worship. Cheers!

 

[ianaeillo]

Hi Ian, I'm glad you updated the title of the thread. Nice topic.

This is sort of a goof, but I couldn't help myself. : )
So this has been by-and-large my studio for the last year.

We are transitioning to move (I don't wish that on anyone in the transitory stage). In all seriousness, I've used a laptop for the last .... decade, and while I will be setting up a new Studio in our new home, as I still have quite a bit of hardware equipment, patchbays, racks, headphone mixer, several monitors (near field and audiophile), synths, samplers, etc. My current "fly" hardware while in transit is an Atom SQ, Audient iD14 Mk2, and a Komplete Kontrol S49 MK2 (when I can spare the room). Monitoring is through my trusty Sony MDR-7506 cans. Still, I dont feel like I'm sacrificing next to anything. I set up where I want, be it living room, back yard, on a plane.... friggin anywhere!

The OLED screen on this new computer is OUTSTANDING! If anyone wishes to chime in on using an OLED monitor with Studio One, please do so. To have one is to never go back. I'm serious. The RGB keys are individually adjustable, and I've duplicated the colors from the standard S1 key overlays that can be purchased for about a buck and a quarter. Only here, I can see them under any lighting condition. Change them for any app, etc. Software wise, there are all the bells and whistles to making the environment anything from Abby Road, to Sunset Sound. Now that's future shock!

Anyway, just adding to the versatility of this thread and looking forward to others and displaying their place of worship. Cheers!

I didn't change it, but I'm glad mods did. I was just getting annoyed with tit for tatting but it didn't need to be expressed.

I was hoping you'd chime in. Are you still in New York? I was there a few weeks ago but didn't hit you up as it was a quick two day job with no built in time to do anything.

I will die on the hill that the 7506s are the best headphones ever. Versatile, reliable, and just so freaking predictable. I love that I'm still using my pair from 2004. A few years ago I also purchased the MDR-V6, which is a variation that sounds *almost* the same but has a bit brighter of a top end. Otherwise, they're the same *exact* headphone. I use them both, sorta interchangeably.

I've been thinking about getting an OLED monitor. Do you have burn in issues at all?

Once you're set up, promise to come back to the thread and post what your room looks like. I'm always curious about your workflow and setup.

 

[lokeyfly]

Are you still in New York? I was there a few weeks ago but didn't hit you up as it was a quick two day job with no built in time to do anything.

Still in the big Apple. It will be several months to transition, and move. We'll be living in the RV for a few months in FL while I make final moves on a house. So I may not even have that Pic of the studio for 6 months! Its exciting while it will be crazy busy.

I will die on the hill that the 7506s are the best headphones ever. Versatile, reliable, and just so freaking predictable. I love that I'm still using my pair from 2004. A few years ago I also purchased the MDR-V6, which is a variation that sounds *almost* the same but has a bit brighter of a top end. Otherwise, they're the same *exact* headphone. I use them both, sorta interchangeably.

yes, I saw the MDR-V6 just last week and was seriously tempted. Thx for the feedback on it. Sounds like a nice occasional alternative since its that close to the 7506.

I've been thinking about getting an OLED monitor. Do you have burn in issues at all?

the default turns screens off after about 10 minutes and I'll leave that for the time being. The blacks are truly black as are the whites, white. Sensational. They've been around for quite a while now, but I'd recommend anyone here considering them to make it an automatic purchase on their next monitor purchase. There's a lot of gamers here, and will likely already have one. I dont game fwiw.

Once you're set up, promise to come back to the thread and post what your room looks like. I'm always curious about your workflow and setup.

On the silly busy part, a buddy of mine asked me if I can drop by New Jersey and grab 2 racks of more equipment. I can basically have any components I want from it. There's a couple of Crown Amps (D75), mics, a Mackie 1604, a Yamaha 01V mixer, two stereo 31 band equalizers that look to be dbx, or Ashley as I cant see the name in the pics, some racks, a compressor/limiter, very long studio power strips, etc. So I'll add that into the convoy of what I'm taking down. Did I mention busy?

On the new laptop, I added an additional 1 Tb, M.2 nvme SSD drive, myself. Only now I'm thinking returning it and installing a 2 Tb. That way, I'll always have a full 1 Tb allocation for video workspace all of the time. This laptop is going to be my latest dedicated A/V workstation. I was going to go Mac M4 or M5 macbook which is largely a no brainer, but I was helping my friend out installing his Studiolive Series III SE16 and using his M4 Mac Studio, I felt like I was hijacked by Klingons.

 

[ianaeillo]

On the silly busy part, a buddy of mine asked me if I can drop by New Jersey and grab 2 racks of more equipment. I can basically have any components I want from it. There's a couple of Crown Amps (D75), mics, a Mackie 1604, a Yamaha 01V mixer, two stereo 31 band equalizers that look to be dbx, or Ashley as I cant see the name in the pics, some racks, a compressor/limiter, very long studio power strips, etc. So I'll add that into the convoy of what I'm taking down. Did I mention busy?

Get the D75! I LOVE them. Best monitor amp for smaller nearfields, in my opinion.

 

[Jemusic]

Headphones are very subjective and open to opinion. I checked out the Audeze range recently and once you hear these really you will never go back. They are expensive though but for very good reason.

 

[ianaeillo]

I mean, yeah there’s a difference between $3500 headphones and $99 headphones but I’ll bet they’re still making 7506s unchanged in ten years.

 

[lokeyfly]

Get the D75! I LOVE them. Best monitor amp for smaller nearfields, in my opinion. View attachment 2533

I was thinnin' the same, Ian! Would be nice with my Yamaha NS500-M monitors. I've had PSA-2 Crowns. Many in fact. I set up a club here in NY that had 9000 watts per side (18000 stereo). All PSA-2's. That was a killer four way system with TAD drivers, and all JBL including 18" subs. The NS500-M are high efficient and would be fine with the D75. They also sound better then the NS1000-M which are pretty harsh with the berilium dome tweeter and mid. Yamaha made the 500's later and have a titanium tweeter that's so much more refined. For mixer, I would have taken a 02-R off their hands as I've owned one, but not wh

SONY MDR-7506 headphones were released in 1991 and have been available continuously since then, which makes 2026 the 35th year .

Yes, I had several of them when they came out. I've just stuck with them, and evidently Sony has kept the same recipe to this day which says a lot.

I describe them as being "sonically neutral with good deep-bass response".

Well described. There's that dip at around 220 Hz which removes a lot of common boxi-ness and while not flat (largely a good thing for cans, anyway), they just translate well, all while sounding quite fantastic.

I checked out the Audeze range recently and once you hear these really you will never go back. They are expensive though but for very good reason.

You know, I heard the Audeze a few years in a row at the AES convention and I was pretty floored. Only (and here's the subjective part), I dont think I'd find them useful for translating mixes. There's this amazing soundstage and cross-over separation, only its quite strong. I might be wrong, but getting mixes to translate to much of the conventional cone, dome, coil or ribbon tweeters, etc, would be at least for me a bit disconnecting. Now I might be completely wrong, but its a bunch from when I listened to them. I was more spell bound by the quality of their electrostatic drivers. I heard Chinese knock-off electrostatic cans and they were nothing even close to any Audeze models.
Its likely a matter of proofing them out, and finding their own frequency curves that work in a mix. I'm really set with the 7506's. The Audeze MM-500 would be a fun pursuit, I'll guess. I'd really rather hear Audeze as a novelty for my needs. I have Senheizer HD-650's and the same. Great for HiFi use, but not something I enjoy trying to hold a mix together when translating the mix. .

But yes, all subjective.

 

[Jemusic]

The Audeze LCD-X are pretty common in the professional mixing and mastering world. They say things translate very well. They are around $2000 here though. The MM-500 was a special model that Manny Marroquin developed in conjunction with Audeze. (Around $2800 here!) He mixed an entire album on them to be precise so yes it can be done. (Kendrik Lamar's album Mr Morale and The BIg Steppers)

 

[lokeyfly]

Its all really what one gets used to. It "can surely be done". Andrew Schepps is a huge proponent of mixing in cans for years now, specifically MDR-7506's. No room correction software, nothing. Only final proofing in a mastering facility, but the results up to then are well targeted. Kinda not making this about Audeze, but go for it if you like them. Funny, but true, for me, I even pop on a set of Apple earphones buds to cross reference what would be common ground for listeners in many scenarios. Kind of an NS10-M if you will. No, the bass won't be there nor were they there with NS10's. But there's that commonality which makes them relevant.
Anyway, Happy New Year!
.... back on track....

@ Ianaeillo, I'm curious about those mics!

 

[ianaeillo]

@ Ianaeillo, I'm curious about those mics!

The M179s? Get a pair! They’re wildly usable. I love them.

 

[lokeyfly]

Roger that!

 

[sonicdiscovery]

Here is my setup, added to over the years. I have hardware and software samplers. Just expanded my Moog setup, but all routed into Studio One. Studio One is so good for writing, very fast DAW. I have been able to integrate the two Avid's S1's faders, mute/pad/solo, and the dock for my main assigned mix buss fader. I use the Studio One Remote app docked in the Avid Dock, which works great. I love my Genelec 8351B's and the Trinnov for making my small space sound much better than I could imagine. Baby grand is just out of frame. This is where I get my studio tan.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Its all really what one gets used to. It "can surely be done". Andrew Schepps is a huge proponent of mixing in cans for years now, specifically MDR-7506's. No room correction software, nothing.

I've used Sony MDR-V6 phones for over 25 years, and replaced the plastic covered foam pads with velvet covered ones.

There's a question that I've wondered about for a long time. Back in the 1990s, there was a usenet group called rec.audio.pro. Someone posted there that the parts lists showed the only difference between the V6 and the 7506 was the cable. The V6's cable was 3 conductor; the 7506's was 4. The V6's cable had a single return for both cans.

This means that there is some amount of common impedance coupling between the two sides. I have not measured the resistance of the return path, but it can be expected to be much lower than the 32 ohms total impedance claimed by Sony.

Does anyone know more about the history of these two?

More on topic, here's one of my "monitor" speakers:

Love the pics!

 

[ianaeillo]

Here is my setup, added to over the years. I have hardware and software samplers. Just expanded my Moog setup, but all routed into Studio One. Studio One is so good for writing, very fast DAW. I have been able to integrate the two Avid's S1's faders, mute/pad/solo, and the dock for my main assigned mix buss fader. I use the Studio One Remote app docked in the Avid Dock, which works great. I love my Genelec 8351B's and the Trinnov for making my small space sound much better than I could imagine. Baby grand is just out of frame. This is where I get my studio tan.

GREAT SPACE. Looks amazingly conducive to making great recordings. Those Genlecs RULE. Take a closer picture of the racks! I want to see what's in them! Thanks for posting!