The Mac-tacular Lair

More like Mac-tacu-lair! Am I right?

Daniel Nadeau

@phoenix: As soon as the saw the pictures hanging behind the desk, I knew I'd seen it before

pvcrisp

Axiom 25! Great keyboard :D I have the same.

Is that two sets of the Klipsch 'i-Fi,' or the HT sat/surrounds hooked to an amp out of view?
The 'i-Fi' is the *only* 'computer' speaker I've ever heard that rivals the sound of an actual stereo system, including their own inexplicably lauded 'promedia 2.1.'
Anyway, I'm rambling. Freakin' gorgeous office. It's an inspiration and an irritant at the same time, because I finally had my office set after months of obsessive screwing around. Along comes your freakin' masterpiece and I'm suddenly viewing mine with vague contempt. Arrgh...

nolabar10der

A true G. If G = Geek.

lethaldose

Hopefully after I finish my degree in CS I can get a job for the D.O.D. and make bank. I'm already saving for my dream office :) I'm going to have something similar, except it will have a clean looking server (maybe in a closet) and my desktops will be running the latest and greatest FOSS.

I'll probably have some sort of T.V. and min-fridge so I never have to leave it.

Just a couple more years .....

cs_student

@lozer4all: Amen.

Although that giant tangle of cords everywhere is giving me the urge to bite.

Open24Hours

With all the audio equipment he's got piled up in that place, you'd think he'd have more experience in how to set up a 5.1 speaker system.

Ben Blalock

I don't get it.

@D0rk: great desk for sure, but my current desk cost me $20

gpzbc

I went to that biomorph website and check out the images of the desk. His setup is the first image they use. Pretty awesome

danduhman

God, I hate macs, yet I still love this setup.

WolframOstrich

im pretty damn sure that the wallpaper on the far right monitor is Hong Kong XD

also the set up looks really sick

1337n008

I want all of that:)

Primeridian

Hah - this guy's office has been rotating around the Web for years. :D I'm impressed he's an LH reader too - I know that guy's office when I see it. If I remember correctly he's a podcaster and "security consultant," but wasn't allowed to talk more about what he did specifically at the time.

I kept wondering, so I could get into whatever business he's in!

Man, those desks are EXPENSIVE. I need to find something a bit more college budget oriented..

good god

lozer4all

What's so great about the set up? Not to be negative but there were better setups from LH users that were recently showcased at the thread that had a big collection of setups from them. Three screens, a laptop, two laser printers, midi controller, collection of books, studio monitors and some other audio equipment. Not that insane. The guy with 20 laptops or 15 screens was much more mind boggling.

Mateusz Romek Traczyk

an apple a day keeps the viruses away!

fullyrandomtandem

Obviously, I'm in the minority here, but the main appeal I see in this setup is as a set piece in some kind of science fiction novel--the cozy tech den where the problem is solved.
For purposes of reality, however, I've never liked spaces that are about the "stuff" that fills them up. Give me some sunlight, some splashing water, some living plants, and lots of clean, sparsely-populated flat surfaces, and keep all the muscle and machinery hidden. To each his own though.

This is why I can never have money.

darknecross

We've be subjected to quite a few trailer park workspaces in the past several months.

This is a refreshing change.

Very impressive, even if it is not my taste.

Deprong Mori

Macs, turntables, books, but where's the vinyl record collection?

tomgabel

@WolframOstrich: why would you even bother saying that.

Is that a Dell XPS laptop I see?

dark42

Dude doesn't look like he's struggling, to say the least! ;}

apparently you get someone who doesn't understand how to arrange speakers

VarianBabby

@darknecross: \

Just write it off.

Deprong Mori

@eagles3 thinks there are too many stars: To put into perspective how much he liked the set up.

NitrousO

Where did you get the awesome city art that's hanging behind the monitors? Those are something that I would like to get for my apartment next year.

utkhexon

@SnusBeorn: Although my own work space does not conform to your ideals... I completely agree. I would love to have the best of both worlds.. I envy this setup b/c of the amount of gadgetry, but it is a cave.

Hey, a Mackie Onyx 1220. I assume you have the Firewire option.

Whelkman

@eagles3 thinks there are too many stars: begrudging acceptance?

omegakumar

@WolframOstrich: you could have exactly the same setup using Windows or Linux. OS is irrelevant - it all depends on how many sheckles you're willing to spend.

@Mateusz Romek Traczyk: Yeah, I don't know. LH Readers tend to like man-caves. The lack of windows seem very suffocating to me.

Lovely, but not for me.
I like the wall decor, some of the furniture and the photo frames.

Its way too AudioGeek for me, although I wouldn't mind having that mic and that piano synth.

Graham Crocker

@WolframOstrich: You hate macs or the people that use them? Keep in mind for every spoiled kid or trendy adult who buys a mac because they are "better", there is a know-nothing, computer-illiterate schlub buying a PC because they are "cheaper". Now that I think about it, if these people switched they would both be better off. The PC user because they wouldn't be able to destroy their own system and the Mac user because they really didn't need an expensive computer to surf the internet and store photos. Keep in mind I'm only talking about the stereotypical user and don't mean to insinuate you or anyone else applies to this kind of user.

Brett Benedict

@Ben Blalock: Or he knows it's improper yet it sounds just fine.

Brett Benedict

Gawd, I love macs & that setup! :o)
Seriously though? I'm jealous. Boo. Hiss.

OprahBabb

too bad he doesn't have any real computers, only macs.. next time he should invest in a proper PC. down with the REAL evil empire apple!

Jacob Shattuck

@Jake712: And now here's the link. Doh.

[www.notebookforums.com]

Jake712

@nolabar10der: Here's an in-depth piece on his Klipsh audio set-up. Be warned, it's even more vague contempt inducing than simply looking at the pictures.

Jake712

who needs a desk in college?
once you settle, though, throw your money away on a good desk, regardless of the price. a friend of mine used like $2k on a full desk out of excellent quality wood, and measured to the last detail to his personal needs.
not even picard can be more comfortable

RonTom

Honestly i am not impressed, did you see how much the table cost ??? 3000$$$
I am more impressed by people that go to IKEA and create fancy desktop !

Lack of clutter == someone who doesn't get any work done; except for straightening up.

rockhopper

@Daniel Nadeau: Damnit, I got here too late.

@Brett Benedict: You are underestimating the effects of stupidity en masse and the target they are to villainous thieves. I'd give it less then a week before they have Macs dragged down to the same level they have dragged PCs. To put this in perspective; I'm one of those rare PC users that know what they need in a computer (high end for gaming and 3D CAD modeling) and can restrain myself from f'in it up.

@lyxus: The table was selected for maximum comfort. What you don't see is that I can elevate it to a standing position if I want and the keyboard tray height can be instantly adjusted for comfort. It was expensive and I waited a long time to buy it, but I don't regret it given how comfortable it is to work at.

m2j2_flickr

@rockhopper: Or cleans up before they take photos. I bought a Fujitsu scanner and pledged to get rid of paper as much as I could, though you'll notice one large double-drawer filing cabinet under the TV.

m2j2_flickr

@utkhexon: I randomly found this at a local furniture store a few years ago.

m2j2_flickr

@Whelkman: Yes, both the Mackie and the Korg are connected via firewire.

m2j2_flickr

@dark42: Yes it is. Running Ubuntu

m2j2_flickr

@VarianBabby: See my previous comments on this.

m2j2_flickr

Unfortunately, most of my vinyl was ruined a couple of years ago. Between moves, I stored them with someone else and they put them in the attic.

I've built back up a small collection, but also used time-coded vinyl to mix MP3. With the firewire connection on the Korg, this works surprising well.

m2j2_flickr

@Brett Benedict: Yes, they sound great for what I use them for.

m2j2_flickr

@WolframOstrich: wow do I wish that there could be one posting where someone in comments didn't start the Mac vs PC battle, and let the comments be focused on what the article is actually about. You're a retard for the comment you made, this set up has nothing to do with Mac or PC, it's a fucking room layout.

loriensleafs

Minus one full letter grade for the crap-tacular cable management job. "oh, just plug that in anywhere..."

Interesting. I replied to a handful of comments, but now my responses are missing?

m2j2_flickr

@cs_student: I do have some equipment in a half-rack in the storage area of the basement next door. The ReadyNAS devices were moved in there mostly due to noise and heat.

m2j2_flickr

@phoenix: Yes, my office was posted on Digg before and a few other places. I am a LH fan and submitted it their pool myself. Nice to see it get featured.

m2j2_flickr

@nolabar10der: Thanks for your comments. The speakers are actually a special 5.1 run that was done for Alienware a couple of years ago.

m2j2_flickr

@Ben Blalock: As I mentioned on the Flickr set, I'm not really interested in 5.1 on the primary computers. Most of the audio in the office is played through the studio monitors. Having all four speakers on the desk, just give it a little extra ooomph.

m2j2_flickr

@danduhman: They use the image with my permission and without compensation.

m2j2_flickr

@D0rk: As you can see from the earlier pictures of my workspace. I used an Ikea Jerker for a decade. I'd check them out for the college budget.

m2j2_flickr

@SnusBeorn: We all have our own tastes. This set up works for me, though I've considered trying to add some plants, but they are tough to maintain given the lack of sunlight.

If it is any consolation, the french doors do open up into the back yard which has some very nice landscaping and a comfortable Adirondack chair strategically placed to still get wifi signal.

m2j2_flickr

@LiquidGravity: I don't think Macs can be ruined by the user. They can become cluttered and littered with useless things, however they will still operate fine. On a PC (sans proper maintenance) such behavior will seriously slow its performance. Not to mention without proper virus and malware protection the PC is a sitting duck. All of this is not intended to insulting, I know Macs have their problems, too, but you'd be silly to say these things don't happen. In that area, Macs excel. PCs, of course, are the gaming mecca and much more inexpensive. It just seems like most people don't know exactly what they want.

Brett Benedict

This is M2J2. I posted a bunch of replies, but LifeHacker seems to be blocking them all right now. Once they start allowing comments from my account, I'll reply to the rest of the questions.

VanceCarson

Nothing fancy, but see how a simple 90 degree turn of the monitor can have a tremendous effect on your web and computer experience.

[www.flickr.com]
[www.flickr.com]
[www.flickr.com]

Think about how much sense this makes. The web hasn't been "above-the-fold" for years. And sites are built longer and longer for scrolling. More than half the articles I read require no scrolling at all. After living with this for a few months, I can never go back to landscape. The only drawback is watching full-screen video, but the advantages far outweight this for me.

henrykuo

this brings a tear to my eye. so beautiful..

bleebles

Does the mess of cables everywhere bother anyone else?

KatherineCachimba

wow! amazing.

afaik

Awesome setup! The only bad thing I see there is the speakers, and it isn't how they're setup. I'm sure they sound great and way better than anything I have, but I don't dig the look. They just sort of stick out in a not good way. But otherwise. Awesome!

Oh my god, I'm in love <3

Work for the D.O.D. and make bank? ahahahahahahahaha! Clearly you know nothing about federal work. hahahahaha!

BonnieBeaver

If only someone would make a printer that didn't look like something straight out of Office Space. Picture #7 is really the "low" point, but I'm not sure how much could be done to fix that. Kudos, looks both aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing.

LouisaCachai

@KatherineCachimba: Yes, the bother me. Especially near the audio equipment. Looking for viable options to get it under control.

m2j2_flickr

@WolframOstrich: I hate macs as well and I dont like his setup to much clutter

metalmarious

this is Boring,,, I have more macs then this guy and higher end audio equipment

Christopher Pernice

Cue the saliva...

TownyArt

I want to go to there

KatsMeow

beautiful space.
i guess my idea of glowing tables with LEDs (or the better choice of cold cathode) is not completely original.

still nice.

brainshred

Yeah but can any of that tech make a good dry vodka martini? I didn't think so!

Hey I like the wallpaper on his iMac (top right picture) where can i get that?

ShreemayiCrispus

@m2j2_flickr: I'd consider that significant consolation, m2j2--easy access to outside is a good thing in my book. NOT that you need to please me, obviously. Your office is the kind of space I'd actually like to be in sometimes anyway--like late at night when I'm in one of my, uh, hermit periods, holing up, away from the rest of the world, to get away and get work done.

And for grizgza as well: Heh. My own space doesn't conform to my ideals either. Far from it. But ever-s0-slowly, it's getting there. The guiding thought: Zen garden meets Star Trek: The Next Generation crew quarters set. :-)

@WolframOstrich: macs suck thats why i have an alienware

swarley178

@m2j2_flickr: I apologize. I did not see the reference to the 5.1 speakers. It just seemed odd to me that you would even bother with them.

Ben Blalock

Hmm, looks too busy for me. I like the bookshelf though !

koollife

I see he has one of those desktop volume control thingies. Never quite understood them myself... If you can't just reach over to the speaker, there are the volume control keys on the keyboard, as well as the volume control in the interface itself.

Although, I understand people also use them for scrolling. And you seem to do a lot of music production.

So, I've completely answered my own question. He's a music producer, so he scrolls and plays with levels a lot.

If only my (less than tech savvy) friends were this adept at self-troubleshooting...

@KatherineCachimba: Yes, look four posts before yours...

@okidokedork: So apparently if I hit reply twice it moves my comment level from the bottom of the other section's commments to my very own new thread. How nice...

okidokedork

@BonnieBeaver: So many lost souls wandering to the DOD and suddenly finding they can't escape once their dreams have been crushed.

@cs_student: Good luck with that buddy. Just a word of advice though, don't move to DC for it, it isn't worth it. If you really want to "make bank" go start your own contracting company and win a Fed contract, then you *might* make some "bank".

okidokedork

Hah, I love my Ikea Jerker computer desk. Still using it after all these years. Sturdy, well made, and just the right height.

ZitaBabba

@swarley178: Most insightful statement ever. Care to comment on the environment or politics? We need facts from informed people like you!

/sarcasm

@ShreemayiCrispus: You can buy it on iStockPhoto.com

m2j2_flickr

@Ben Blalock: I'd hate to just discard two of them to the closet. It doesn't look the best and is certainly not in a 5.1 configuration, but like I said, it works for me and they do sound great.

m2j2_flickr

@m2j2_flickr that's a pretty rad setup you got there. I'm about to redo my faux studio in my apartment and the biggest challenge I'm facing is what desk to get. I've looked at desks by Anthro, Omnirax, Sefour, StudioRTA etc. either they don't fit in the space I've got or they're ridiculously expensive. Do you have any suggestions for me?

I'm sure you've got your room acoustically treated, but if not, check GIK Acoustics for their art panels - [www.gikacoustics.com]

Rushabh 'Shubs' Sheth

@Rushabh 'Shubs' Sheth: As I mentioned earlier, I'm a big fan of Ikea desks, particularly the Jerker for the budget constrained. Pretty compact in size with the ability to add modules to meet your requirements. Good luck!

m2j2_flickr

that's a really stupid setup i a musicians/DJs point of view.. And why those speakers? If you make music you Dont want speakers like those!!

RochelleWenal

You suck!

Ya I'm jealous..

bonedog73

I'll bet that room's hotter than a bastard!

SeymourDawidude

@SeymourDawidude: Unfortunately, it does get a little warm in the summer months. ;-)

m2j2_flickr

@RochelleWenal: Which speakers are you talking about? The ones on my desk for playing audio out of my computer or the Yamaha studio monitors connected to my mixer?

m2j2_flickr

can someone tell me how spaces works when you have multiple monitors.

Josh M.