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[Jacob Sevart]

I work audio as a student for a 900-seat campus venue with no real sound installation and components purchased over decades out of an operating budget of $7-8k. We've recently acquired an LS9, and I've been running it from a folding table front-of-house.

This is less ideal for a few few reasons:
1) People come up to the console and plug their phones in to my power strip *all the time*.
2) People come play with faders sometimes when I'm in the bathroom at intermission (though I've taken to engaging console lock.)
3) While the booth is physically secure and locked on a strictly controlled key, the hall is porous. I don't think anyone here has the skills/connections to fence an LS9, but con the building manager into opening the doors and take it for personal use... maybe?
4) Nearest locking storage is upstairs in the booth or all the way across the house backstage.
5) Having any equipment besides by laptop nearby looks ugly as shit.
6) We could carry the console to locking storage at the end of the night, but it's probably in more danger of being dropped than stolen.

I'm thinking about getting the boss to invest in pipe-and-drape to address 1 & 2, which probably also lowers the aesthetic requirements on a security solution (needs to look classy enough to stay in the house during symphony orchestra concerts). We may have the scrap soft goods to do this ourselves with a small purchase of some PVC pipe.

There's precious little information available about FOH furniture and security solutions. Looks like a lot of people have custom desks built for $10k+, and there are some "call us for a quote" type vendors, which sounds to me like code for "you can't afford this." It also seems to happen as one line item in a ~$200k installation, which probably isn't happening this decade.

There's also a kit you can buy to superglue a Kensington lock port onto just about anything, but I'm not sure that would provide more than the illusion of security. Maybe good enough as a deterrent.

Any ideas or suggestions, either for console security or anything else?

[David Buckley]

For a permanent installation find someone who is good with wood, and build a mixing station as furniture to accommodate what you need.  Doesn't have to be "posh", 4x2 legs and a sheet of ply for the bench are just fine.  Surround it with a ply or MDF vertical from floor, which extends vertically a suitable way above bench level, sufficient so that no-one can see past the wall to to the kit at bench level on casual examination.  Cover the wall with black bedding sheet stapled neatly into place.

Drill big holes in the bench to get cables through, and put your power strips under the bench.

You can even put a removable locking lid on it to make it less available for playing with while youi are not there.

[duane massey]

+1 on just building or having a local carpenter build a locking cabinet. MDF or Chinese birch will be fine after some paint, a removable lid with a lock and you're done.

[Rob Spence]

When I walk away from my LS9 I often just select a layer with nothing I am using on it.


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[Glen Kelley]

+1 on just building or having a local carpenter build a locking cabinet. MDF or Chinese birch will be fine after some paint, a removable lid with a lock and you're done.

+1.

Find what millwork vendor your campus uses, and call them in. Explain exactly what you need, include any 'features' that you want (doghouse, ventilation slots, cable access, locks, etc.) and see what they come up with. I bet it could be done for ~$1500, depending on the relationship your campus has with the vendor. Hardware parts like hinges, lid-stays, ventilation grills, and locks add up fast. They are the $$$ part. MDF and laminate are cheap relative to those parts!

1) Use high-quality low-weight MDF. It is more stable than plywood. Don't let them use chipboard.
2) Coordinate plastic laminate color with your campus interior decorator, to keep them happy
3) On edges that will see abuse, try to get matching vinyl edge-banding. This will keep the laminate from chipping on the edges/corners, and will keep it looking better for longer.
4) Coordinate the lock keying with any other AV cabinets you use, so you don't need 15 keys to get things unlocked and turned on!

[Jonathan Kok]

If you don't need any extra space beyond the console, the Raxxess ERT-CHSD or ERT-WHSD would do the job.
http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/ERT

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