We tested the Sessiondesk Trapez 40 modular system firsthand and live. When we talk about furniture, it seems easy to draw conclusions without much prior analysis, but only by physically testing how it goes together and what the final result is with our gear running in this architecture do we get an accurate sense of what it is and how it's made.
Once we'd solved the complexity of this challenge, getting the product's pallet in and installing all the gear and cabling on it, we proceeded to assemble it.
Beforehand, we studied the different offerings on the market in this type of studio furniture. This time we focused on the one that seemed to us the most refined, professional and useful for demanding home studios and professional studios for production, creation, mixing, recording, mastering and so on. 
At trade shows and on its own website, Sessiondesk appears to be one of the most select offerings, although it has various product lines, grades and prices depending on the user's needs and the space's requirements.
Unboxing
We got off to a good start, since the manufacturer shipped the material quickly and it arrived even earlier than expected. We were also struck by the careful, elaborate packaging of the product. Wooden crates, separated by part, with the inside of each one perfectly organized, so that all the surfaces arrived perfectly protected. The organization of the packages was also ideal, since it helps organize the assembly.
Assembly
Inside we found a printed manual with the instructions needed to put the pieces together, although it's actually quite intuitive and goes together quickly. It's worth noting that the manufacturer includes well-labeled, separate bags with the hardware and parts needed, including some spares. A generous way to ship that avoids the disastrous moment in assembly when a screw is missing. In this case, on the contrary, you end up with some left over.
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You can sense a clear understanding of the user and their needs on the part of the team that designed the product |
During assembly you also get the same impression as when you see the careful packaging. Precision, perfect finishes and a design concept created by a team that knows exactly what the person who will use the furniture needs. I'd sum it up as a product designed and built with enthusiasm and passion.
The Trapez 40 model belongs to the brand's series of modular systems. Specifically, it has two side modules that can hold 12 rack units at the top and 12 rack units at the bottom (on each side). That is, a total of 48 19" rack units. Another feature of the Trapez series is that it can be configured (at purchase) in variable widths, thanks to a wider or narrower center piece.
Specifically, it offers the following options:
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Mounting the Rack Units and Cabling
Once the desk was assembled and placed in a suitable space, we set about screwing in the racks and wiring everything. In this part of the process, too, you can tell that whoever designed the desk has dealt with the issue many times and knows well what we need.
The back is made of wood in a “grille” shape. This feature provides diffusion of the finish, and ventilation for the gear and, combined with strategic openings at the rear, makes it easier to pass cables from one side to the other. Not just during assembly: if we're tidy, we'll have perfect access to each block to change or manage a new configuration, without it turning into a total mess.
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By being tidy during the assembly process, the desk will be very accessible for removing racks, adding new ones, and changing our configuration without driving ourselves crazy |
The center section has a “bay” for placing the computer monitor (screen), so we can set it low so it doesn't get in the way (acoustically) or, if we wish, use a small riser (not included) to put it at our desired height. This area is divided into two parts. Behind the monitor we have a section that serves for passing cables from one side of the desk to the other, keeping them hidden and tidy.
In short, the desk can be organized so that no cable is visible from the front, the sides, or even the back. As for all of us who work in this field, with exceptions that prove the rule, cables and clutter are a nuisance. Both for the looks and for the feeling of wasted time every time you have to search, untangle, connect, disconnect and so on. In an orderly space, it's much faster and more efficient. That way we can focus on what interests us, recording, mixing, composing, producing, mastering and so on, without wasting time on tedious chores.
Acoustics and Finishes
Sessiondesk designs in Germany and builds in northern Portugal. These are advanced designs developed with wood cladding, high-pressure laminates (scratch-resistant) and finished in leather (a combination of imitation and real). The look is therefore, in our eyes, imposing. We have a desk up and running that was designed and built by people with special enthusiasm, who didn't skimp on the details.
The modularity of this system will let us add components in the future if we need to, following the same design line. An additional side module or other accessories let us keep growing without losing the uniformity of our studio's look.
What About the Monitors?
As you can see in the photo, the Trapez system mounts the sides at an angle. That makes access to our upper rack panels more comfortable from our seated position. But it also makes it easier to position the monitor stands.
Depending on where you place the desk and the type of monitor, we can position them in different ways. In our case, and on this occasion, we added to the test pack a set of PORTO V monitor stands, designed and developed by the same manufacturer.
Today's installation was initially carried out with a pair of JBL monitors with a bass reflex port on the back that required a minimum distance from the wall. The design of the PORTO V monitor stands allows a perfect fit to the rear contour of the desk, and if the desk is close to the wall, it mounts the monitors in such a way that we get optimal space behind them.
PORTO V. Since we have them in hand, we'll devote a separate chapter to these sturdy monitor stands, made of Poliplex©, because they have interesting features (suspension, non-slip surface, adjustable height, angle and position, anti-resonance system, compartments for hiding cables, and an interesting etc.).
Continuing with monitors, we set up a second test configuration. This time we chose to place a pair of Focal Shape 65 nearfield monitors in walnut finish. In this case, the 8.5 kg-per-unit monitor is designed with a side-firing bass driver that won't generate that bass buildup (between the wall and a rear port). It can therefore be placed a bit further “back” (closer to the wall), if we want to push the desk back and gain more room in the space.
With the Focals placed vertically, we added a second pair to our setup: Avantone Mixcubes in a cream finish, as a second listening reference. The desk was ready and running.
Conclusions
First, we'd highlight the knowledge of the engineer or team that designed it. It solves in advance the problems you're going to run into when setting up your gear. Also the craftsmanship of whoever builds it, since everything is well measured and fits perfectly at the end of assembly.
There are cheaper options on the market, although they lack the professional quality this system offers. In any case, Sessiondesk offers plenty of configurations (at different prices) through its modular system (Duo, Trio, Trapez, etc.) and other lines such as the Basic series, Air Producer Desk, Alea Rack or Morel signature. So the price range is competitive and adaptable to various budgets. We assume they are built with abundance and detail in all cases, judging by how precise and attentive to detail we found it in our hands-on experiment with the Trapez 40 model.
Sitting at this command center we felt truly organized, we noticed how easy it was to position the monitors, the stereo image has improved compared to the setup this room had before (because we can fine-tune the exact placement of the monitors better), and everything is truly operational for today's startup and for whatever progressive evolution we may need.
We liked this brand before, but now, with the gear running on it and having examined every last detail of the assembly and startup, we like it even more. We congratulate the manufacturer on its care and dedication to a carefully made and outstanding product.
Although it's a piece of furniture, we consider that many aspects were taken into account in this development: aesthetics, acoustics, organization of space and cables, modularity and adaptation to the present and future work environment, finishes and so on. We therefore find it reasonable to evaluate its characteristics in a rating table.
If you're thinking of reorganizing your gear, we can confirm that Sessiondesk is a serious, reliable company that works with great quality.
