The Lowdown
A compact but versatile desk for music creators – DJs, producers – that also doubles up as a decent computer desk. With three levels including a very sturdy lower pull-out shelf for a keyboard or even a small DJ controller, it should gobble up your gear just fine. And if you happen to own rack-mounted audio equipment it comes with a fitting kit to mount this neatly at the back. A clever piece of furniture for the home or hobby DJ/producer.
Video Review
First Impressions / Setting up
The Glorious Sound Desk Compact is a music creator desk in various colours (black, white, walnut), with three levels including a wide, deep slide-out drawer (like a sturdier computer desk keyboard drawer), and the facility to permanently fix 19” rack-mounted studio gear towards the back of desk.
You can hide cables thanks to a shelf underneath at the back, and there’s a discrete cable hole on the main desktop for cabling down to whatever’s on the slide-out shelf (keyboard, DJ controller etc).
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The version we reviewed is the smaller of two types available, rocking in at just over a metre wide. Overall, the look is like a cross between an X-shaped artist’s bench and a computer desk, which we thought was modern and attractive.
Setting up
It comes flat-packed with lots of small plastic bags of dowels, glue, screws etc – all you need is a screwdriver. It’s standard style self-build furniture, so wood chip panels with a veneer – I am sure you know the type. If you’ve ever bought anything from IKEA you’re on the same page.
It took me two hours to build it – all went smoothly, because the instructions are good and all parts including the little bags of bits are clearly labelled. Trust me, I am no genius at this type of thing, so take it from me that assembly is easy.
The sliding lower shelf can be moved up or down when building the desk depending upon the depth of your gear, which is a nice touch, but it’s not really adjustable – you set it to where you want it to be permanently.
You don’t have to add the supplied fitting kit for 19” rack gear, and as I don’t own any of that, I didn’t. They provide stick-on plastic discs to cover unused mounting holes and exposed fittings, which in this case you’d need.
In Use
I used the Glorious Sound Desk Compact with our smaller 21.5″ iMac – a 27” iMac screen may be a bit too big because the back/top shelf is quite high. meaning you’d be looking “up” at it. I’d consider using a monitor with height adjust and setting it as low as possible if you are looking at this and wanting to use it with a large screen.
That said, the higher shelf is excellent for speakers (maybe up to 5” woofer size with a monitor too) because it raises them to closer to ear level than most desks do.
The bottom shelf is very sturdy and would accommodate a shallow, small DJ controller (we tested it with the Numark NS4FX) or more usually, a control keyboard – I used it with an Arturia keyboard which is quite heavy, but which the shelf took in its stride.
The main desktop is really quite deep – think of it as a “standard” small desk but with the space for that 19” gear at the back. If you don’t have such gear, that space then becomes available for other things – in my case, my camera and lenses, a headphones amp and my headphones, plus a little basket for odds and ends – the latter a good idea, because there are no drawers in this desk anywhere.
Conclusion
The question is then, would this be right for you? If you have a small space at home and would like a desk that can be used as a computer/office desk, a DJ desk and a production/music making desk too, it may just be.
As a home office/hobby desk it is big enough for you to spread your stuff out on the main desktop – there’s more space than with most such desks. Just be aware that for 27″ and above screens, you may not feel comfortable with your monitor on the top shelf, as it is quite high.
As a DJ desk it is not for standing at, but good for sitting down and planning sets – have to be honest, that’s the way I tend to use a DJ desk nowadays, as if I’m planning a mix or playing with new music, I tend to be tucked in the corner on my chair doing it while the family bustles on with other things.
As a production desk it’s good, because obviously if you use 19” rack gear you can mount it neatly out of the way at the back of the desk. Even if you don’t though (and I suspect most users won’t), your speakers are at a good height, plus the sturdy lower keyboard shelf gives you room for other kit on the main table top, or just your computer keyboard and mouse.
Really, it shines as an all-rounder. If you are a home or hobby DJ/producer with one desk for your family computer that also has to accommodate your speakers, keyboard, DJ controller and other things, this desk can eat it all up.
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I loved being able to “tuck away” my DJ controller and/or keyboard when not in use, and have them all set up and ready to go when I did get some spare time to use them. The choice of colours means one should work for you – for instance, the black one fits well with the decor in our living room. I’m a fan of having a nice place to work at home, and currently the Glorious Sound Desk Compact is suiting me well.
