DJ Laptop Stand - Crane

[leelive]

I took delivery of 2 Crane Stands last week and used them at the weekend.
I am very impressed with them.

I had previously used a Magma stand.... I was tired of having to straighten the bars... not the most robust materials. Also they are slightly tricky to set-up and require a good length of duck tape to satisfy you that your laptop won't bounce off the darn things.

The crane stands are very easy to set-up and I am sure they will last me years (provided I don't over tighten them). They are hand-welded and of a similar constuction to carbon bike frames. The method of fastening the frame is similarly to how the wheels of a bike are secured with a quick-release latch.
I didn't have my camera with me at the weekend but will get a pic posted here within the week of how they sit in my set-up.

They are expensive.. and you will have to pay import tax.. (unless you can find a uk stockist that is!). I was in such a rush to obtain them after seeing this review.. that I couldn't wait to track down a uk supplier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hS94_V6nGs

Actually, I have just found a uk stockist. So, if you do order from the states - even though you will have to wait upto 3weeks for delivery they will be slightly cheaper than buying them from within the uk.

If they were to attempt to improve on this product I would suggest that they make it 1inch taller - that is only because I am using one inside my 5u flight case and it only gives a 2inch gap between it and the top of my mixing desk. That is just ok for me as it only hiding some of the British EQs.. but others might struggle. The other I use for a laptop above my rack-mounted stairville DMX controller... that is ok as there is about 3inch space.

More info about the stand here: http://www.thecranestand.com/

Lee

[leelive]

Having used the Crane Stands for a month I can offer an additional feedback.

They are certainly very neat; easy to set-up and look great. But....

Unlike the Magma stand there is no give in the structure. So any sudden jolt on the dance-floor will cause whatever is on them to jump. If you are like me and have not yet upgraded to Solid State Drives then the music does miss a beat during that jolt!

As soon as Toshiba include USB3 in their Portege R700 range then I will be getting two of them to solve the issue. Meanwhile I will have to place a foam base underneath the Crane stands.

For those DJ's that simply rest their Laptops on a table then I recommend Flatfeet Ultra Sorbothane Audiophile Isolation Supports (Less than £10 for 4 on eBay). Once superglued to the bottom of your Laptop they absorb all the minor bounces from the dancefloor.

Lee

[WWDJ]

Thanks for the review. I am surprised that a dancefloor jolt make the music jump on your laptop especially at the music would be cached ahead into memory?

I have looked at the Crane stand for club use but it wasn't out in the UK and was a little too pricy for me anyhow, so i do carry an uberstand, however this had not yet been needed for the boxes that i have setup in.

[kmssounds]

When you say their expensive? Whats the cost of them?

IMO things like this could just be made at your local Fabricator shop? OK you ma not get te exact thing but at the end of the day it is just a stand?

I could prob get something like made up (only difference being it would be solid and would not be able to adjust size) for about £20?

Just sayin as I have had Laptop stands, CDJ stands and for the price of one of there I could prob get 4 made up?

Just seems like abit of cash wasted? This is my opinion and wouldnot like to offend anyone!