Big Synthesizers and the Modern Apartment

nvining · Post by **nvining** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:32 am

The big problem with vintage synthesizers - especially vintage polyphonics - is that they're very large, and bloody heavy. I have the interesting problem of trying to fit all of my stuff along one wall of a utility space that serves as an office in my rather small apartment; until recently, I was using an IKEA Broder unit but it is insuffient for holding a CS80, a Chroma + Expander, and a Matrix-12. The Expander was the final straw, oddly; the pressure ripped the Broder unit off of the wall. (Fortunately, no casualties.)

So, my fellow synth-addicts: how do you keep enormous bloody polysynths in very small spaces? I'm talking utility spaces, broom closets, bathrooms, studio apartments, ... what's the secret? What are your tips?

Hybrid88 · Post by **Hybrid88** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:47 am

Well one solution is to only have one synth set up at a time and have the rest stored.

Or, you could just have less synths.

Or, a bigger apartment.

Or, just use plugins for convenience and never look back.

synthparts · Post by **synthparts** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:08 am

How long of a wall have you got? I did this -

madmarkmagee · Post by **madmarkmagee** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:23 am

Hybrid88 wrote: Or, just use plugins for convenience and never look back.

Jealousy is a curse... We all know deep down you wish you had a Minimoog...

Hybrid88 · Post by **Hybrid88** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:03 am

madmarkmagee wrote:
Hybrid88 wrote: Or, just use plugins for convenience and never look back.
Jealousy is a curse... We all know deep down you wish you had a Minimoog...

ha no actually, cause I do have one (and they are big heavy buggers!!)

syntheticsolutions · Post by **syntheticsolutions** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:00 pm

The use of a good quality 3 tier, double braced keyboard stand can be very good for space saving. You can buy secondary rear support legs that attach to the upper tier for additional support.

This system saves a tonne of space and is really convenient as it is fully portable

SKINNYPIG · Post by **SKINNYPIG** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:27 pm

I don't have an IKEA Broder but rather the more heavy duty model they used to make (I think it was called 'Magnus' or something)

It initially seemed pretty rock solid and would easily take the weight of a Nord, VP330 and ARP Quartet; but after about 18 months the whole thing started to gradually come away from the wall. I'm fairly sure this was down to the quality of the masonry and my less than great DIY skills, it's since been re-installed and seems ok so far.

Did you really get a CS80 on to a Broder?!

I had planed to put my leg-less CS60 on the wall but quickly decided it wouldn't end well

plexicube · Post by **plexicube** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:42 pm

I don't have any analog polys, but I do have kind of an addiction to 80's samplers, which are often just as huge. I also have a decided lack of wall space in my music room; there are a number of inconveniently placed windows and doors. So, I spent a while scouring garage sales and the like for older A-frame style aluminum stands. With a simple pipe cutter you can get fairly inventive with layouts and they hold a surprising amount of weight. Downsides? They're kind of bulky and its hard to get every machine at a level that facilitates programming. This Howard Jones style monstrosity here is currently holding a pretty hefty load including an Ensoniq ASR10, a Korg DSS-1, an E-mu Emax and a Casio FZ-1 in addition to the (lighter) Moog Rogue, Yamaha DX7s, and an Akai ASQ10, in a position that is totally playable. It does, however, eat up a substantial portion of the (not so big) room.

tekkentool · Post by **tekkentool** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:51 pm

Where I live now I have to move furniture if I want to do pushups. My 88 key controller is basically as much as I can manage. Even then it sometimes has to double as a desk.

nvining · Post by **nvining** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:46 pm

synthparts wrote:How long of a wall have you got? I did this -

(gear p**n removed)

48" - so about slightly larger than a Matrix-12. I *could* do that kind of racking if all my keyboards were lighter, but the Chroma and the CS80 are heavy beasts.

SKINNYPIG wrote: Did you really get a CS80 on to a Broder?!
I had planed to put my leg-less CS60 on the wall but quickly decided it wouldn't end well

Yes, and amazingly this works pretty well. The unit, and in fact the large flat shelves, are rated (according to IKEA) for up to 300 lbs per shelf. Even after the unit dislodged itself from the upper masonry (in pretty much the same manner as you suggest happened to you) when I brought the Chroma Expander home, the lower bracket screws and feet held everything on just fine while I panicked and gently unloaded the shelf.

I since redid the attachment job with larger screws, an additional set of holding brackets, and further modified the CS80-holding portion of the device by adding legs to it this weekend. This seems to have done the trick.

synthparts · Post by **synthparts** » Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:55 pm

There are 3 horizontal industrial strut bars that are secured to the wall studs every 18 inches. I have put my Chroma and CS60 on it (don't have a CS80 though)...

Bitexion · Post by **Bitexion** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:14 am

Isn't it better to add legs to the CS80?

nvining · Post by **nvining** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:42 pm

If I had correct legs for it, sure. I don't know what product I would actually put under the CS80 without expecting it to crumple instantly - the CS80 is a heavy @#$!er....

Bitexion · Post by **Bitexion** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:17 pm

Yeah it's known as "The Toe Crusher" in roadie circles I'm sure

Romannis1972 · Post by **Romannis1972** » Wed May 01, 2013 7:03 am

I'm about to set up my gear in my studio at home like I do when I play live:

On the floor.

Big Synthesizers and the Modern Apartment

Big Synthesizers and the Modern Apartment

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