Finishing What I Started

In a few previous posts, I mentioned how I had some projects—rack units in particular—and never quite finished them the way I intended. They worked well enough, but I always knew they weren’t done properly. This weekend was the weekend I finally made things right.

The timing lined up perfectly. My wife was away visiting her sister, a friend was staying with us and happily settled in with a book on the back deck, and I suddenly had uninterrupted time. This was it.

The Cable Problem (Finally Solved)

For about three weeks leading up to this, I’d been quietly ordering audio cables—specifically chosen, correct lengths, correct connectors—everything I needed to properly wire the rack unit once and for all.

Up until now, none of the rack components were fully connected. No power, no permanent audio runs, nothing finalized. If you’ve been following the video series, you’ll remember that I connected the rack several times during the build—but I never liked it. The cable lengths were all wrong.

At the time I was first setting up the racks, there was a serious cable shortage locally. None of the music stores I visited had what I needed. That forced me to use whatever cables were available, plus whatever extras I had lying around at home. Most of them were six feet long when I only needed three feet. The result worked electrically—but visually and practically, it was a mess.

And I knew it.

Doing It Properly

This weekend, I finally had everything I needed:

• Correct cable lengths (all three feet)
  
• Proper connectors for each component
  
• A clear plan
  

The goal was simple: pull everything out, fix the small things I’d told myself I’d “deal with later,” and complete this part of the studio properly.

It took time. More time than I expected, honestly. But when it was finally done—when everything was connected cleanly, powered up, and tested—it felt incredibly satisfying. Turning on each piece of gear, checking each signal path, confirming that everything worked exactly as intended… that was the payoff.

The Joy of Tinkering

I have to admit, I really enjoy this part of studio life. Sitting in the studio, quietly tinkering, connecting things, solving small technical puzzles—I find it relaxing. For me, it’s not a chore. It’s part of the experience.

But I know not everyone feels that way.

Are you the type of person who enjoys wiring, patching, and setting things up? Or would you rather have everything connected by someone else so you can focus entirely on making music?

Neither approach is right or wrong. We all enjoy our studios in different ways.

However you choose to spend your time in yours, I hope it brings you the same sense of satisfaction and calm that I felt finally finishing this long-delayed task.

Keep smiling—and happy creating.