Let’s talk studio cords and management. Unfortunately, cord management is a problem with any home studio. Even with the most modest studio setups, there’ll usually be a power, audio, or USB cable to contend with. The more cables you have in your studio, the more complex the situation becomes. This article will discuss a few common cable types and their associated problems and solutions.
There are many different types of cables, such as unbalanced and balanced audio cables, both regular and in the form of audio snakes, USB cables, both regular and extensions, and network cables, such as CAT 5 or 6 or whatever they are up to by now, five-pin MIDI, HDMI and older forms of video monitor cables, AC power, and patch cables. I’m sure I missed something, but this is just to say there are a lot of wires in a home studio.
Each type of cable has its problems; longer unbalanced audio cables can pick up unwanted noise with longer runs, and balanced cables reduce unwanted noise; however, they come in various qualities, with higher-quality cable available at costly prices.
USB and five-pin MIDI cords are limited to specific lengths before they lose power; purchasing a USB extension that boosts the signal and passing a five-pin MIDI cable through another device to increase its power can solve those issues.
Network cables can run longer distances without interference and pass computer data and audio signals if you buy the correct attachments.
It’s not a problem for many people; however, I have one computer connected to three video monitors in different locations in my studio, so finding the proper cord lengths can be challenging.
AC power cords always pose a problem, depending on how many you’re dealing with; safety is always a primary concern when dealing with power distribution boxes and extension cords. You must take care to ensure the electrical outlet is never exceeded. This can be challenging to calculate because it’s not only what’s plugged into an electrical socket but also what else in the house is plugged into the same circuit breaker.
The above are the most common cords and cables in a home studio. Depending on your gear and how complex your home studio setup is, many more types of cables exist.
So the next question is, how do you manage all of the cables and cords in your studio to ensure it’s organized, easy to operate, and has a nice, clean appearance? I found Amazon the best source for cable management supplies. The main cable management supplies I use are cord labels, Velcro ties, cord sleeves, cord clips, both single and more significant multi-cable clips, cord channels and cord trays.
In my studio, I have gear on all four walls, and longer cable runs are needed, so I ensure all my cables are labelled at each end. Labelling the cords lets me know where each cord leads in my studio, reducing confusion and allowing me to see what I’m plugging in or unplugging.
I probably use velcro ties the most, as you can get them in different lengths and cut them down to size. If I have a longer run of cables, I use velcro ties to hold the cables together like an audio snake, using ties every few inches. It’s important to remember not to run audio cords alongside any cord carrying power.
Cord sleeves are great for bundling cords together as they zip up and contain a group of cords, making the collection look like one big thick cable, similar to an audio snake.
Single cord clips are handy for attaching wires from lighting systems or any cable to a wall, shelf, or the underside of a desk. They make making a single run to a specific location in your studio easy and look great.
Large multi-cord clips are the same as single-cable clips and usually have an adhesive back. However, they tend to be larger to hold either larger cables or a greater number of wires.
Cord channels are a great way to hide cables in plain sight as they adhere to the wall and can be painted. The cable runs inside the plastic channel, helping you keep a lovely, organized, slick-looking studio with excellent cable management. You can find many cord channel or hider sets with multiple ends to go around corners or make right and left turns on a wall.
The last item I use for cord management is under the desk cord trays. These are more extensive trays that screw into the bottom of the desk to hold more oversized items such as power bricks and power adaptors, keeping them off the floor and helping my studio maintain a cleaner, more organized look.
You can find more articles about home studio tips and tricks by checking out the home studio category on the Bach To Basics blog. Studio cords and management can also be found on the Sweetwater website by clicking here.
I wish you all the best in managing your studio’s cable system, which can be challenging.
