issue03

EMUSIC-L Digest                                      Volume 46, Issue 03

This issue's topics:
	
	can you rack mount a keyboard yourself? (2 messages)
	Rack To The Future
	Racks (9 messages)

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Date:         Tue, 3 Nov 1992 04:50:13 GMT
From:         "(Todd J Sines)" 
Subject:      can you rack mount a keyboard yourself?

how possible, and what expense would be to rack mount say....an ensoniq Mirage
keyboard? i am interested to see if this could work.


gliding on my VCF filters

sines
--
>>> e  n  h  a  n  c  e  m  e  n  t >>>> body release. sinewave.time filtered.
                                                                  |  pulsed
>>> respond by: tsines@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu                  |  oscillated
                384 e17th ave columbus oh 43201   >>614.299.9529  |  stretched

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Date:         Wed, 4 Nov 1992 10:36:35 PST
From:         Leigh Smith 
Subject:      Re: can you rack mount a keyboard yourself?

DIALix!pucc.princeton.edu!uniwa!auvm.bitnet!emusic-l Writes:
>
> how possible, and what expense would be to rack mount say....an ensoniq Mirage
> keyboard? i am interested to see if this could work.
>
>
> gliding on my VCF filters
>
> sines
Some time back, I had absolute fun in attempting to clean up the crap on
the audio outputs of my keyboard Mirage. While partially successful (shitty
power transistors proved to be much of the noise), I found the Mirage would
operate ok without its keyboard plugged in. I had a latter model with the
elastomeric front panel (like a Sinclair ZX-80 Wowee! :-)), so I would think
this would be the biggest problem trying to rack mount. I too am considering
it (not enuf space in the studio), but seeing Wendy Carlos with an SY-77/99
leaning on its side, I think I'll just settle for that. Perhaps I could
just hang it flush on the wall like a surf board and paint it fluoro
colours? the mind boggles! :-).

--
=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
| Leigh Smith         _--_|\        Email:   leigh@psychok.DIALix.oz.au    |
|                    /      \       Tel (H): +61-9-450-2014                |
|         Perth -->  *_.--._/                Perth, Western Australia      |
|                          v                                               |
=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

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Date:         Mon, 2 Nov 1992 11:39:26 EST
From:         Mark Simon 
Subject:      Re: Rack To The Future

Everything I've heard says that the Powerbooks are unusable for MIDI, but Nick
says that Doug Wyatt at Opcode has sorted out the mess. What did he do, and whe
re can we get it?

                       --Mark Simon
                         tip@cornellc.cit.cornell.edu

------------------------------
Date:         Sat, 21 Nov 1992 16:18:14 +0000
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Racks

Gearhead alert.

I'm currently in mid-investigation of flight racks. I've come across some
reasonably decent-looking American ones made by SBA or SBX or something
like that - all curved, extrusion-moulded plastic with rubber-lined
rounded-corner aluminium frame front and back, rackmount hardware on front
only, fixed side carrying handles, and deep, removable front and back lids.
Anyone over there heard of these things? They don't feel as tough as
full-flight hardware, but certainly beat the hell out of the half-flight
junk I've seen (1/4" plywood covered in silver foil as far as I can tell)
and they're light and look impressive (or will with a CASSIEL logo
stencil-sprayed onto the sides). And the curvature means that there's 1/2"
of clearance above/below the top/bottom 1U space, good for ventilation. I'm
just not quite 100% convinced of their robustness for touring; anyone else
using these?

Onto the second problem: the racks are 15" deep, with another 1.75"-2" or
so clearance in the front and read lids. (So, what *is* 1/2 plus 5/8?)
Roland 2U racks are (hang on, where's my tape measure...) 16" deep. Grr,
that means 1" protrusion when in use, which is ugly, and more importantly
means only 1" of rear clearance when the lid is on. I can find right-angle
MIDI and 1/4" phono connectors which (with luck) are less obtrusive than
that, but I'm stumped by the MKS-70 and D-550 mains connectors which are
almost but not quite entirely unlike something totally different to the US
mains connector.

Oh-oh: how deep is the rack case holding the two Quantum 280's, and how
much can you bend a SCSI cable...?

Why don't the magazines run reviews and product line-ups of flight cases?

Oh-oh: how deep is the Fostex MIDI mixer? 358mm, that's, what, 14"...

                      Nick Rothwell  |  cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk
   CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance  |  cassiel@cix.compulink.co.uk

------------------------------
Date:         Sat, 21 Nov 1992 16:42:12 GMT
From:         Timothy D Fullerton 
Subject:      Re: Racks

In article <9211211618.aa02911@gate.demon.co.uk> Nick Rothwell
 writes:
>Gearhead alert.
>
>I'm currently in mid-investigation of flight racks. I've come across some
>reasonably decent-looking American ones made by SBA or SBX or something

        
>
>Onto the second problem: the racks are 15" deep, with another 1.75"-2" or
>so clearance in the front and read lids. (So, what *is* 1/2 plus 5/8?)


        Might I suggest you have the rack custom made? I had one made for
myself by Cabbage Cases. You can specify all of the dimensions and recieve an
Anvil-like case. I am really happy with what I got.

        Cabbage Cases
        1166 Steelwood Rd.
        Columbus, Ohio 43212
        USA

        (614) - 486 - 2495

        Tim.


------------------------------
Date:         Sun, 22 Nov 1992 19:26:43 +0000
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Re: Racks

>        Might I suggest you have the rack custom made?

Hmm, that's a possibility. There are some firms in the UK that custom-make
cases, but I think I can get by with pre-made ones. I had a phone chat with
Mike Metlay (Tran$$$Atlantic...) and the general conclusion is that the SKB
racks are good. I need to check closely whether I can fit the MKS-70 and
D-550 into them with right-angle connectors. And I need to check the weld
seals on the edges; they looked fine on the SKB's I saw, but also looked
like the potential weak point. (Thanks to Ken Morton for pointing this
out.)

                      Nick Rothwell  |  cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk
   CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance  |  cassiel@cix.compulink.co.uk

------------------------------
Date:         Mon, 23 Nov 1992 13:36:29 EST
From:         The Radio Gnome 
Subject:      Re: Racks

Hi,

     I've been using an 8 space SKB molded rack for several months now
and am very satisfied.  Its strength/weight ratio is fantastic.  The snap
in 10-32 nuts are much better than dedicated tapped rails (snap ins have
been standard on computing equipment racks for years).
     I have two minor reservations, though.  1st is the use of aluminum
rather than steel for the rails.  2nd is the tendency of the thin
polypropylene shell to resonate at bass frequencies.  I wrote to SKB and
pointed out that their racks did exhibit this acoustic behaviour, still
haven't gotten any response.

                                Andy Wing

------------------------------
Date:         Mon, 23 Nov 1992 14:30:51 EST
From:         JOHN MAGUIRE 
Subject:      Re: Racks

On Sat, 21 Nov 1992 16:18:14 +0000 Nick Rothwell said:
>Gearhead alert.
>
>I'm currently in mid-investigation of flight racks. I've come across some
>reasonably decent-looking American ones made by SBA or SBX or something

TEXT DELETED

>stencil-sprayed onto the sides). And the curvature means that there's 1/2"
>of clearance above/below the top/bottom 1U space, good for ventilation. I'm

I am also considering buying an SKB.  I have heard they are pretty tough.
I haven't found anything that comes close as far as price.  I've seen 6
space SKBs for $95 ( at either Venamins or AMS).  That's still a lot of
money for a box.!!  WHY do these things cost so much?  My major concern is
ventilation.  I'm going to mount a DM 400 watt solid state bass head.  The amp
has a temporature controlled fan inside  and  vents on the both sides.
The SKBs curve in on the sides, to allow room for the handles.  This
would probably put the plastic right up against the vents on my amp. I don't
know how much room is required for ventilation.  I think I'm going to bring
my amp to Venamins to check it out.  If it doesn't work, I'll have to pay
$40 more for a Forge II rack.  Do you have any Rules of Thumb for ventilation?

John A. Maguire
JMAGUIRE@ERS.BITNET

------------------------------
Date:         Thu, 26 Nov 1992 21:18:14 +0000
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Re: Racks

>     I've been using an 8 space SKB molded rack for several months now
>and am very satisfied.  Its strength/weight ratio is fantastic.  The snap
>in 10-32 nuts are much better than dedicated tapped rails (snap ins have
>been standard on computing equipment racks for years).

I've been *using* computing equipment racks for my rig so far, so I'm used
to snap-in nuts. Much better than the other stuff I've seen.

>     I have two minor reservations, though.  1st is the use of aluminum
>rather than steel for the rails.

Noted; also, the lids of the racks are made of bent aluminium.

>2nd is the tendency of the thin
>polypropylene shell to resonate at bass frequencies.

Oooh. I tend to do rather a lot with bass frequencies... but it can't be
worse than the computer racks I'm using right now.

I presume, by the way, that it's not wise to let one's roadie stub his fag
out on an SKB?

                      Nick Rothwell  |  cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk
   CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance  |  cassiel@cix.compulink.co.uk

------------------------------
Date:         Thu, 26 Nov 1992 21:19:29 +0000
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Re: Racks

>I haven't found anything that comes close as far as price.  I've seen 6
>space SKBs for $95 ( at either Venamins or AMS).  That's still a lot of
>money for a box.!!

Not at all. What's the value of the equipment you're going to put into it?

>I'm going to mount a DM 400 watt solid state bass head.

What's a bass head? Is that like a dead-head?

>The amp
>has a temporature controlled fan inside  and  vents on the both sides.
>The SKBs curve in on the sides, to allow room for the handles.

Hmm, OK. Can't you put the, erm, bass head elsewhere in the rack?

>If it doesn't work, I'll have to pay
>$40 more for a Forge II rack.

But if $95 is too much, then...

>Do you have any Rules of Thumb for ventilation?

Only to allow space wherever a rack unit has vent holes. In my case, it's
top and bottom, and I have enough shallow rack units that I can keep them
clear. And the SKB's have clearance top and bottom.

                      Nick Rothwell  |  cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk
   CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance  |  cassiel@cix.compulink.co.uk


------------------------------
Date:         Sun, 29 Nov 1992 13:52:40 PST
From:         metlay 
Subject:      Re: Racks

>I presume, by the way, that it's not wise to let one's roadie stub his fag
>out on an SKB?

Gaw-DAMN, talk about idiom differences! You talk about stubbing out a fag in
my neck of the woods, a burly guy with a bandanna in the pocket of his
jeans and a purple-triangle tattoo is gonna stomp yer face into the asphalt.

|-> |-> |->

>                      Nick Rothwell  |  cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk


--
dr. michael metlay       | Today's "Context is Everything" quote:
atomic city              |
p. o. box 81175          | "Life's a bitch, and then you get timed out."
pittsburgh pa 15217-0675 |
metlay@netcom.com        |                                     (m. cook)

------------------------------
Date:         Sun, 29 Nov 1992 13:54:20 PST
From:         metlay 
Subject:      Re: Racks

>
>What's a bass head? Is that like a dead-head?
>

It's the part of a bass guitar amplifier that has the guts, as opposed
to the speakers. It usually sits on top of the speakers, like a head
on a person.

--
dr. michael metlay       | Today's "Context is Everything" quote:
atomic city              |
p. o. box 81175          | "Life's a bitch, and then you get timed out."
pittsburgh pa 15217-0675 |
metlay@netcom.com        |                                     (m. cook)

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