A few days ago I finally finished my new workspace. We’ve been in our Vermont home since November 5th, and last week the very last piece of furniture arrived from Poland. It was a desk I found on Etsy. It should have been here a month ago, but FedEx messed up big time.
Now, why would I order a desk from Poland? Why not something Made in America? Well, I wanted something fairly unique that would fit my space, made from natural materials made by someone like me. That’s how I found Wiktor in Warsaw. His one-man business is called “Skleia.”
The bold words in blue are all hyperlinks, by the way. That’s consistent in every story I write. It’s where I put all my Easter eggs.
NO NAILS NEEDED
What makes my desk unique is that it is made from only six pieces of wood that can be assembled without screws or nails. They all fit perfectly together, and it takes no more than five minutes to build. If you want to look it up on Etsy, search for “Mono Desk – modern Scandinavian, minimalistic design.” Wiktor (the guy in the video below) makes them in all kinds of sizes. If you like, you can also add a monitor stand which will also hold your speakers.
Since this is a space I spend most of my time in, I didn’t want to make any compromises. It needed to be warm and welcoming, and very comfortable, hence the soft lighting. To increase my comfort I have an attachment that turns my desk into a standing desk. That way I can record standing up or sitting down. A Herman Miller SAYL chair gives me all the support I need.
ACOUSTIC TREATMENT
Because our new home is in such a secluded spot, I didn’t have to soundproof the room, but I did need to put up sound absorption and deflection panels, dampening the acoustics. I have bass traps as well as panels above my head and behind my back to make the space sound dry without being lifeless. It took a lot of fine-tuning and a new microphone to get it right, but I think I have achieved what I set out to do:
To create a home studio that doesn’t sound like one.
My old studio in Pennsylvania was a seven by seven by seven cube without windows, and at times I felt trapped and out of touch with the world. By far the best feature of my new work space is a wide window letting in natural light, and giving me a view of tall Vermont maple trees.
AUDIO EQUIPMENT
If you’re curious about the gear I use for my voice over recordings, here’s a short list. I have reviewed most of what I use, so the hyperlinks will take you to that review, or to an Amazon product page. Just to be clear, as an Amazon Associate I earn a very small amount of money if you click on the link and make a purchase. Look at it as a tip jar to support the making of this blog.
My main microphone is a Sennheiser MKH 8060. It’s hanging in a Rycote InVision INV-HG mkIII microphone suspension.
My second microphone is a Neumann U87 clone.
The preamplifier I use is an SSL 2+.
I also have a dbx 286S microphone preamp and channel strip processor to give my sound some extra oomph when needed.
My headphones are the Austrian Audio Hi-X55’s. I also use a pair of Byerdynamic DT 880’s (250 Ohm). Both headphones are resting on this ingenious headphone holder.
The studio monitors I use are the Presonus Eris 3.5’s. They are small but mighty, and very affordable. They stand on desktop speaker stands which direct the sound toward my ears.
I love my K & M 23860 Microphone desk arm. It’s sleek, sturdy, and the springs are hidden inside.
Click here if you want to know why I’m working on a 27″ iMac, using Twisted Wave as my audio editor.
My studio is connected to the world via an ethernet cable, giving me an Xfinity download speed of 1.0 Gbps. To accommodate that speed I use a Netgear Orbi CBR 750 modem/router combination.
I think it is fair to say that I have found my happy place for writing and recording. If you have any questions about my setup, please drop a line in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them.
GUEST ON VO LIFE
To inaugurate my Vermont studio, here’s the very first interview with me from my new location. I hope you enjoy!
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I see that you’ve attached your mic desk arm to a table adjacent to the desk, effectively decoupling it from the surface you might contact while recording. Small detail but a pro decision. That’s a beautiful desk, Paul.
Thanks, Bill. Small things can make a big difference!
Congratulations, Paul. Wow! I love what you’ve done with the place! I was also delighted to learn that you and I both use the exact same pair of PreSonus monitors. Love mine!
Hi Steve, these small monitors are tremendous value for money. Since most of us only record one track mono, I see no need to spend money on expensive Genelecs from Finland.
Absolutely! I wish now I had known a couple of years ago about your friend who makes classic models of vintage microphones. By the way, I see a lot of your blue links go to Amazon sources. I get all my VO gear through Sweetwater Music in Fort Wayne, for basically two reasons: the customer service is second to none and the financing has been outstanding.
Hi Steve: I’ve always been a big Sweetwater fan, but not so much anymore. After my move to Vermont I was in the market for soundproofing materials and an expensive microphone. Since I’m a WoVO member I called the guy at Sweetwater who’s supposed to be our contact. I left a message with one of his colleagues and never got a call back. Then I left a message on the guy’s answering machine and still nothing. Days later I received an email from another Sweetwater sales rep asking what I was looking for. By that time I had already made my purchase from a company that was super responsive and had much better prices. No, the shipment didn’t come with candy, but that was something I could live without. Should my gear ever need servicing, I’ll go straight to the manufacturer. That’s where Sweetwater would send it anyway.
As for Amazon, please remember the title of my book: “Making Money in your PJs.” Their affiliate program allows me to make a little bit of passive income in my sleep. Ever since I became an affiliate I have included the lawfully required disclosure on my blog. Most readers should be aware of it by now.
So very sorry to hear about your less than stellar customer service experience with Sweetwater, Paul. Who knew? Perhaps they’ve become too big and too successful?? I actually recorded an audio book back in the day on how to become an Amazon affiliate. I’m glad to know it’s working for you!
Bernard