5 Best Music Studio Desks That Money Can Buy

• Feast your eyes on these jaw-dropping studio desks
• Discover the best producer workstations that money can buy
• Premium quality, best in class

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5 Best Studio Desks For Producers

Need something for a smaller budget? Check out these cheap producer desks.

1. ZAOR – ‘MIZA X2’

Toted as ‘The Cockpit’ of producer studio workstations, the MIZA X2 is easily one of the most luxurious producer workstations to ever exist.

The MIZA X2 provides the ultimate user experience and includes an impressive array of features.

It’s available in 2 gorgeous colors:

Features

• Integrated speaker stands
• A giant drawer for controllers and master keyboards
• A section that can hold multiple monitors
• 3 x 4 rack units for 19″ devices
• A large compartment for a tower PC or Mac

Dimensions

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 1890 x 1005 x 1144 (1545) mm
• Drawer: 1765 x 432 x 175 mm
• Leg space: 605 mm

Review

The multi-tiered layout of the desk is highly functional, and the hexagon-styled edges add a hyper-modern feel that is unrivalled. It’s definitely a unique looking piece of furniture, and I mean that in the best way. There’s enough desk real estate to accommodate more gear than two arms can handle, and the dimensions were even suitable for someone of my short, 5’6″ stature.

Everything just seemed like it was in arm’s reach, and required minimal rolling around in my chair to reach everything.

For its sheer size, I was hoping to get away with having 2 27″ widescreen monitors. Unfortunately, the desk is only wide enough to accommodate two 21.5″ monitors while also housing your speakers. Of course, this could be combatted by plopping your monitor speakers on separate stands, or getting one of those LCD monitor trees to stack your screens vertically instead of horizontally.

The desk is made out of sturdy melamine resin-coated chipboard, and while it shows for in sturdiness, the weight of this thing might turn some buyers off. It reaches well over a whopping 400 pounds in shipping freight.

I’m not going to say the desk is cheap, but it is definitely a value-for-money option. The build quality, paint finish and construction is on par with some of the best music studio desks I’ve ever tried. The massive drawer for your controllers and master keyboards slides out without a hiccup, and the casters were buttery smooth.

The desk even comes with a pair of IsoPlanes with their integrated Aperta system. This was a really nice touch, and felt like a welcome addition rather than an afterthought.

The cable management features are good, though I wish more holes were included to thread cables through. Fortunately there are plenty of DIY cable management solutions out there that this doesn’t really pose much of a problem.

Build instructions were fairly simple to follow along to, and each piece of the puzzle only fit with the correct corresponding piece, so there was very little room for error when assembling. Do note however that the packaging it comes in is extremely wide, and you may need to unpack it in your front yard.

 

2. StudioDesk Enterprise

StudioDesk’s ‘Enterprise’ is a newcomer to the studio desk/producer workstation field, and a welcome one at that. With the beautifully bevelled edges and angular lines, they pride themselves on their sleek, futuristic look (akin to something out of a scifi series), but also on their features that cater to the modern electronic musician. The Enterprise is no doubt one of the best desks for music studios in 2020.

For a price check and some high-res glossy photos of the desk in all its glory, click here (opens in new tab)

Features

• 1x 19″ 3U plus 2x 19″ 1 U rack shelf
• Cable management under the table
• Scrollable keyboard table for up to 88 keys instruments
• Adjustable monitor shelves
• Legs in MDF black high gloss lacquer
• Worktop: Black matte lacquered

Dimensions

• (W x H x D): total 1856 x 1055 (monitor shelves) / 820 (height countertop) x 935 mm
• Keyboard table dimensions (W x H x D): 1566/1490 x 673/639 x 574 mm

Review

StudioDesk’s claim is that the Enterprise is a “perfectly optimized ergonomic space”, and it is hard to refute that. Right out of the box you can tell that the desk has been carefully designed to cater towards those who don’t have the luxury of a massive room. Considering the number of bedroom producers out there (like ourselves), we definitely commend this foresight.

Once assembled, it definitely feels as ergonomic as they promise. Everything is just an arm’s reach away, and there’s tons of leg space. When putting down our Komplete Kontrol S88 midi keyboard onto the tray, it felt solid and secure. With only some minor adjustment from the seat, we were able to achieve a perfect ‘piano height’ that put zero strain on our wrists. With RSI being a growing concern for modern producers, achieving the perfect height for your keyboard/controllers/mouse is a definite must to avoid long-term injury. And the Enterprise does just that.

The casters on the keyboard tray are smooth and don’t feel ‘cheap’, and perfectly concealed our giant 88-key workstation. The drawer, however, does not ‘lock’ in place, and can sometimes (but very rarely) slide in/out by itself.

Rackspace was ample, however the optional extra of the floor rack cabinet might be something you want to look into if you want an extra 8U of space. It’s only a few hundred dollars extra to have that thrown in, so if you’re thinking of expanding, it’s worth the money.

The centered rack space adds a very stylish touch to the desk that is quite unique to the ‘Enterprise’ desk. But style aside, it’s also completely functional and again, ergonomic. The 3U rack bay is basically always within reach, and the perfect place to slot in your soundcard, preamps and other master controls such as monitor switchers and VU meters.

The speaker shelves are perfectly placed for you to achieve the optimal ‘equilateral triangle’ listening position. Be aware that the speaker shelves are not built to support monitors above 16kg — you’ll need separate speaker stands for those.

A lovely bonus feature of the desk is the padded armrests that come with the table. Again, ‘ergonomic’ is a word that gets thrown around so much in the industry, it was a lovely surprise to see this company actually deliver in that regard.

The construction was robust, and assembly (despite taking two people) was fairly easy to follow along to, especially with the video instructions.

If you’d like to check out the desk in more detail, click here (opens in new tab).

3. SessionDesk Gustav

SessionDesk refers to Gustav as a staple in its ‘Basic Series’, though there’s nothing basic about it. The desk is a fully-fledged battle station that is as classy as they come when talking about premium producer workstations.

To view the desk in high-res quality and admire its beauty, click here (opens in new tab).

Features

Dimensions & weight

• (W x H x D): 2348 x 1127 x 920 mm
• Weight: approx. 48 kg

Review

The SessionDesk Gustav is craftsmanship at its finest. Weighing in at 48kg, you know you’re paying for a durable and quality product. The table’s middle section is height-adjustable (3 different levels) to suit everyone from the tall and lanky to the short and stocky.

With 18U of rackspace, you’re spoilt for configuration options with how you wish to arrange your outboard gear. Units slot in like a glove and you can secure them without a hitch using the provided rack screws.

Speaker support systems are robust and angled perfectly for critical listening, thanks to the precise angling of the desk components. For the same reason, the desk is also perfect for those who mix in surround sound.

Made out of high-quality lining wood, the desk is a no-frills solution for the modern electronic producer or home recording studio buff who requires a desk that will stand the test of time. And that’s why we’ve included it in our ‘Best Studio Workstations of 2020’ list.

If you’d like to check out the desk in more detail, click here (opens in new tab)

4. Zaor Onda (Angled)

With a robust and modern studio design, the Zaor ‘Onda Angled’ is yet another highly functional, angled studio desk for those who want to rock that classic 60’s desk feel.

You can check out more photos of the desk by clicking here (opens in new tab).

Features

• Cable outlets and storage compartment
• Offset monitor shelf with cable outlet under the worktop
• Sides, front panels and feet made from solid oak
• Colour: Black

Dimensions and weight

• (W x H x D): 2346 mm (back side) x 1800 mm (front side) x 720 mm / 815 mm (speaker system) x 910 mm
• Net weight: 65 kg

Review

As the name of this producer workstation suggests, it is an angled, or trapeze-shaped producer desk, and a feature-packed one at that. Out of the box, the studio desk comes with a total of 12 RU of rack space, that are symmetrical from your seating position.

The construction quality is on par with the best. No flimsy MDF or sawdust-esque plywood here. The top panels and feet are crafted from solid European oak, and all feel very durable.

In terms of cable management, it’s very well thought out. There are cable passages in all the right places, enabling you to hide them out of sight.

The desk was delivered in 2 packages and was relatively simple to setup. Instructions were detailed and it is possible to assemble the desk by yourself (though we always recommend two people for safety). We were able to assemble the desk in under 45 minutes without any issues.

To view the desk in more detail (there are 3 colors to choose from as well), click here (opens in new tab).

5. StudioDesk Beat

Another popular choice among StudioDesk’s range, particularly among electronic music producers. Aptly named ‘Beat’, this fully fledged battlestation is decked out with all the features you need to take your music production to the next level.

For what it’s worth, this is my personal favourite out of the bunch. It just looks and feels killer. 

Features

• With continuous monitor shelf
• 2 rack shelves in 2 HU
• Retractable keyboard shelf (for up to 61 keyboards)
• Desk table segment with 4 mm tempered glass
• Cable management under the table
• High-gloss lacquered legs of 38 mm MDF
• Matt lacquered keyboard and rack tray made of 25 mm MDF
• Adjustable feet

Dimensions

• (W x D x H): 1646 x 905 x 817 mm

Review

While not made out of European oak or American redwoods, the MDF-constructed studio desk is actually surprisingly sturdy. The legs do not ‘give’ under large amounts of studio gear weight, and the paint finish is topnotch.

The 2 rack shelves in 2HU may be sufficient for the modern electronic producer who focuses on mostly ‘inside-the-box’ production, and occasionally uses outboard gear. But if you’re the type who amasses tonnes of outboard gear, you will most likely need to purchase separate rack cabinets.

Where this desk really shines though is that they’ve managed to make a relatively smaller desk feel like one of the big boys. As a result, this desk’s smaller form factor is perfect for those of you living in apartments or smaller spaces.

The spacious top shelf easily accomodates 2×24″ monitor screens, and is rugged enough to simultaneously hold 2×8″ monitor speakers. They keyboard does not fit 88 key controllers, though our 61 key KORK Microkey2 fit like a glove.

Cable management solutions here make a lot of sense, and allow you to neatly arrange your cables in and around the desk out of sight.

Construction was a breeze and took us less than 45 minutes to assemble thanks to the easy-to-follow instructions.