LOCI Stands
British company LOCI’s system of modular, clip-together stands could be the ideal response to the desktop synth boom. Let’s get connected…
LOCI are a Sheffieldbased company whose wooden, modular system of stands might just be the ideal response to the current boom in desktop synths, effects and grooveboxes. Each stand in the range comes as a simple clip-together kit. Construction is very easy – just a case of slotting the basic elements together – and while the box for each displays an example of how the stand can be configured, each has an abundance of potential connection points meaning that there’s a decent amount of flexibility in how each can be set up. They are designed so that multiple stands and accessories can be joined together too, meaning that multiple units can be used to build a larger setup to suit the needs of your studio.
The material itself is laser-cut oak veneer, and LOCI talk up the sustainability of the materials – which is certainly a nice touch – along with the beeswax finish. They definitely look smart and are fairly unobtrusive once you pop a synth on top of one – a neat and subtle addition to your studio furniture. Once constructed, they feel solid too, despite being clip-together. The
LOCI website claims a Classic stand should easily take the weight of a 6U Eurorack setup with hardwood case, and we’d see no reason to doubt the legitimacy of that claim.
Classic
The Classic stand is the core of the LOCI range. Fully built, it’s a little under 28cm wide with a sloped surface around 38cm tall. On its own it’s the ideal size for a laptop or mid-sized desktop synth. For example, we popped a Korg Minilogue on one in our tests, and it felt sturdy and seemed wellsupported. Depending on how it’s positioned, the stand can be angled at either 30 or 60 degrees. It’s also possible to connect two Classic stands side-by-side using additional ‘cross supports’ – there are extras included in the kit – and achieve a triple width stand with enough space for a bigger keyboard as a result. Two or more Classic stands can also be fashioned into multi-tier setups or extended stands too, as well as acting as a base to add other elements from the range.
Dinky
The Dinky stand is essentially a downsized version of the Classic. Its width goes up to just over 21cm, meaning it’s ideal for things such as Korg Volcas (there’s room to rack up two on one stand), Roland Boutiques or Elektron’s Digitone/Digitakt boxes.
Accessory pack
As well as providing a few extra connector elements, the main substance of the accessory pack is a pair of inserts that can create a shelf to sit under the main level of a Classic stand. LOCI suggest this could house a MIDI interface or USB hub, although it would be difficult to access controls or settings with a synth or laptop placed on the main stand. The width would only really work with small 2x2 interface too.
Expander
This handy addition can add a raised shelf above the main surface of a Classic stand. It slots on to the top edge of the stand, meaning you do lose a little height from that lower surface (ie you could no longer fit something like a Minilogue on there) but in exchange you gain an extra tier. The resulting setup works great for, say, two compact drum machines or synth modules. In our tests we used it with a synth module on the lower level and a compact hardware sequencer placed above, which made for a great setup.