Currently trying to design a new desk and incorporate some desk top rack space into it. I want 4U either side. I would like to have them tilted back a bit and angled, but have a couple of questions.

Q1. Is there a standardised best tilt angle for desk top mounted rack gear?

Q2. I plan to mount some synths in these so they will all be to hand, something like the Behringer Model D. Is there a minimum recommended depth for this kind of rack space at all?

Here is a photo of a design very similar to what I’m going for, but with the desk top rack also tilted back, hence my questions above:

 

Spontaneously I'd say the best angle is a straight line from your eyes to the displays, so it depends on the height of your eyes and the rack.

 

Last edited: Feb 19, 2019

I know this is over a week old.. so sue me...

I design and build all my own studio and office furniture. I'm on the short side so stock is generally just not quite right. And I spend too much time there for 'not quite' to cut it.

I always try to 'mock-up' things using whatever is at hand. Boxes, shelves whatever to simulate what I'm toying with. Does it feel natural to reach there or look here etc. Generally I would agree with @No Avenger. You don't want to be craning your neck all the time to see, nor stretching to reach, and a panel that is low but too vertical places your wrist at an awkward angle when tweaking knobs. Too horizontal, hard to see.

One thing people sometimes forget is lighting Make sure you don't use an angle that reflects a lighted ceiling (or whatever) right back in your face. I've been in studios where they did just that and it's a bitch to constantly be shading things with your hand in order to see them.

Just my generally useless old geezer semi-random thoughts.

 

For a desk mount, I like her bent over at a forward angle and go from behind. sorry....

 

There is no best. It is going to depend on the gear, the knobs, faders, meters, and on how accessible you would like to have them placed. Having racks in an angle will make the gear easier to reach but you would have to be turning your head sideways. Tilting the racks makes for easier handling of gear in the bottom part but it may affect reading of meters,LED's and markings. Another thing to keep in mind with tilted racks is that it is easier to spill drinks, liquids, on the gear. Lastly, anything that will be placed below the desktop (generally below your waist) should be tilted. (no pun intended).

 

Ideally positioned in a way such that from your sitting position, you'd be looking at the face plates dead on. ie the shorter your desk the steeper the angle, the further away the flatter.

Other things to consider are the height of your monitor bridge. For example tilting them back 40 degrees would let you fit 4U in a 3U height.

Final thing to consider is that tilting them adds complexity to the build, now you have to add cutouts to the table top etc.

 

Golden ratio, also called The Divine Proportion, Phi, The Divine Section, The Fibonacci Ratio, etc, can help you with proportions.

https://www.canva.com/learn/what-is-the-golden-ratio/

Another thing to consider is cable management!

 

Last edited: Feb 19, 2019

Careful, of course workflow is one thing, but sound propagation is an other! Consoles and racks are angled a certain way on professional desks so that the sound from the speakers don't bounce on them toward your ears, but toward your chest, thus avoiding sometimes BIG issues with reflections...
If I were you, I would try to find some blue prints for professionnal desks to check which angle they have chosen, it's not random or just convenience of use.
Good luck with your desk project!