Yo-Yo DESK 80-S Review - A Cost Effective Way To Add A Standing Desk In Your Studio
We’ve written extensively on Production Expert about the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle and given some excellent examples of how some recording studios are using standing desks to improve health.
In the article Is Prolonged Sitting Bad For Us? How Your Studio Lifestyle May Not Be Helping And How To Fix It Mike Thornton said;
“The research shows that a standing desk can make a huge difference long-term by making small differences just by being stood up. So the message to all of us is simple and quite achievable – just try doing a little more standing up in your day – whilst at work, on your commute, whilst having lunch or whilst watching TV. It could make a significant difference to your health.”
Yo-Yo 80-S Standing Desk Convertor
A lot of us can say yes to a statement like that but then the practicalities mean it’s easier said than done. It is for this reason I decided to try a Yo-Yo DESK 80-S.
The Yo-Yo desk costs £199.95 Inc VAT and includes free shipping and a 3 year warranty. The unit comes in Black or White.
Yo-Yo 80-S Feature Summary
Split level worktop 80cm wide x 40cm deep (Black & White)
Height extension: 10 - 50cm (Desktop), 0 - 38cm (Keyboard)
30 adjustable heights. Switch from sitting to standing in just 1 second by pressing Quick-ReleaseTM lock on RIGHT HAND side
Available in both Black and White
Supports Single and Dual computer monitors and monitor arms
Unique ergonomic design adjusts to 30 different user heights, with SINGLE gas-strut assisted lift
Wider and Deeper Keyboard Tray for optimum ergonomic usage in seated and standing position
Easy install (5 minutes)
Aircraft grade aluminium gas spring for smooth movement and reduced risk of clamping injury
3-year warranty
30-day refund guarantee
The Yo-Yo DESK 80-S converts a regular desk or surface and enables you to use it both in a seated or standing position.
Yo-Yo make a variety of models, but on investigation I feel that the 80S suited my purpose. It offers an area for either a laptop/iMac and then an area for keyboard and mouse, or in my case I use the larger surface for my control surfaces. It will easily accommodate many of the control surfaces we now use in our studios including the PreSonus Faderport, Avid S1 and Dock as well as units such as the Softube Console 1. See the pictures below.
First Impressions
The unit comes in a large box and takes about ten minutes to assemble. All tools and instructions are provided and anyone who can read should be able to assemble without any issue.
One concern I had was how sturdy the unit would be, the last thing I wanted was constant wobble when at different heights. However, because the unit uses a heavy duty hydraulic mechanism I am happy to report that the Yo-Yo 80-S is rock solid in all positions. Some of these devices use preset notches for height adjustment, however the Yo-Yo 80-S allows you to adjust to any height using a simple clutch mechanism.
Summary
To be honest I purchased the Yo-Yo 80-S as a bit of a punt to see if it lived up to the claims and secondly if I would convert to using it. I’m in love with it, so much so that I’ve completely redesigned my studio and workflow around it. In the last week I’ve probably worked in a standing position about 80% of the time - so I think that speaks for itself.