First time managing rackmounted gear in a bedroom studio - best layout options?

Dolphinado

Member
Hi friends!

I just got my Axe-FX III earlier this month, and I've absolutely been loving it! But, I've been struggling a bit with desk layout since then.

Right now, I have a 60"x30" standing desk – nothing specialized for studio gear. My Axe-FX is sitting on my desk directly towards the right side, in front of my right-most studio monitor, where it takes up a ton of space and is a lot more exposed than I'd like. So I've been trying to figure out better layouts to accommodate it and any other rack gear I might get in the future (like a good power conditioner).

Here are my criteria:
  • Must be able to reach the front of the Axe-FX (and any other rack gear I get) without bending down or standing up
  • Must be able to easily reach the back of the Axe-FX for routing
  • Must allow enough ventilation so nothing overheats
  • Must protect rack gear from damage
  • Must make it easy to keep my studio monitors at ear height / even height to each other
  • Must be easy to slide rack gear in and out, when necessary
  • Must keep the same video monitor height I have now (screen's about ~10" from the top of the desk – I can adjust the stand height on the monitor, but only so much)
  • Must create desk space, or at least not take any away
I've been thinking about getting something like a 3-bay desktop rack (something like the AudioRax 400 Series Triple Bay Workstation Studio Equipment Rack) to put on top of my desk against the wall. Buuuuut if I do, I'm not sure how I'd ever get behind it to plug cables in – my desk is right up against the wall, with no room to pull it out any more. I have enough room to route cables behind it, but that's about it.

For folks with desktop rack setups, how do you get access to rear panels for routing? Do you pull your whole desk out every time? Do you pull each individual piece of rack gear out of the rack, make the connections, and then slide it back into the rack?

Also, for folks using laptops, where do y'all keep them in relation to the rest of your gear? I've been struggling to find a place to put mine now where it won't be in the way.

I'm also not sure how much putting my studio monitors right up against the wall will affect the sound – I have them about 7" away from the wall right now.

I'd originally considered getting a rack case (the Gator G-PRO-4U-13 Pro Series Shallow Rack Case), but even the 3U version is too tall if I put it underneath my monitor, and I think it'd be too lumpy to put my monitor on top. I'd also considered putting my Axe-FX in a rack case, and putting that rack case on a lazy susan, so I could rotate it for easy access to the rear panel, but I don't have enough room for that underneath my studio monitors, and my Axe-FX is already taking up too much valuable desk space.

How do / would you manage rackmounted gear like the Axe-FX III in your bedroom studios?
 
My III stays in my room so I have it in a Gator Vertical Wall Rack that is mounted (horizontally) to the underside of my desk. It allows me full access to the front panel, retains all of my desktop real estate for other stuff, and I can access the I/Os when needed by just crouching under the desk.
 
Cheat like i did.
Buy 3 used desks, and modify a TV stand.
I got the desks for $20 each.
The rear one supports the 3 tier tv stand converted to two.

yeah, i know, there's a cassette deck in there temporarily lol.
I'm in the process of transferring 20 years of cassette recordings, as time allows
 

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